SIR,—We have read with interest the article entitled 'Showing a
Leg' in your January 9 issue. We would like first of all to congratulate you on a very incisive piece of writing on what is not altogether a layman's subjedt. We particularly liked your rebuttal of the idea which one hears expressed occasionally that manufacturers do purposefully make nylon stockings more vulnerable than they need be. The fact is that since nylon yarn commenced to be used for ladies' hosiery the public both in this country and elsewhere have constantly sought finer and more transparent stockings and manufacturers have only obliged by supplying what the public call for. Hence, as you say, approximately 78 per cent, of all nylon stockings purchased in the United Kingdom are knitted of fifteen-denier yarn or finer.
Your reference to the product of this company is not quite accurate. We do not make a dual torque or two-way stretch welt. Our most important contribu- tion towards the welfare of the stocking wearer has been the introduction to this country a few years ago of a non-run top and toe to ensure that ladders do not enter the sheer leg area. This proved such a useful and popular feature that constructions approximating to it have since been introduced by many other hosiery manufacturers. This technique was supplied to us by our parent company in America. In the first instance it applied to fully fashioned stockings only, but more recently we have been able to adapt the technique to give protection to ultra-sheer seamfree hosiery as well.—Yours faithfully,
GEORGE CLARKE
Berkshire Knitting (Ulster) Ltd., Newtownards, Co. Down, N. Ireland
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