On November 15, , the War Production Board launched an official collection program for silk and nylon hosiery. When stockings developed holes or runs, women were encouraged to turn them in at the hosiery department of their local store. Women treated their remaining stockings with great care, often reserving them for special occasions.
Rayon or cotton stockings were worn, but not fondly, as they tended to sag around the knees and ankles. The rising popularity of slacks helped, but most women resorted to bare legs, often with ankle socks. To simulate the look of nylons, some women used leg makeup from cosmetics companies such as Max Factor. The leg makeup was endangered when a lady crossed her legs or when it rained, and its difficulty in application and wear limited its popularity.
They seemed to be a huge deal in this era, and not so much now. They do exist. My generation hates them with a white-hot passion and usually wears slacks to avoid nylons. Suffice it to say that American women were wearing silk stockings. Enter Harvard-trained scientist, Wallace H. Carothers, hired by E. DuPont de Nemours and Company to conduct research on synthetic materials and polyblends. In , Carothers invented Fiber , or what would become known as Nylon. DuPont astutely recognized the economic value of Nylon as a silk replacement and concentrated on manufacturing nylon stockings.
Within three hours of their experimental debut, 4, pairs of nylon stockings sold out. The next year, 4 million pairs of brown nylons sold out within two days , making a total sales figure of million. Military parachutes and rope were also made from the Japanese import. After the Pearl Harbor attack, the United States went to war against Japan and, suddenly, the production of nylon was diverted for military use.
It was used to make glider tow ropes, aircraft fuel tanks, flak jackets, shoelaces, mosquito netting, hammocks, and, yes, parachutes. This is because nylon is a thermoplastic polymer that is strong, tough, and durable. The story quoted the president of Gotham Hosiery Shop: "Assuming the government meant what it said when it promised to release nylon immediately after the conclusion of the war, women can expect to be wearing nylon stockings in time to celebrate a victorious new year.
Another story a few days later told of a veritable nylon riot in northern California as 1, women rushed a hosiery mill that had just released 12, pairs of prewar nylons the president of the mill had squirreled away back when manufacturing was halted.
Tribune features writer Edith Weigle traveled the country that fall reporting on the manufacturing process of nylons and updating shoppers on expected availability. The idea is to produce nylons — just nylons. Not fancy colors, not varied leg lengths. By September, women were setting their sights on a nylon-filled Christmas, but they knew supplies would be limited. The rush to production hit a snag, a headline Sept. It probably would be late spring or early summer before women could buy nylons whenever they wished.
In November, small batches of nylons began to arrive at stores in Chicago. A Nov.
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