Nylon, the world's first synthetic fiber, was first manufactured in large scale in Japan by Toray in 1951. Nylon offers many features such as excellent tensile strength, abrasion strength, and chemical-resistance, as well as good color development properties. Nylon applications for clothes include panty hose, swimwear, skiwear and undergarments; while its uses in industrial materials include tire cords, fishing nets, and carpets etc. Toray has the largest share of the nylon market in Japan.