WOMEN'S GLOVES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24066, 10 September 1941, Page 8

WOMEN'S GLOVES

MEETING SHOKTAGE MANUFACTURE IN HOMES r NEW CHRISTCHURCH FACTORY Working independently in their homes, many women find girls in Auckland arc doing their host to help their more unfortunate sisters in overcoming the marked shortage ol gloves which has been apparent tor some time. The completed products are sold to retail stores, which are only too glad of any further stocks to satisfy a clamouring public. Although the products of these new home industries are not sufficient to make any appreciable difference to the shortage, the quality is stated to be excellent. Stores will take as many gloves as can be made, but the difficulty is to procure suitable skins. Apart from these independent workers there are a few small manufacturers in the city, but with the recent establishment in Christchureh of a fairly large factory the shortage is now being attacked in a proper manner. Gloves a.ro not only required for civilian wear, but large orders have been also placed by the Air lorce. Importers are only able to obtain ou per cent in value of importations from Britain in 1940. Prior to the war about 95 per cent of the gloves landed in Aew Zealand came from Italy, ]• ranee, Belgium and Czeeho-Slovakia. Britain did not compete with these lines and imports from that source were small. Consequently any imports now available are verv limited. Most of the gloves being made in New Zealand are of the heavier calfskin type, none of the finer grades being available. Prices are high and the nopuiarlv-prieed lines are not available. [n the past skins were imported from India, South Africa and Spain, and to add to the difficulty they were tanned in France and Germany. Numerous experiments have been made with New Zealand skins and results are described as most satisfactory. So tar the best, skins have come from lambs with wool of a poor, hairy quality.