Stocking Run on Japan

Acknowledging the hole nylon has made in U.S. silk consumption, Japan last week cut its 1941 silk production quota 20% under 1940, hoped to keep the price well above the current $2.38-a-lb., Government-fixed minimum. This year Du Pont plans to produce 8,000,000 Ib. of nylon at its Seaford, Del. plant, enough to take over 17% to 20% of the U.S. hosiery trade, make a third ‘of a million pairs of stockings a day. Late this year, Du Font’s new plant at Martinsville, Va. will double this output, drive still harder against Japan’s No. 1 export. Present price of nylon, though reduced 4% last fall, is still substantially higher than silk. But Du Pont engineers say this is unimportant, since the nylon yarn goes farther. Against a cost of about 20¢ for silk, the nylon in a pair of stockings costs only 18¢.