Authenticity

The Fully Fashioned stockings that we sell are made in England on original Reading flatbed knitting machines featured on this page, Christel commissions Eleganti the owner of these machines to produce high quality stockings for us in a wide range of colours and styles for us to make available to all. The pictures of the machines used in the knitting process are shown here to authenticate our claims that we indeed sell Genuine Fully Fashioned nylon stockings.

production of fully fashioned nylon stockings - Knitting machines

These awe inspiring machines weigh 6 tonnes each are 17 metres long and can produce 30 stockings per hour. They have two pattern chains one of which is 25 meters long and control the whole process. The machines are very fine gauge and are equipped with 16800 needles. The stockings are knitted as a flat piece of material shaped to fit the leg closely and subsequently seamed together by a machinist from the toe to the top or 'welt' of the stocking and over into the finishing loop. This is a distinctive feature of the true Fully Fashioned stocking. They are then dyed to the desired colour and matched for size, after which each stocking is put on a leg shaped metal board and steamed to eliminate creases and fix the size. The whole production process is labour intensive and requires great care and attention to detail to produce stockings of this quality.

production of fully fashioned nylon stockings

The only stretch is the amount allowed in the knit when made and whilst these stockings will appear very long when taken from the packet when pulled up the leg length will be lost depending on the size of calf and or thigh. This should be taken into account when ordering.

To preserve these beautiful stockings in pristine condition they should be put on with cotton gloves if possible. They should be washed by hand in warm soapy water and positioned without creases whilst drying.