Fabrics: Nylon

Fabrics: Nylon

Olivia Utley

Texas Tech University

During World War II, the United States had been banned from exporting silk fabrics to Asia and other countries. The Du Pont Company in Delaware began research on experimentation with plastic fibers to create a synthetic fabric to be used to replace silk. Silk played an important role during WWII because it was used for parachutes. A new fabric needed to be made.

In 1938, Wallace Hume Carothers, who worked for the Du Pont Company, invented the first Nylon fabric. Nylon is a polyamide fiber “derived from a diamine and a dicarboxylic acid” and made from petrochemicals (Kannadaguli & Korta). It is designed to have rugged durability, to be strong and resistant to tears and abrasions, to be elastic, lightweight, attractive, well insulated and to resist heat, water and molds. This new fabric was ideal for women’s stockings. In 1939, this new production was introduced to the public at the World’s Fair in New York. The sales were so successful “over 72,000 pairs of nylon stockings were purchased in the U.S. on the first day they were released, and 64 million in the first year” (Moore). Nylon has many positive attributes, as well as being inexpensive; it was the ideal fabric to replace many products silk was used to create.

Nylon was first used to create hairbrushes in 1938, but moved towards hosiery and commercial production in the 1940’s. These “Nylon’s” began at the feet and wrapped the leg to mid-thigh and fastened at a garter belt. It was considered a “wash and wear” product because you could wash the fabric and wear without ironing before; it is considered a “wrinkle-free” fabric. Then in the 1960’s, Nylon was introduced as a one-piece “panty hose”.  Nylon is also used to create different productions such as “flags, toothbrush bristles, racket strings, machines parts” (NY Fashion Center) as well as “basketball nets, carpeting, clothing, fishing lines, strings for guitars and other musical instruments, surgical sutures… vehicle upholstery and many others” (Moore).

The creation of Nylon came out of an experimentation to replace another fabric that was used extensively during the late 1930’s. Although it served its original purpose, the use of Nylon exploded to help create many different products. The production of Nylon continues to expand and will always be involved in current and future productions.

Kannadaguli, M, & Kotra, R. (2004, APRIL). Nylon fibers. Retrieved from http://www.engr.utk.edu/mse/Textiles/Nylon%20fibers.htm

Moore, Shelley. (1999-2011). The History of Nylon. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_4580060_history-nylon.html

NY Fashion Center, Initials. (2010). Nylon Fabric Information. Retrieved from http://www.nyfashioncenterfabrics.com/nylon-fabric-info.html