Method for making an undergarment having side seams

Method of making an undergarment (1) having side seams (7, 9) from a two-dimensional preform (17), the preform (17) comprising:

• two longitudinal sides (27, 29), each longitudinal side having a central section (40, 40'), a front waist section (41, 41') and a back waist section (39, 39'), two transverse sides (31, 33), a transverse centerline (16) located midway between the transverse sides (31, 33), and four sealing areas (43, 45, 47, 49) located in the region of the front and the back waist sections (41, 41';
• 39, 39'), the method comprising the steps of
• cutting a continuous web (50) along transverse cut lines (76, 76') to form individual preforms,
• cutting each preform (17) along a leg contour (55, 56) extending along each longitudinal side (27, 29) in the region of the central section (40, 40'), wherein each leg contour (55, 56) does not touch the respective longitudinal side (27, 29), thus forming two gripping flaps (53, 54),
• gripping the preform (17) at the gripping flaps (53, 54),
• pulling the gripping flaps (53, 54) outwardly away from the longitudinal sides (27, 29) such that the preform (17) is doubled over along the transverse centerline (16),
• placing the sealing areas (43, 45) in the region of the back waist sections (39, 39') in a superimposed relationship with the sealing areas (47, 49) in the region of the front waist sections (41, 41'), and
• mutually connecting the sealing areas.