Hosiery Glossary Everyone loves the silkiness of microfiber and the body-smoothing support and stretch of spandex...but did you ever wonder what microfiber and spandex actually are? Here’s a hosiery glossary to explain those terms and other terms related to our famous L’eggs and Hanes pantyhose. We’ve included helpful definitions about socks, too. Get the facts from the experts! Anklets Socks with a top designed to cover the anklebone. Extends less than one-third of the way up the largest part of the calf. Argyle Balanced, geometrically-knit pattern of multi-colored diamonds against a solid color background. Athletic Socks Socks designed for active sports, often having a ribbed top and plain foot construction. Frequently includes a high percentage of cotton. May include performance features like extra cushioning or moisture wicking. Basics The traditional or classic styles you depend on every day. Basics vary seasonally only in color. The bulk of the sock and sheer hosiery business. Cable A knitted pattern usually made up of two vertically intertwined bands. Casuals A broad hosiery term used to describe all socks, trouser socks, or knee-highs except dress, athletic and work styles. Control Top Hosiery with spandex in the panty area. Slims and supports hips and bottom. Gives you a smoother, firmer look under slinky styles. Cotton Count A yarn numbering system generally used for yarns spun on the cotton system. The count gives the number of 840-yard lengths of yarn required to weigh one pound. The higher the number, the finer the yarn. Crochet A process that creates a design or garment by interlocking looped stitches. Needlework that is used to form a lacy design or pattern on hosiery. Cuffed Socks folded over at the top, usually just above the ankle. Cushioned Any construction with a pile surface on one side and a ribbed or plain knit surface on the other. In most cushioned athletic socks, the terry forms the inside foot portion of the sock. Some more complex constructions feature added layers of cushioning under certain areas of the foot, depending upon the sports activity for which the socks are intended. Cushion constructions are used in athletic and casual socks of all types. Cushioning normally fulfills a functional purpose...reducing the shock of running or jumping. However, the same terry-knitting procedure also produces novelty socks with a terry or velour outer surface. new brands • new services • new look Hosiery Glossary Page 2 of 8 Daytime or Dress Sheers Pantyhose of 15 or 20 denier yarn for a dressy daytime look. (See DENIER.) Denier Denier is the weight-per-unit-length of the yarn. (It is numerically equal to the weight, in grams, of 9,000 meters of yarn.) The lower the denier, the lighter and finer the yarn, and the sheerer the garment. Hosiery knit of higher denier yarns tend to be more durable. Dress Socks Light to medium weight sock that may vary in length from mid- to over-the-calf. Elastic A fabric or tape woven with strands of real or imitation rubber to make it stretch. Also, a term that designates the ability of a yarn to return to its original size or shape after being stretched. Elasticity The ability of a material to recover its original size and shape immediately after it has been stretched or compressed. Embroidery Designs of decorative trim applied by machine or hand sewing. Enhanced Toe Less noticeable than a reinforced toe. Stronger than a sheer toe. The secret is a gradual transition from the leg yarn to the end of the toe. The perfect solution for open-toed shoes. Evening Sheers Pantyhose made of 10 to 15 denier yarn. Worn for special occasions, they often have a satin finish. (See DENIER.) Extended Control Top Panty Extends the control of a regular control top panty further down the thighs, for waist-to-thigh slimming. Helps give you a smooth look under clingy dresses and pants. Fabric Specifically in hosiery, the word is used to refer to material knitted on hosiery machines from fiber. Fiber Natural or man-made units of matter that can be spun into a yarn or made into a fabric. The essential properties for fibers to be spun into yarn include a length of at least 5 millimeters, flexibility, cohesiveness and sufficient strength. Other important properties include elasticity, fineness, uniformity, durability and luster. Filament Count The number of individual filaments that make up a thread or yarn. The more filaments a yarn has, the softer it will be. Shinier yarns contain less filaments. Firm Support A lifesaver for legs that have to stand all day or need the built-in compression to improve circulation. Heavier weights of spandex used in the hosiery give the firm support. new brands • new services • new look Hosiery Glossary Page 3 of 8 Fishnet Knitted knee-highs, stockings