Goodbye Pantyhose

With fashion tastes changing and workplace dress codes becoming less formal, consumers are purchasing fewer sheer-hosiery products, a trend that began more than a decade ago.

That's one reason Hanesbrands is closing its Winston-Salem, North Carolina hosiery factory.

Last year, the company's sheer hosiery sales fell 14 percent, and declined another 18 percent through the first half of 2009, the company said.

"We regret the economic need to stop sheer hosiery manufacturing at the Weeks plant and the expected loss of jobs next year," said Bruce Duncan, Hanesbrands vice president of knit-to-shape manufacturing. "As a result of lower consumer demand, our sheer hosiery production volume has dropped to a point that it is no longer feasible to run the plant. This is unfortunate because we have a great workforce at the plant, which has been a high-quality operation for 50 years."

The company said 80 employees at the hosiery operations were being reassigned to a nearby distribution center.

The other laid-off employees were being were being offered severance, the company said.

Hanesbrands spokesman Matt Hall said it plans to keep 200 employees to operate a product headquarters and public store at the facility.

Hall said that once the 850,000 sq. ft. facility closes next year, the company with sell the building and lease part of it back for the headquarters and store.