Hosiery Manufacturing History

From medieval hand-knitting to today's automated factories, hosiery manufacturing has undergone revolutionary changes that made stockings and pantyhose accessible to everyone.

Pre-Industrial Era

Hand Knitting (Pre-1589)

• All stockings knitted by hand
• Cottage industry
• Highly skilled craft
• Expensive, time-consuming
• Quality varied greatly

Knitting Guilds

Professional knitters organized:

• Controlled quality standards
• Regulated apprenticeships
• Protected trade secrets
• Paris guild founded 1527

The First Knitting Machine

William Lee's Invention (1589)

English clergyman William Lee invented the stocking frame:

• First knitting machine
• Could make flat fabric
• Seamed into stockings
• Queen Elizabeth I denied patent
• Lee moved to France

Impact of the Stocking Frame

• 6x faster than hand knitting
• More consistent quality
• Reduced prices somewhat
• Still required skilled operators

Industrial Revolution

Circular Knitting Machine (1816)

Marc Brunel's invention revolutionized production:

• Knitted seamless tubes
• Much faster production
• Consistent quality
• Reduced labor needs

Factory System

• Production moved to factories
• Division of labor
• Steam-powered machines
• Mass production begins

Fully-Fashioned Manufacturing

The Process

Fully-fashioned stockings were shaped during knitting:

1. Knitted flat in leg shape
2. Stitches added/removed for shaping
3. Seamed up the back
4. Higher quality, better fit

Fashion Marks

Fashion marks showed quality—tiny dots where stitches were decreased for shaping.

Seamless Revolution

Circular Knit Stockings (1930s-50s)

Tubular knitting eliminated seams:

• No back seam
• Faster to produce
• Less expensive
• Initially lower quality

Quality Improvements

• Finer gauge machines
• Better shaping techniques
• Eventually matched fully-fashioned

Synthetic Fiber Era

Nylon Changes Everything (1939)

Nylon transformed manufacturing:

• Stronger than silk
• Consistent quality
• Machine washable
• Lower cost
• New machinery developed

Modern Synthetic Blends

• Nylon + spandex
• Polyester blends
• Microfiber development
• Performance fabrics

Pantyhose Manufacturing

New Product, New Processes (1959)

Pantyhose required new techniques:

• Legs knitted separately
• Joined at panty section
• Various construction methods
• Automation increased

Modern Manufacturing

Automation

• Computer-controlled machines
• Minimal human intervention
• High-speed production
• Consistent quality control

Global Production

• China leads in volume
• Italy known for luxury
• Germany for technical hosiery
• US production declined

Specialization

• Compression hosiery facilities
• Luxury small-batch production
• Fast fashion quick turnaround
• Custom/bespoke services

Environmental Considerations

Modern Challenges

• Synthetic fibers = plastic pollution
• Fast fashion waste
• Water and energy use

Sustainable Solutions

• Recycled nylon (Econyl)
• Biodegradable options emerging
• Longer-lasting products
• Take-back programs