What Socks Should I Use And When?

Ever wonder ‘What socks should I use today?’ From fabric to performance, we have the low down on which socks to wear and when.

Socks are available in many different colours and fabrics making them the perfect accessory for any outfit. After a decade of making socks, we consider ourselves experts and are happy to share our knowledge.

You may not have thought much about it but the type of sock you wear can make a huge difference in your level of comfort, depending on what you’re planning to do while you wear them. Your feet are one of the most important parts of your body so you want to make sure you are wearing the right socks.

It’s all in the feet…

Before we talk about how to use your socks effectively, let’s talk about our feet. Your body’s balance and stability come from your feet. Each time you walk or run the foot’s thousands of nerves, 26 bones, 33 joints, and hundreds of tendons, ligaments, and muscles are put into action. Your feet absorb all of the shock with every step you take. Home to a quarter of your body’s bones, your feet keep your body aligned and upright. Even a slight disturbance to your foot’s comfort can completely throw off your entire balance.

With around 250,0000 sweat glands, your feet can produce up to 6 ounces of sweat a day; that’s a lot of perspiration! If you are exercising, that amount can increase by 2-3 ounces which is one of the reasons why the fabric and type you wear is so important. With an average of 8000 to 10000 steps per day, your feet deserve great socks.

Which Socks Should You Use? And When?

For day-to-day use the most common and most enjoyed socks are made from a cotton blend. Cotton socks are suitable for most activities with soft textures and breathable fabric to accommodate whatever your feet might be doing throughout the day. There are times however when a specific type of sock will serve a better purpose be it for fashion, function, or both.

Sports Socks

These socks are designed with high-intensity activities in mind. Whether you’re working out, playing a game of hockey, baseball, soccer, basketball or just taking a brisk walk, sporting socks are designed to absorb sweat and keep your feet comfortable. Some sports socks, like for soccer, will come high above the ankle to protect your shins while other socks like athletic socks will be short to perfectly line your running shoes on that 5km jog.

The wicking qualities of sports socks will keep your feet dry while the breathability will help your feet stay comfortable. It’s important to keep your sports socks clean to prevent fungus and keep them smelling fresh.

Ankle, Low Rise, and Footlet Socks

Sometimes you want to wear socks to keep your feet comfortable but you don’t want them as part of your outfit. Shorter socks are the perfect way to keep your feet happy in a more understated or invisible way. These socks can be worn slightly peeking out of your shoe or unseen altogether depending on the look you want to achieve. You don’t have to choose comfort over fashion and go sockless, with these kinds of socks you can have both!

Dress Socks

Dress socks come in many combinations of fabrics and styles. Comfort is important but the look and feel of the socks are equally desirable when it comes to finishing off the perfect outfit. Over the years, dress socks have come in many fabrics including cashmere and silk. To elevate the wearer’s style even further, dress socks have even been accessorized with jewels, lace, and appliques. They are the perfect way to add an extra touch of style or colour. Think of them as jewelry for your feet.

Knee Highs and Tights

The cold weather often calls for thicker longer socks. Knee highs and tights offer more coverage in the colder months which makes them the perfect winter accessory. Offering comfort and style, knee highs and tights have been worn for centuries by both men and women as a way to stay warm and look great. Whether you’re braving the outdoors or sitting by the fire, knee highs and tights are a great way to stay warm and fashionable.

What Fabrics Are Used To Manufacture Custom Socks

Sock manufacturers produce socks in a range of different fabrics. The most common are acrylic, polyester, wool, and cotton.

Acrylic is very breathable but doesn’t absorb moisture while polyester will keep you dry but isn’t breathable. Wool gets a bad rap but is both comfortable and versatile. Like most people, you probably thought wool was only good to keep you warm on a frigid winter day but wool functions as an insulator. That’s right, if you take a walk on a summer day in a pair of wool socks, your feet will actually stay cool and dry. Cotton is very soft and super absorbent, a breathable fabric that makes it very comfortable to wear.

So, what’s the best fabric for socks? Well, we’ve found a combination of fabrics is best. Our mercerized combed cotton is a high-quality type of cotton that offers durability, breathability, and comfort. Perfectly balanced with a wool-like fabric, our socks also provide the right amount of insulation and moisture-wicking to keep your feet warm or cool depending on your activity. We feel our custom socks offer quality, fashion, durability, and comfort.

When it comes to your sock order we are confident you’ll not only enjoy our socks but know they’ll provide you with the style your recipients will love too.

Sock Tip: Have you fallen victim to the disappearing sock? Lose less socks in the dryer by pinning pairs together before the wash.  

Article Written By
Samuel Moses

We offer custom socks of all types and sizes (baby to adult) and lengths (no-show, ankle, crew, knee-high, and over the knee). We pride ourselves on being authentic Italian custom sock manufacturers with the highest level of quality and service for our customers. Try us out today!

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