Within insect orders, the systematics of Embioptera is among the most poorly studied. We have begun work on the phylogeny of the order to improve the classification and form a more firm foundation for bringing webspinner classification into modern insect systematics. Here we present a brief review of the history of Embioptera systematics research, classification of the order and characters on which it is based, and the first results of phylogenetic analysis using combined structural and molecular characters for the group. Historical hypotheses of relationships are examined in light of the new phylogenetic hypothesis.