Editing Nylon (section)

=== Introduction of nylon blends ===

As pure nylon hosiery was sold in a wider market, problems became apparent. Nylon stockings were found to be fragile, in the sense that the thread often tended to unravel lengthwise, creating 'runs'.<ref name="Ndiaye" />{{rp|101}} People also reported that pure nylon textiles could be uncomfortable due to nylon's lack of absorbency.<ref>{{cite book|author=Reader's Digest|title=New complete guide to sewing: step-by-step techniques for making clothes and home accessories|date=2002|publisher=Reader's Digest|location=London|page=19|isbn=9780762104208|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v1ZVvZTdZRMC&pg=PA19|access-date=26 June 2017}}</ref> Moisture stayed inside the fabric near the skin under hot or moist conditions instead of being "wicked" away.<ref>{{cite journal|title=How to buy a trail bed|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_98DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA70|access-date=26 June 2017|journal=Backpacker|volume=5|number=3|page=70|date=June 1977}}</ref> Nylon fabric could also be itchy and tended to cling and sometimes spark as a result of static electrical charge built up by friction.<ref name="Mendelson">{{cite book|last1=Mendelson|first1=Cheryl|title=Home comforts : the art and science of keeping house|date=2005|publisher=Scribner|location=New York|isbn=978-0743272865|url=https://archive.org/details/homecomfortsarts0000mend|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/homecomfortsarts0000mend/page/224 224]|access-date=26 June 2017}}</ref><ref name="Shaeffer">{{cite book|last1=Shaeffer|first1=Claire|title=Claire Shaeffer's fabric sewing guide.|date=2008|publisher=Krause Publications|location=Cincinnati, Ohio|isbn=978-0896895362|pages=[https://archive.org/details/claireshaeffersf0000shae/page/88 88]–90|edition=2nd|url=https://archive.org/details/claireshaeffersf0000shae|url-access=registration}}</ref> Also, under some conditions, nylon could degrade, perforating or shredding stockings.<ref name="Meikle"/>{{rp|p=147}} Scientists explained this as [[Polymer degradation#Hydrolysis|acid hydrolysis]] resulting from [[air pollution]], attributing it to London smog in 1952, as well as poor air quality in New York and Los Angeles.<ref name="Cheremisinoff">{{cite book|last1=Cheremisinoff|first1=Nicholas P.|title=Handbook of air pollution prevention and control|url=https://archive.org/details/handbookairpollu00cher_913|url-access=limited|date=2002|publisher=Butterworth-Heinemann|location=Amsterdam|isbn=9780080507927|page=[https://archive.org/details/handbookairpollu00cher_913/page/n79 65]}}</ref><ref name="Stern">{{cite book|editor-last1=Stern|editor-first1=Arthur C.|title=Air pollution and its effects|date=1970|publisher=Academic press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-12-666551-2|page=72|edition=2nd|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=07FA4WIBkf8C&pg=PA72|access-date=26 June 2017}}</ref><ref name="Garte">{{cite book|last1=Garte|first1=Seymour|title=Where we stand : a surprising look at the real state of our planet|date=2008|publisher=AMACOM|location=New York|isbn=978-0814409107|page=[https://archive.org/details/wherewestandsurp0000gart/page/60 60]|url=https://archive.org/details/wherewestandsurp0000gart|url-access=registration|access-date=26 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Campbell |first1=Dean J. |last2=Wright |first2=Emily A. |last3=Dayisi |first3=Mardhia O. |last4=Hoehn |first4=Michael R. |last5=Kennedy |first5=Branden F. |last6=Maxfield |first6=Brian M. |title=Classroom Illustrations of Acidic Air Pollution Using Nylon Fabric |journal=Journal of Chemical Education |date=1 April 2011 |volume=88 |issue=4 |pages=387–391 |doi=10.1021/ed100604a|bibcode=2011JChEd..88..387C }}</ref>

The solution found to problems with pure nylon fabric was to blend nylon with other existing fibres or polymers such as [[cotton]], [[polyester]], and [[spandex]]. This led to the development of a wide array of blended fabrics. The new nylon blends retained the desirable properties of nylon (elasticity, durability, ability to be dyed) and kept clothes prices low and affordable.<ref name="Krier" />{{rp|2}} As of 1950, the New York Quartermaster Procurement Agency (NYQMPA), which developed and tested textiles for the [[United States Army|Army]] and [[United States Navy|Navy]], had committed to developing a wool-nylon blend. They were not the only ones to introduce blends of both natural and synthetic fibres. ''America's Textile Reporter'' referred to 1951 as the "Year of the blending of the fibres".<ref name="Haggard">{{cite journal|last1=Haggard|first1=John V.|title=Chapter III: Collaborative Procurement of Textiles|journal=Procurement of Clothing and Textiles, 1945-53|date=16 May 1957|volume=2|issue=3|pages=79–84|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Pw6alchdDkC&pg=PA79}}</ref> Fabric blends included mixes like "Bunara" (wool-rabbit-nylon) and "Casmet" (wool-nylon-fur).<ref name="Handley"/> In Britain, in November 1951, the inaugural address of the 198th session of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce focused on the blending of textiles.<ref name="GOODALE">{{cite journal|last1=Goodale|first1=Ernest W.|title=The Blending & Mixture of Textile Fibres & Yarns|journal=Journal of the Royal Society of Arts|date=16 November 1951|volume=100|issue=4860|pages=4–15|jstor=41368063}}</ref>

DuPont's Fabric Development Department cleverly targeted French fashion designers, supplying them with fabric samples. In 1955, designers such as [[Coco Chanel]], [[Jean Patou]], and [[Christian Dior]] showed gowns created with DuPont fibres, and fashion photographer [[Horst P. Horst]] was hired to document their use of DuPont fabrics.<ref name="Wolfe2008"/> ''American Fabrics'' credited blends with providing "creative possibilities and new ideas for fashions which had been hitherto undreamed of."<ref name="Handley">{{cite book|last1=Handley|first1=Susannah|title=Nylon: The Story of a Fashion Revolution|date=1999|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|location=Baltimore, MD|isbn=978-0756771720|page=68|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2YAYdk30VyIC&pg=PA68|access-date=26 June 2017}}</ref>