Da klær ble av plast. Nylonstrømpenes vekst og fall [When Clothes Became Plastic: The Rise and Fall of Nylon Stockings].

Arr – Idéhistorisk tidsskrift. 2023, (3-4), 57-65.  

By Tone Rasch, Ingrid Haugsrud, and Kirsi Laitala.

Thin stockings for women were the first clothes made from oil-based fibers in the years immediately following World War II. We have examined how nylon stockings, as industrially produced plastic consumer goods, became part of everyday life and how perceptions of them were shaped and changed during the period from 1950 to 1970 in Norway. From being considered fashion items, they gradually became common consumer goods and are now, in many cases, regarded as disposable products. The value of nylon stockings has declined. At the same time, synthetic fibers have influenced consumer practices. We argue that the history of the rise and fall of nylon stockings in cultural and economic hierarchies during this period helps to understand how plastic became an integral part of our consumer everyday life. This example illustrates how the introduction of synthetic textiles fundamentally changed the use, maintenance, and lifespan of clothing.

Read the full article here.