Evening star., 1925-06-06
CLOTH SALES JUMP
ALL OVER COUNTRY
Sewing Machines Hum as
Women Again Turn to
Making Own Dresses.
BY j. c. ROYL.E.
Special Dispatch to Tho Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, June 6.-The whir of
the sewing machine is heard again in
the land. Women have again begun
TO make their own dresses after a
period when that practice had fallen
into partial disuse. This is shown by
the improvement in piece goods sales
in dry goods and department stores in
all sections of the country
The chief executive of one company,
which maintains stores in a half dozen
cities from New York to the Missis.
sippi River, declared to the writer to-
day that the piece goods business was
one OF the saving features of the dry
goods situation. Volume of buying,
he added, had fallen off to some ex-
tent, although not to an alarming de-
gree. and the demand had turned
largely to the less expensive brands
of merchandise.
Sales Far Above Average.
1t is a matter of record that piece
goods sales had dropped to approx
mately half what they were 10 years
ago. Women turned to the ready-to-
wear lines, and the old custom of en-
ploying SeamstreSs or making one )
own clothes was abandoned to a great
degree. The present styles, however.
have made 1t possible for women to
construct dresses quickly and easily,
and piece goods sales now are run
ming at much higher rate than the
10-year average.
Production of goods of 56-inch width
gave impetus to the movement. Prac-
tically all that is necessary to con-
struct a simple yet stylish Summer
frock from such goods now is two long
seams, and the 56-inch wash and print
ed silks are being sold in large quan-
titles.
New Problem Looms.
This may necessitate a change in
the style of production. Such goods
heretofore have been woven in 1O-yard
lengths, but these will not cut eco
nomically. 1t requires about yard
and half of the wide goods or three
yards OF the narrow widths TO make
dress, and that is all women are buy.
Ing. This trend was strikingly shown
at recent remnant sale held by big
New York department store The
Sard-and- a-half lengths were snapped
up at once. while the two-yard pieces
were left almost untouched
This trend is worrying the jobber TO
no little degree. If the mills continue
TO stick to the 10-yard lengths they
fear they will lose lot of trade. The
retailers are demanding the e-and-a-
hair and three-yard cuts, and this is
far from satisfactory TO the whole
saler.
Fall Orders Heavy.
The renewed activity of the domestic
sewing machines has had it's principal
effect on silk goods. There has re.
Gently been a slight seasonal drop in
production, but the total business of
manufacturers is running at a higher
| rate than ever before in this country
Tor this time of year. and ordering FOR
Fall has been heavy.
Raw silk prices are strong and have
advanced moderately this week. but
| they are still at a level advantag geou S
! to ma nufacturers. The rayon or art!-
| ilcial silk producers are working their
! enlarged plants at capacity. They
have realized the value to their indus
| try OF stability in prices and have
opened their third quarter books at
the same level as now obtains.
Silk Concerns Rushed.
President W. w. Birge of the Indus.
| trial Fibre Co. of Cleveland. for ey-
ample. says: We have no warehouse
and no need for one Our OUTPUT has
been sold ahead for some time and in.
dications point to a continuation of
that condition, We are shipping our
products as rapidly as they are made. "
| This company when he became presi-
| dent in 1921 had about go employees.
| 1t now hires more than a thousand
and is bringing its production up to
| 10000 pounds of artificial silk daily,
an increase Of Z 1000 pounds since -ga3
The concern works "A hours a day. 7
days a week. Other artificial silk con.
Germ are equally actively employed.