Whatever clothes we wear, tights or warm stockings are a must in the autumn-winter season. How to choose the right one, when and what to wear, what it means - den and many other things we will talk about today.

Tights are indispensable, they are needed at any time of the year, and sometimes in the summer. Tights are necessary not only for insulation, they are one of the main erotic accessories of a woman's wardrobe.

Thin, weightless, transparent, elastic - they visually lengthen and slim women's legs, hide minor skin imperfections. Therefore, how to choose and buy tights is a very urgent question. This purchase must be approached with great care. Indeed, today the assortment of hosiery products is diverse not only in external data, but also in the composition of the yarn, as well as strength and density.



If you are the girl who is trying to figure everything out, then let's start with the fact that Den is (abbreviated from Denier) an off-system unit of the linear density of threads or fibers, representing the ratio of their mass to length, that is, 1 den = 0.05 g / 450 m (1 gram per 9000 meters). And if quite simply, then we can say that this is the weight in grams of a thread with a length of 9 km. One gram of threads is 9000m or 9 km in length.

Thus, den is a technical characteristic of the density of a product and depends on the quantity and quality of elastic fibers and their relation to the number of threads in the fabric. This unit is mainly used for hosiery.



The most popular are office-style tights in 20 and 40 den. The higher the den number, the denser, thicker and warmer the tights or stockings.

Lightweight tights with a density of 15, 12 and 10 den, suitable for evening wear. Tights with little denier are more fragile and prone to snagging and quick wear. Sometimes, for the durability of the product, the density in different areas is made different. For example, the density of the toe and shorts is 60 den, and the density of tights is 30 den.



The hosiery packaging contains information about the raw materials. Basically, modern women's tights are made from polyamide and polyurethane fibers (elastane). Threads of other materials are added to the composition of the yarn in order to create certain functional qualities of tights.

What are the main materials?

The main materials for the production of tights are polyamide and polyurethane fibers with various additions.

Polyamide - synthetic fiber based on high molecular weight compounds. Polyamide fibers possess a number of important properties: high resistance to abrasion and bending, elasticity and tensile strength, resistance to repeated deformations. These properties make it possible to use them for the manufacture of various products, including hosiery.

When polyamides are added to cotton, woolen, or viscose fibers, the abrasion resistance of products from these materials increases several times.

However, the introduction of polyamide fibers deteriorates the hygienic properties, so they are introduced in small quantities. Sometimes polyamide is processed according to a certain technology, and products made from it do not cause allergic reactions. The cost of such tights is naturally more expensive.


Polyurethane fibers (spandex, elastane, dorlastan, linel….).

Lycra on labels can be encrypted under the names "spandex", "lynel", "elastane" and "dorlastan". Spandex (elastane) is the general name for different types of polyurethane elastic threads, these are highly elastic rubbery fibers.

For the first time, in 1959, a polyamide thread textured with lycra was used. And this was a new breakthrough in the hosiery industry. Super-elastic stockings and tights have appeared, which not only have attractive external data, but also perfectly fit the leg without forming folds, do not restrict freedom of movement, do not deform, and retain their original appearance for a long time. And in terms of strength, stockings, tights and leggings with elastane are 20% higher than polyamide ones.

Lycra is added to almost all tights, which creates a beautiful shine in the garments and prevents the loops from coming down.

Lycra is an artificial elastic fiber synthesized by DuPont on the basis of polyurethane rubbers.

Lycra fibers can be stretched 5 to 6 times their original size. With the disappearance of efforts, the product restores its previous dimensions. This property (dimensional stability or elasticity) made it possible to use lycra in the manufacture of knitwear, it also increases the fit and improves the appearance. The more lycra there is in the tights, the more expensive they are.




Plain Lycra or Lycra 3D?

In three-dimensional lycra, the lycra thread is wrapped with a polyamide thread twice, the lycra thread itself is knitted in each loop of the row. Thus, the material stretches equally in either direction. This achieves the best fit of the legs with tights. Therefore, the thinnest tights acquire increased strength and elasticity and last longer.

Even a small percentage of the inclusion of three-dimensional lycra improves the strength of tights, stockings, golf and socks several times, and also smoothes the surface, that is, gives it pleasant softness and plasticity. It is this fact that protects the thinnest Lycra3D evening tights from accidental snags.

Thanks to this unique technology, even the thinnest tights have increased elasticity and durability.

But the cost of such tights is, of course, higher. However, in winter, when you warm up and choose tights containing wool or cotton, be sure to buy those that have lycra, otherwise, although they are warm, they will "gather" on the knees and ankles, and this is not permissible.

In almost all branded tights, lycra can be found in the yarn as the main additive. Look for the label on the packaging to find a genuine hosiery. Lycra only by DuPont.







What else can you find by studying the information on the composition of the product?

If you decide to buy warm tights, leggings or socks, you will find cotton, bamboo, wool or microfiber in the composition of such products.

Cotton - well-known natural material with hypoallergenic properties, significantly insulates products. About the content of 55%, we can say that even on the coldest days you will not freeze.

