How are socks made?

Socks have been worn since prehistoric times, protecting our ancestors from cold feet and infections. They were made from animal hair and were often very thick. Today, cotton is mostly used, supplemented by synthetic materials for optimal comfort.

At Sokkies we look very carefully at our production process. We use the best materials and are committed to a quality product. We would like to take you through the production process of our socks.

Step 1: The right materials

There are several opportunities to socks to be made, of which cotton socks are the most popular. Choosing the right material also depends a lot on the final look of the socks.

Our socks are made of 80% cotton, supplemented by 15% spandex and 5% elastane. The high percentage of cotton ensures the socks are soft to the touch and allow your feet to breathe. The addition of spandex and elastane ensures that all our socks are one-size-fits-all, suitable for sizes 38 to 46.

An emerging trend are socks made of bamboo. Good for our planet, as the bamboo plant is the fastest growing plant in the world. This bamboo plant is converted into bamboo fibers, which are then made into textiles. From the bamboo yarn, socks are made in one color. Bamboo socks are very fine and allow a lot of moisture to pass through.

Besides cotton and bamboo, there are a large number of other materials, but these are rare to non-existent.

Step 2: From design to sock

Once the design is converted to a pattern file suitable for the sock knitting machine. These machines come in different versions depending on quality. This includes the number of stitches all around the socks, which varies between 96 and 200 stitches all around. At Sokkies, we always choose to use the maximum number of 200 needles. This ensures the finest comfort and that is how the design comes out best.

The machine is set and is now going to make a kind of cylinder sock. The toes of the socks are now open. It is manually sewn shut with sturdy thread so that it tears open. Sokkies always makes a sample pair first that we check for quality at the factory. Once everything is satisfactory, the design is put into mass production.

After quality control, the socks are washed in water, so that residual yarn is washed away and the sock will not shrink in the washing machine later. After washing follows ironing, the socks are pulled around a flat foot shape and ironed. This way, the shape of the socks is ready immediately.

Step 3: Pack and go

After the final quality control, the socks are labeled and packaged if desired. They are collected and transported to Europe in bulk. Our socks are mostly produced in Asia because of the high quality standard and relatively quick production time.

Once the socks arrive at Sokkies, we review them again. A third and final quality check, then they go with the PostNL to you.