or pantyhose with a very wide open knit resembling a fish net. A fun and sexy look. Footies Short, below the anklebone hosiery and socks of varying weight and fiber content. Often called slipper socks. Used for athletic and casual wear. Girdle Top Pantyhose with a sewn-on girdle, for the firmest possible tummy control. Glimmer Just the ticket when you want to shine at a special occasion. Certain yarns, particularly trilobal yarns, reflect light to create the glimmer effect. Graduated Support Helps reduce swelling in your ankles and refreshes your legs. This type of support hosiery is more comfortable because there are no sudden changes in the tightness of the spandex going up and down the leg. Gusset A term that means crotch panel in pantyhose. The gusset can be all nylon, or can be cotton/nylon. It can be any shape from diamond to full back panel, but always means there is an extra piece sewn in at the crotch area, for comfort, durability and hygiene. Irregulars What we call “slightly imperfect”. Hosiery that contains minor imperfections in dimensions, size, color or knit but without obvious mends, runs, breaks or substantial damage to yarn or fabric. Jacquard An intricate process for knitting patterns, designs, or textures into the sock fabric, Also, the method that produces the decorative patterns. Knee-Highs Hosiery that comes up to just below the knee. These styles have elastic tops and stay up without the help of garters. Knee-highs became very popular with the advent of women’s slacks. Knit-In Waistband Means extra comfort. Waistband is made of spandex and nylon and inserted while the garment is on the knitting machine. It is not attached later. The result is a non-binding waistband that does not get tighter, and thus uncomfortable, during wear. Lace Sheer hosiery knit with a pattern resembling lace and/or hosiery with lace seamed to the top of the leg or waistband. Lycra® Spandex A premium spandex produced and marketed by Invista. Commonly used in sheer hosiery and socks for its stretch and recovery properties. Helps provide better fit and shape retention, comfort, and/or support. Matte If you prefer subtle to shine, choose a matte finish. Matte hosiery does not reflect light. new brands • new services • new look Hosiery Glossary Page 4 of 8 Merino A fine grade of wool from sheep originating in Spain. Mesh An open knit used primarily to achieve a hand-knit, textured look. Mesh Knit A hosiery fabric produced in a variety of tiny patterns. Upon close inspection it looks like numerous fine zig-zag lines. Actually, the knit is a variety of tiny patterns with loops interlocked. This kind of construction helps prevent runs, but a snag in a mesh stocking will generally leave a hole. There are variations of mesh stitches, but for the most part, because the mesh stitch isn’t as sheer, it is seldom used in the leg portion of the pantyhose. The runguard, however, does use the mesh stitch. Metallic Yarn A manufactured yarn usually made of metallic-coated polyester plastic and used as an accent in novelty socks. Microfiber The secret to softness. Microfiber yarns are made of filament weighing less than one denier per filament (DPF). The ultra-fine filaments create an extra-soft, silky yarn. Most commonly used in nylon and polyester products. Micro-Mesh A seamless mesh stocking where the loops are knotted in one direction only. Because of this, the stocking can run in one direction — from the foot up towards the welt. Mid-Calf/Crew Socks with a top extending beyond ankle length but not beyond the largest part of the calf. Natural Fibers Cotton, wool, or silk hosiery fibers. Non-Control Top A visible panty without control. Non-Run Stockings or pantyhose with a special interlocking stitch that prevents runs (but not holes). Also called run-proof and run-less. Special manufacturing processes give the stocking or pantyhose extra life. Non-Stretch Garment manufactured without stretch yarns. Usually made of natural, ridged, non-stretch fibers. Product has no compression or stretch ability, which generally makes for a less satisfactory fit. Can be desirable for varying reasons such as fashion or medical conditions. Nylon Man-made fiber introduced in 1938. It is the first and the oldest of the true synthetics. Chemically, nylon is a man-made polyamide fiber derived from coal, air and water. This fiber is famous for its strength, abrasion resistance, dimensional stability, soft hand, elasticity and easy-washing and quick-drying characteristics. There are two basic types of nylon used in hosiery. They are Type 6 and Type 6,6. Type 6 nylon is softer and has less memory when textured than Type 6,6. Most of the yarns used in ladies hosiery are made of Type 6,6 nylon to impart the maximum memory to the fabric.