An overview of Pantyhose

Last updated on July 15th, 2023 at 01:00 am

Women’s sheer nylon hosieries are made of filament nylon yarn. The yarn may be a stretch or bi-component type to provide increased elasticity. Spandex may be added for greater elasticity and support. The hosieries are circular knitted in several styles or lengths. The most popular style is pantyhose. Other styles considered important enough to mention here are grater length and knee high.

Definition

Pantyhose is, essentially, a combination of a pair of stockings joined to a panty created by knitting an elongated upper portion of the stocking. The legs are knitted in several sheernesses, generally of 15 denier (16.7 dtex) mono-filament stretch or bi-component nylon. The elongated welt portion is generally knitted of a plied 70 to 100 denier (77.8 – 111.1 dtex) multifilament nylon yarn. Pantyhose are also knitted of nylon and spandex yarns for support in the leg and panty portions; the amount of spandex is dependent upon the degree of support desired.

There are two basic methods of fabricating pantyhose. They may be made either from sections or in one piece.

Each leg is made separately on a circular knitting machine. The stocking may be kitted in a reciprocating form to produce a shaped heel or in a non-shaped tube form. The toe of each knitted legs is seamed closed in a manner that should provide both comfort and good appearance. Each stocking is later put on a flat, leg-shaped frame and permanently heat-set to the knitted size.

If the legs are knitted with shaped heels, they are paired, slit with a hot wire on the inside of the welt portion to make a left and right stocking, and then joined at the slit edge with a U seam. If the legs are knitted in tube form, each tube is slit the same way and joined with the U seam. To provide better fit and greater comfort, pantyhose are sometimes made with a sewn-in gusset in the crotch. These gussets may be made of nylon, cotton, or an appropriate combination. They are die-cut usually into diamond shape and then sewn in to form the crotch. Proper fitting and stitching require care by the manufacturer.

The waistband may be either sewn to the top or more usually, knitted into the top portion of the welt with laid-in spandex yarn.

There are essentially two ways of making one-piece pantyhose. One method utilizes the principles of a standard circular knitting stocking machine; the other uses a modified system of a 14-guide bar, 2-needdle bar Raschel machine.

The circular knit approach begins by knitting the toe end first. The toe may be knitted closed or left open to be stitched closed after the knitting is completed. Knitting proceeds from the toe end to construct a tube. After knitting one leg, the panty portion is knitted, and then the machine continues down knitting the second stocking tube.

The Raschel method knits both tubular stockings and then a mechanism influences a connection of the yarns from the leg tubes to form one large tube that will comprise the panty part.

Pantyhose come in many styles. Selections of these are:

Regular style – sheer legs, reinforced panty and toe.

Sandal foot – sheer legs and toe, reinforced panty.

Sheer-to-waist – sheer from waist to toe, reinforced toe.

All sheer – no reinforcing.

Control top – panty of nylon and spandex, nylon legs, reinforced toe.

Control top sandal-foot – panty of nylon and spandex, sheer nylon legs and toe.

Support – legs and panty of nylon and spandex, panty and toe reinforced.

The size designations for pantyhose, as shown in Table, are set according to such characteristics as the height and weight of the consumer. However, these size classifications vary somewhat among manufacturers. The construction and yarn used are factors. The package generally provides the consumer with size information.

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