Knowledge | Why is there a "back seam" on the tights?

Are you a maniac fan of “back seam tights”? I am! 

What is Back Seam Tights?

The type of tights that has a longitudinal line on the back side is so called back seam tights.

Why is there a back seam?

When nylon tights were first produced, due to sewing craftsmanship limitation, a seam line would be left on the back side. Nowadays, there are no longer any craftsmanship issues certainly, and the back seam becomes not only a typical retro element, but also an aesthetic choice.

1. The birth of nylon stockings

In the 20th century, the birth of the new material Nylon brought a major revolution to stockings. In 1937, a chemical engineer at DuPont accidentally discovered that a mixture of coal tar, air, and water could melt at high temperatures and produce a hard, wear-resistant, and fine filament. This is the later widely known Nylon fiber.

Two years later, DuPont brought stockings to the World Expo and received widespread praise. Then in 1940, nylon stockings were officially put into the market. At that time, the price of stockings was around $6.8 per pair, which was equivalent to buying a pair of stockings and spending 10% of American people's monthly salary.

2. Stocking makeup

The good times didn't last long. After the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941 and the United States joining World War II, nylon became a limited supply and was used more to manufacture military supplies such as parachutes and bomber tires. Stockings became a scarce item. 

But what can stump women who love beauty? Women began using pencils to draw a thin black line behind their legs, which looked like they were wearing stockings.

At that time, there even appeared the technique of "liquid stockings" - evenly smearing liquid foundation on the legs, which looked like wearing silk stockings. Many cosmetics stores even offered free makeup of legs to attract business!