Abstract: A garment waistband that employs a longitudinally extensible elastic band which is laterally partially stiffened. A plurality of elastic threads extending in the longitudinal direction through the band are bound to stiffened lateral fibers, and the stiffened lateral fibers are loosely interconnected by supporting fibers. The extension of the elasic band is partially restrained by a fabric web attached to parts of the inner and outer surfaces of the elastic band. The looseness with which the supporting fibers connect the stiffened fibers allows one longitudinal portion of the waistband to be stretched without significantly affecting nearby parallel longitudinal portions. The fabric web partially restrains extension of the elastic band so that the garment to which it is attached does not pucker or significantly deform. The result is a waistband that conforms in a comfortable manner to body contours while providing stability and a neat, finished appearance to the garment in which it is employed.

Abstract: A trousers waistband structure employing a two-part elastic band, an elastic reinforcement strip attached to the two-part elastic band such that the lower linear edge of the reinforcement strip depends freely from the band, and a linearly extensible waistband fabric web which is attached to the upper inside edge of the two-part elastic band, looped over the elastic band and reinforcement strip and attached, along its second linear edge, to the trousers body. The lower linear edge of the reinforcement strip is attached, by means of blind stitching proximate the seam between the trousers body and the waistband fabric web, to pockets previously inset in the trousers body.