30 drops from the trailing end of the label when the sensor 30 assumes its lowered position the belts remain actuated until the label moves into its product banding position at forming station 14 at this point the machine is ready to receive and band a pair of hosiery or other product this portion of the banding machine is substantially unchanged and operates in general as more fully described in u s pat no 3 886 026 briefly the banding sequence occurs as follows a pair of hosiery or the like is placed on the partially formed label in the banding station 14 and an air switch 39 is actuated the air switch 39 is more or less automatically actuated by the operator 39 s hand when a pair of hosiery is placed on the label this action initiates the following cycle the rear flap lifters not shown rise and the rear folding wire 31 is rotated counterclockwise to urge the trailing flap of the label over and on top of the hosiery not shown after the rear folding wire 31 is returned to its original position the rear flap lifters are retracted next the front folding wire 32 is actuated to rotate clockwise and thereby urge the leading flap of the label which is.