Full text: The women's muslin-underwear industry

MANUFACTURING AND SELLING. 115 
ed. A manufacturer in an interior city who has an establish- 
it employing large numbers of men said that plenty of female 
kers Cal be obtained at low wages, and there were no’ labor 
bles with them. He also said that rents were comparatively 
1p, and shipping facilities were good. Baym, however, would 
consider his city as a market for muslin underwear and would go 
sral hundred miles farther to buy in New York City. Merchants 
iis own city preferred to buy in New York City, where they could 
: sect and select from all the newest styles. He said, however, 
o the business of manufacturing underwear could be successfully 
: ducted in his city if the factory maintained a show and sales 
n m in New York City. 
he amount of work which manufacturers let out to be done by 
tract is smaller in the muslin underwear industry than in other 
dle trades. Where contract work is done garments, after being 
are sent out to be made up, but usually this is done only in the 
y season, when the manufacturer has many rush orders. This 
urs most frequently in the case of cheap garments. Even if he 
the floor space and can command additional labor, it does not 
- him to install extra machines to make up goods for customers 
» have waited until the last minute to place their orders. When 
ined to the factory the cheaper garments are not closely ex- 
med. The better grades of garments are made in the factory, 
sre there is supervision and close examination of all work. The 
tractors in many cases employ members of their own families, 
pay less wages than do the manufacturers. 
ome of the larger factories have part of their cheaper garments 
!s up in charitable institutions, et the amount is not large. 
se institutions do not solicit business, but usually do work for 
same factories year after year. 
Intil 10 years ago cambric and muslin were the principal mate- 
s used in lingerie, but since then there has been a demand for 
o ~ ter fabrics, and now cambric and muslin are not much used ex- 
< t for the cheaper grades. Medium and fine Jaimie are made of 
‘nsook, batiste, and lawn, and for some of the finer grades crépe 
¢ chine or China silk is used. There is not much difference between 
. men’s underwear for winter and for summer except that for sum- 
~ t wear nightgowns are made of lighter materials and more of them 
c made with low necks. 
: ‘tyles of muslin underwear are affected by changes in the styles 
¢ she outer apparel. When outer skirts are full, lingerie also is 
os le full, and when outer skirts are tight fitting, lingerie is made 
fit the form closer. During the last few years there have been 
. ical changes in the styles of outer apparel and of underwear. 
aufacturers of undergarments, as well as those of outer apparel, 
* st follow the changes of fashion in order to do business successfully. 
7 ‘ractically all muslin underwear made in the United States is 
% nmed ‘with embroidery or lace. Embroidery is more durable 
2 n lace, and more of it is used on the cheaper and medium-priced 
ments. On the yokes of nightgowns, princess slips, and combi- 
2 lons there are often four or fre TOWS of embroidery or lace, or of 
5 h, the outer row being called edging, and the inner rows insertion. 
© °n one or two rows of insertion are openwork embroidery or 
called beading, throuech which ribbon is run. Frequently figures
	        
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