1938: Textile Industry

Because of the business depression in 1938, few textile companies were able to operate at a profit. Various hearings were held in Washington before the United States Tariff Commission's Reciprocity Information Committee to arrive at a reciprocal trade agreement with Great Britain. Among the important acts of Congress affecting the textile industry was the passage of the Wage and Hour Law in June 1938.

Better grades of cotton, wool, rayon, silk, and other textile materials have been produced, making them easier to employ in the manufacture of stockings, shirts, sweaters, and other articles. For instance, cotton in the beater chamber of pickers may be conditioned with a compound giving soft, flexible, and easy-to-draw fibers. Among the other new chemicals are: a commercial production of sulphanic acid in crystalline form which, when dissolved in water, has characteristics of hydrochloric and sulphuric acids; improved dyes; a compound that will deluster hosiery and make it water repellent; a finishing agent for imparting increased strength and elasticity to hosiery; a new line of throwster tints.

Builders of knitters, throwsters, dyers; of machines for making outwear and underwear, hosiery, and yarns; of finishing equipment, all have added improvements and refinements for giving increased production and turning out better products. Dye kettles and vats are now made of stainless steel, which is not affected by dyes and can be quickly washed off for changing from one color to another.

Processes of textile printing have been improved, and those at one time in the experimental stage have been developed to the commercial. Of these is the Aridge, which makes use of a new series of colors for printing on cotton shirtings. As cotton fabrics comprise about 85 per cent of the yardage of printed textiles, improvements in dyes and printing are of major importance.

Other advancements made in the textile industry may be summarized thus — plants are better lighted, some are air conditioned; looms run at higher speeds; and when Diesel engines are installed for power, their waste heat is utilized for heating buildings and for textile processes.