Nylon riots

Nylon was introduced by DuPont around 1939 and was in extremely high demand in the United States, with up to 4 million pairs of stockings bought in one day.

Du Pont was able to convince the army, and nylon fabric became increasingly popular because of its elasticity and shrink-proof, moth-proof material.

[3] George Marion Jr. and Fats Waller's song "When the Nylons Bloom Again" described this situation in poetic terms:[2][4] Gone are the days when I'd answer the bell Find a salesman with stockings to sell Gleam in his eye and measuring tape in his hand I get the urge to go splurging on hose Nylons a dozen of those Now poor or rich we're enduring instead Woolens which itch Rayons that spread I'll be happy when the nylons bloom again Cotton is monotonous to men Only way to keep affection fresh Get some mesh for your flesh I'll be happy when the nylons bloom again Ain't no need to blow no sirens then When the frozen hosen can appear Man that means all clear Working women of the USA and Britain Humble dowager or lowly debutant We'll be happy as puppy or a kitten Stepping back into their nylons of DuPont Keep on smiling to the nylons bloom again And the WACS come back to join their men In a world that Mr. Wallace planned Strolling hand in hand In August 1945, eight days after Japan's surrender, DuPont announced that it would resume producing stockings and newspaper headlines cheered "Peace, It's Here!

[5] The shortage persisted into 1946 but by March, Du Pont was finally able to ramp up production and began churning out 30 million pairs of stockings a month.

Reporters suggested the company was being greedy and unpatriotic for maintaining exclusive patent and production rights to a substance in such popular demand.

In 1945, an ad appeared in Knit Goods Weekly that called on readers and other retailers to write to their congressmen in protest.