116 WOMEN'S MUSLIN-UNDERWEAR INDUSTRY. 
or designs of embroidery or lace, called medallions, are set into the 
yokes. Medallions and short pieces of embroidery and lace are 
worked up into many intricate patterns. Much artistic skill is 
exercised In trimming muslin underwear, and all manufacturers are 
compelled to Prodage new designs constantly. They copy "much 
from one another, and salesmen are expected to buy samples of 
attractive garments made by competitors and send them to their 
factories to be imitated. When new garments are made in a factory 
that has a high-priced designer, and sold to the stores, samples are 
very soon bought by representatives of other factories, so that when 
a novelty is put on the market the originator can retain the benefit 
of it but a short time, perhaps a few days only. 
Showy underwear 1s popular. It is the opinion of many manu- 
facturers that most women care more for showy effects than for the 
quality of the materials used. In New England, however, there is 
still a considerable demand for underwear made with fine seams, hems, 
and tucks, and neat embroidery. 
Until about five years ago muslin underwear was somewhat 
standardized. Meter made large quantities of garments of 
the same materials, the same design, and the same standard of 
quality. The products of factories were then largely sold through 
jobbers. In the last few years there has been an ever-increasing 
demand for new styles. The constant change of style is the greatest 
uncertainty of the industry and the greatest Sein of the manu- 
facturer. The demand for new styles is probably greater in the 
muslin-underwear trade than in any other branch of manufacture, 
except the manufacture of outer apparel. A large underwear factory 
has ie of designs and gets out new samples every week. A 
traveling salesman that goes over his route four times a year must 
show new styles each time or he can not sell goods. Each design is 
made up in much smaller quantities than were formerly produced in 
any He Changes are so numerous and frequent that no manu- 
facturer can afford to risk making 0 large quantities of stock, 
especially in the higher-priced goods. Except in the cheaper styles, 
no goods are made in quantity until samples have been sent out and 
orders received. This system necessitates the making up of goods 
for many small orders and for many varied styles, and materially 
increases the cost of designing and manufacturing. Under this system 
also it is very difficult to enforce efficiency rules in any factory. 
Piece prices are fixed on each new style, and often there is Some 
with i employees about fixing them. More skill is required of 
Seplopess than Was the case when the product was mostly in staple 
styles. Wages have steadily increased and working hours have 
been shortened. 
In the last five years new machines have been invented which have 
foyer speed than the old machines. These include special machines 
or hemstitching, tucking, ruffling, for sewing rows of lace and embroid- 
ery together, and for attaching them to the bodies of the garments. 
Competition. between manufacturers is keener than ever. They now 
sell more largely to retailers direct than formerly. To do a successful 
business it is necessary for a manufacturer to give close and constant 
attention to the changes of fashion and to adapt his designing, 
manufacturing, and selling methods to new labor Hi trade conditions.