Wool also often included in warm winter tights.

Acrylic - synthetic wool. Acrylic tights, socks and other items are usually inexpensive, very soft to the touch and warm, but have low wear resistance and still look cheap. Pills quickly appear on them. If you buy such, then the place for them is only under the trousers.

Bamboo belongs to cellulose fibers. It is made from natural raw materials.At the beginning of the technological process, it is planned to grind bamboo stems and leaves, then they are converted into threads.

The thread is soft and delicate, and bamboo tights, stockings and socks are much lighter than the same products made of cotton or wool, at the same time, they are much more durable than cotton ones. Products with bamboo thread, like others made from natural raw materials, are environmentally friendly and hygroscopic.

Microfiber Is a polyamide tow made from a large number of fine-fiber monofilaments. Moreover, the texture of the yarn depends on the number of threads. The more threads, the softer and more velvety the surface of the product.

Lycra is also added to increase elasticity. Various technologies make it possible to produce a porous fabric structure, in the micropores of which warm air is perfectly retained. Microfiber tights are abrasion resistant, even in problem areas - on toes and heels.



There are also tights for winter - they are quite warm, and their appearance is usual - smooth, opaque, but inside they have natural cotton, this is a very convenient winter option. On the label of such products, the word is indicated - microcotton.

In the composition of such tights, most of the natural cotton fiber of the highest quality, up to about 80%, the rest is polyamide and lycra. The tights are gentle and soft, with very high hygroscopic properties. They are made using environmentally friendly dyes, and thanks to lycra, they are elastic and fit perfectly to the body.

Quite recently, tights with the new polyamide thread Tactel have appeared. These products are of very high quality.

Taktel - a kind of microfiber. Tights with Taktel are soft and matte, they fit the legs well. Taktel is a polyamide fiber with high windproof characteristics and high air permeability. The tactel is easy to clean and dries quickly. Tights with Tactel thread are velvety and silky. Sometimes Taktel threads are used together with polyamide and acrylic. The trademark is registered by DuPont.



We will indicate a few more general terms that characterize the density of tights and stockings. This is Ultra Sheer, Sheer, Semi Opaque, Opaque, Thick Opaque.

What are these characteristics?

Ultra Sheer (super thin)

This term applies to products with a density of 10 den and below. These tights will be appropriate in the summer months, at various evening events, to be worn with sandals or open shoes. In them, the legs look well-groomed and at the same time, as if they are wearing nothing, as they are super thin and transparent.

Sheer (thin)

These are products with a density of 10 to 20 den. They can be worn in warm weather and come in a variety of colors. Tights of this type are appropriate with sandals and open toe shoes.

Semi Opaque (translucent)

Products with a density of 30 to 40 den are called translucent. Tights in this category are office style. They are already denser and more durable than the previous ones, but the legs will still be visible through the fabric. Tights in these categories have many color options.

Opaque (opaque)

Tights - from 40 to 70 den are classified as opaque. These tights have a greater tightening effect compared to lower density tights. Legs can hardly be seen through them, since the fabric is denser and warmer. Naturally these tights are for cold days. In this category, products have a huge color palette. They can be chosen for any ensemble in any color scheme.

Thick Opaque (warm)

Tights with a density higher than 70 den. These tights are for winter. They are opaque, warm and very durable. For an even greater warming effect, cotton or wool is often added to them.



How are the sizes on the tights indicated?



Sizes are distributed according to height, weight and hips.

Let's add a few words about tights with a corrective and massage effect.Yes, modern tights can correct the figure, and even heal the legs, that is, they have a massage effect. But it should be noted right away that we are not talking about the tights that are sold in the pharmacy (these are purely medicinal products prescribed by a doctor).



Treatment-and-prophylactic (Claresse) are used to prevent cellulite, varicose veins and even fungal diseases. Such products can be impregnated with an antifungal or antiallergenic composition. It is these tights that are mainly sold in pharmacies.

The tights in question are marked with support (Up) and modeling (Body-shaping, Fiore - Total Slim). These tights have a high lycra content (about 30%). They tighten the hips, abdomen, raise the rounded parts of the body, which visually changes the figure for the better, reducing problem areas by a whole size. Remember, however, that this hinders blood circulation. The denser the tights, the stronger the squeezing effect ...

There are massage tights (Support), in which, thanks to a special weaving, blood circulation is stimulated and improved, fatigue and swelling are relieved. These are the tights with women's legs on the packaging with an arrow around the leg. It is these models that have a supportive and massage effect, and also correctly distribute pressure over the leg. The density of these tights is more often - 20, 30, 40, 50, 70 den.



At the beginning Twentieth century women began to bare their legs, and this part of the body became the most erotic, although over the centuries opinions about the attractiveness of this or that part of a woman's body have always changed.

Therefore, you should not skimp on the purchase of beautiful tights and stockings. You should buy exactly expensive tights, because not only beauty and attractiveness, but also strength, comfort, durability of the product and your own health will depend on them.