In 2008, over 60 million neckties were sold in the United States. The projection for 2010, is over 100 million!

The Neckwear Association of America offers the following tips on how to care for your tie.

-Let water spots on silk ties dry and then rub it briskly with the same fabric.

-For hard to remove stains, hold the spot over the steam from a boiling kettle and apply cleaning fluid.

-Ties can be dry cleaned, but make sure your cleaner is experienced with ties.

-Ties made of synthetic material might be washable.

-When ironing ties, make certain the roll along the tie edge is not pressed flat.

-Always hang your ties on a rack, except knitted or crochet ties, which should be rolled and stored in a drawer.

-Give your ties at least two or three days rest before wearing them again to allow wrinkles to hang out.

-Always unknot your ties when taking it off. Never slip it over your head.

-Do not unravel the knot by pulling on the small end. Always reverse the knot itself.

-Do not make your knots too tight.

The origins of the word "necktie" lie in the word "tie" which possibly came from Proto-Germanic into usage in the Old English language in circa 800 as "teah", "teag" or "teagum". It is not known whether the necktie, as we know it today, was worn in any form then. The earliest use of necktie can be traced back to the time of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) when Croatian mercenaries in French service, wearing their traditional small, knotted neckerchiefs, aroused the interest of the Parisians. The new article of clothing soon initiated a fashion craze in Europe where both men and women wore pieces of fabric around their necks. The necktie has had a long history since.

The usage of the word "necktie", however, dates from around 1838 when it first hit the fashion scene as a narrow band of material worn around the collar (neck) of a shirt and tied in front. During 1800-1850, there was much interest in the way to tie a proper cravat and this led to a series of publications. This began with "Neckclothitania", a book that contained instructions and illustrations on how to tie 14 different cravats. It was also the first book to use the word ‘tie’ in association with neckwear.

The custom of gifting neckties on Father's Day in US and other Western countries began as early as 1920. It is difficult today to identify anyone particularly as the pioneer of this tradition. It is also not known why the neckties began to be held as a proper gift for the occasion. We can only conjecture that the necktie, which had been there already as a fashion item and steadily evolved for nearly a century, begun to be looked upon during this period as a classic gift for a man. Around 1920, neckties started appearing on the earliest Father's Day greeting cards and retailers sniffed a golden opportunity in this, suggesting this as a great practical gift. And since then the Necktie has been the most popular Father's Day Gift with children vying to gift the most beautiful and stylish tie to their dad every year. And gift sellers make the most of this traditional and emotional attachment by putting their workmanship to good use, infusing newer designs and introducing latest styles into the much loved neck cloth during Father's Day.

Over the years, several other gifts have become popular with new generations of children looking for other interesting and innovative products to present their dads. Hence, various gifts have been introduced into the market for Father's Day. However, neckties still occupy their place right at the top of the list of shoppers of Father's Day gifts. Time has not been able to reduce the appeal of neckties among the masses. Though children get other gifts for their dad, the necktie is one of their must-buy items for Father's Day.

This is because the tie has been a Father's Day gift for so long that it brings with it an element of nostalgia for fathers. Many dads eagerly look forward to receiving a special new tie as a loving gift from their children. And many people, who swear by tradition, still love to gift ties on Fathers Day. Even today, most Western countries mark a necktie as the most classic, conventional and sentimental of all Father's Day gifts. Just as flowers have been with Mother's Day, neckties too have been associated with Father's Day for so long that many people consider it as a symbolic representation of the special day. This classic little neck cloth can even be safely proclaimed to be the unofficially official Father's Day Gift. Today, with the world turning fast into a global village, the necktie as a Father's Day Gift is gaining fame across the world.