The occupational classifieation for full-fashioned and for seamless
hosiery manufacture has been kept separate even for plants where
both types of hosiery were maufactured. The occupational classifica-
tion varied most in the knitting processes, as the finishing processes
are similar for both types of hosiery. The occupations peculiar to
full-fashioned hosiery manufacture are the knitting processes, foot-
ing, legging, and the so-called knitting helpers. Occupations found
exclusively in seamless hosiery manufacture are rib knitting, string
knitting, pressing, raveling, separating tops, and splice cutting, The
occupational classifications eommon to both types of hosiery manu-
facture are boarding, dyeing, examining, looping, machine fixing,
maintenance, mending, packing, pairing, seaming, sorting, topping,
winding, and other. In ‘‘other’’ are included miscellaneous occupa-
tions such as shipping and floor help.
Geographical distribution
The manufacture of hosiery, carried on for the most part in the
eastern section of the state, tends to concentrate in Philadelphia county
where 36 per cent of all hosiery plants in the state and 45 per cent
of the workers are located. Berks county is the next most important
center, with 23 per cent of the plants and 28 per cent of the employes.
The county areas, used in this study as a basis for geographical
classification, were selected because of their importance both as manu-
facturing and as market centers, Table 3 shows the proportion of
plants and employes studied in each district *
Table 8. Hosiery Plants and Emvloyes by Geographical District
Geographical district
Philadelphia county ......____..____
Berks county ae...
Northampton county oo...
Other counties —ammce reenter ee———
TOtAl eo
In atntate
|
Number of plants ) Number of employes
Tn state** In study
20,568
12,515
2,427
9.915
4,186
8,804
1,488
1,781
10,687
| 14
R.
45 495
The full-fashioned hosiery industry is centered in Philadelphia, and
more than one-half of the full-fashioned hosiery plants considered in
this study were located in this area. Table 4 gives the distribution of
the hosiery plants studied by type of product and geographical lo-
cation.
ee eee — em
*The Industrial Directory does not elagsity hosiery plants by type of product. -
possible, therefore, to show the proportion of full-fashioned and seamiens Bi Slants
studied to the number of full-fashioned and seamless hosiery plants in the state.
“Pennsylvania Industrial Directory. 1928