The seamstresses who helped put a man on the moon

Ilc seamstresses joanne thompson lillie elliott ruth anna ratledge and anna lee minner were part of the team that sent
Image from CBS News – ILC seamstresses Joanne Thompson, Lillie Elliott, Ruth Anna Ratledge and Anna Lee Minner


Pushing aside the big names in government contracting, bra maker Playtex [International Latex Company] was called in to make a new moon suit. The suits they came up with were more flexible and comfortable than other, robotic, prototypes.

Story from CBS Sunday Morning on the women who crafted the iconic moon suits we are all familiar with today. The women who crafted those original suits have retired but ILC is still in the moon suit business.

And it took plenty of agility: Each suit was comprised of 21 layers of gossamer-thin fabric, sewn to a precise tolerance of 1/64th of an inch on a sewing machine your grandmother might’ve used.

Reihm said, “We were interested in accuracy.”

Watch the video and learn more!


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