The increasing complexity of computer components has made it neccessary to increase the cleanliness of the laboratories that produce these components. This is well shown in the differences between the garments of the 1960's and the "bunny suits" of today.
In the late 1960's, the employees of Intel who were working on integrated circuits were required to wear loose white smocks over their ordinary clothes (see below). This was not very clean, and therefore there was an extremely high defect rate of the chips, as any foreign matter that falls on the chip will render it useless.
Now, the employees of Intel who are working on integrated circuits are required to wear a "bunny suit" (see below). These "bunny suits" are much like an astronaut's clothing in that they are completely sealed to the outdoor environment. Therefore, these suits keep the laboratory clean, and therefore drastically reduce the defect rate in Intel's integrated circuits.
Left: Workers in 1968 wearing smocks over over their clothes
Right: A worker in 1998 wearing a "bunny suit"