History
The Needle's Eye
April 1936
World's Fattest Man?
When a gentleman with an 88-inch (223.5 cm) waist drops in requesting a pair of trousers, it is a very large order in every sense of the word. It demands special consideration to be sure, and there is always the threatening possibility of pandemonium and disruption to production schedules with such an extensive job going through.
Nevertheless, the Fly Manufacturing Company, Shelbyville, Tennessee, frequently handles this Herculean task with the utmost ease. For Mr. Jolly Johnnie Webb of neighboring Morristown possesses a waist of that magnitude and wears Fly trousers exclusively.
Mr. Webb, probably known more specifically as “the world’s fattest man,” weighs 745 pounds (338 kg) He is 38 years of age and a lifelong resident of Tennessee. The photograph reveals Johnnie reposing in his “comfy” chair. The Fly Mfg. Co., and its subsidiary, the Eureka Pants Mfg. Co. are among the earliest manufacturers of work garments, pants, and overalls in central Tennessee.
Modern high-speed sewing equipment has played an important part in assisting this company to retain its remarkable reputation for quality.
Approximately 7-1/4 yards (6.6294 m) of 36-inch (91.44 cm) material is necessary for each pair of Johnnie’s trousers.
The Needle's Eye
December 1940
Now it is pants big enough for four!
In the December 1940 issue of The Needle’s Eye, a large pair of overalls was pictured with three men inside. When Mr. V. Zoble, of Union Pants Company in Bordentown, New Jersey, saw the overalls, he sat and wrote us a letter, enclosing the photo at left of a huge pair of trousers made by his company.
Mr. Zoble says that these trousers will hold four men, are 108 inches (274.32 cm) around the waist and were made for advertising purposes with the aid of Union Special Machines.
Does anyone have a bigger piece of apparel?
If so, send us a photo and description. Now that we have started with big garments, let’s find them all.
The Needle's Eye
February 1941
Outsized overalls big enough for three
This huge pair of overalls, size 72-inch (182.88 cm) waist with a 32-inch (81.28 cm) inseam, was made on Union Special machines by the L.C. King Manufacturing Company of Bristol, Tennessee.
Ordered by the Belk Brothers Company in Charlotte, North Carolina.
There is no information available as to their final destination, but we would certainly like to see one man large enough to fill them.
The Needle's EyeFebruary 1942
Size 86 if you please…!
When an epidemic of oversized clothing broke out in The Needle's Eye beginning in 1936, almost no one had the courage to even suggest the garments were actually made for anyone.
However, the overalls above, comfortably filled by three attractive young ladies, are one pair of three manufactured by the Bayly Underhill Manufacturing Company in their Portland, Oregon plant for a customer of the J.C. Penney Stores.
The garment bears Bayly-Underhill’s "Super Pay Day“ label and measures no less than size 86.
It has been estimated that 9 yards (823 cm) of 28-inch (72 cm) wide material were necessary to manufacture the garment.
