The Invention of Nylon
Nylon changed the hosiery industry forever, replacing silk and making quality stockings accessible to millions.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1935 | Wallace Carothers at DuPont creates nylon polymer |
| 1938 | DuPont announces nylon to the world |
| 1939 | First nylon stockings demonstrated at World's Fair |
| 1940 | National launch: May 15, "N-Day" |
Why Nylon Mattered
Problems with Silk
- Expensive (imported from Japan)
- Fragile, prone to runs
- Supply uncertain
- Required careful handling
Nylon Advantages
- Stronger than silk
- More elastic
- Domestically produced
- More affordable
- Consistent quality
Wallace Carothers
The inventor of nylon:
- Harvard-trained chemist
- Hired by DuPont in 1928
- Led synthetic fiber research
- Tragically died in 1937, before nylon's commercial success
"N-Day" Launch
May 15, 1940:
- First day of national sales
- 4 million pairs sold in hours
- Women lined up before dawn
- Stores sold out immediately
Marketing Genius
DuPont's marketing claimed nylon was:
- "Strong as steel"
- "Fine as spider's web"
- Actually performed close to promises
Legacy
Nylon's impact extended beyond hosiery:
- First truly synthetic fiber
- Opened door to other synthetics
- Changed fashion permanently
- Still dominant in hosiery today