Tights and hosiery

One garment from waist to toe.

Tights are legwear knitted as a single piece: two legs joined at a gusset, with a waistband above. Nothing about the fit can be solved at the ankle, because the garment is held up at the waist and stretched over the whole leg.

They are described by denier, the weight of the yarn. Denier sets opacity, warmth and durability all at once, which is why it is the first number on every hosiery specification and the first thing a customer looks for on the pack.

Denier. Sheer, semi-opaque or opaque. Every other decision, including which shades are even achievable, follows from this one. Setting it late means resampling.

Size grading. Tights are graded on height and weight together, not on shoe size. A grading table that ignores height produces tights that fit the leg and not the body.

Waistband construction. A wide flat band is comfortable and invisible under clothing. A narrow elastic band is cheaper and rolls down on some body shapes. This is the single most common complaint in hosiery reviews.

Gusset and toe. A cotton gusset is standard in everyday hosiery. A reinforced toe extends the life considerably but is visible through an open shoe, so it depends on how the tights are worn.