ALEXIS4U

The "P" word

The “P” word, and I hate to say it but you know what it is, Pantyhose were the demise of many businesses across the country. This horrible thing has not only lasted longer than Stockings, but since it was so easy to make once new fibers were invented any one with a machine could make them at a high rate. Now almost all Pantyhose are manufactured and packaged over seas including famous manufactures like Hanes, Berkshire and probably any brand you could think of.

At one time a local shop, known as the Hosiery store sold for the most part only Stockings.  Most customers would wear one pair for as long as they could which might be as little as 3 times if they were fortunate. Almost all females’ young and old wore nylon Stockings daily which kept the hosiery industry alive. This industry was quite large.

It supported box companies since all hosiery were sold from boxes (they held 3 pair and sometimes 6 pairs), paper companies as the stockings were in cased in tissue paper, printing companies as the tissue as well as the boxes were imprinted with the manufactures name (brand or just a nice picture), finishing companies as these are the companies that took the stockings from the mill (heat pressed them flat, dyed, stamped the welt with a Logo and sometimes packaged the stockings), and lets not forget the Mills and all the other local businesses that were supporting all of these companies, restaurants, transportation, banks and on and on.

I could probably go on forever but I would like to point out how only allowing one product to be manufactured over seas can lead to the demise of a whole industry locally.  That is a lot of jobs. I do not blame Pantyhose, not at all, progress is good and overseas manufacturing is good competition that can help to keep prices in line and induce better quality as long as you can compete. If only we could have supported this Industry monetarily with incentives to compete in the long run Stockings and or pantyhose would still be manufactured here and who knows maybe it is not too late.

Enough about my politics, it's just irks me when I walk down Orchard street (Known as the rag district, occupied 8 city blocks in NYC - Sold Stockings and underclothes in the 1950s ~ 1970s), Visit Old abandoned Hosiery Mills in Philadelphia and South Carolina, Talk to Original store owners of these Hosiery shops to see what we once had and something that probably will never return.  

Alexis

Albert's Crystal Clear SANDAL Stockings

SEAMLESS - FIRST QUALITY - 15 DENIER - ULTRA SHEER - 100% NYLON  - FLAT KNIT

Demi Toe (Reinforced Toe area) Stockings 

Manufactured 1970 ~ 1980 for Albert's Hosiery

Albert's Stretch Nylon Stockings