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Most of us don't give a lot of thought to our socks. If theymatch, we're doing well. But some manufacturers are giving a lot of thought tosocks.

 

According to Karen Deniz, Optimer Performance Fibers, newtechnology often appears first in socks because they require a relatively smallinvestment by manufacturers and consumers. A Fox River representative explainsthat "it's all to keep feet dry." He quickly adds that socks alsokeep feel warm or cool, and provide more or less cushioning in particularareas. Maybe its all about keeping feet comfortable.


Moisture Management


Keeping feet dry is certainly one area of interest for sockmanufacturers. For some, this means moisture-wicking fibers or fabrics. DeFeetfounder Shane Cooper says just including a performance fiber is not enough; howit's used is just as important. Cooper explains that when CoolMax (a polyesterfiber with a + cross-section) was first introduced, manufacturers put it on theoutside of the sock, where customers could feel the smoothness. Sinceperspiration comes from inside the sock, the wicking properties are moreeffective there. Injinji five-toed socks focus even more specifically onmanaging moisture between the toes.


Fox River uses a blend of Ingeo (corn-based polylactic acid) and polyester fibersto keep feet dry. Dri-Release fabrics also combine natural and man-madeelements to absorb moisture, move it away from the foot, and release it.


Brand Manager Dave Seligman says that his company, X-Socks,was "not content to wick moisture to the outer layer of the sock."The challenge was to get it out of the shoe. X-Socks do this with an "airconditioning" chamber in the arch. As the wearer walks, the archcompresses the sock and pumps air out through specially knit channels. Whenpressure is released, fresh, dry air is pulled in.


Wigwam socks employ several fiber combinations to transportand evaporate perspiration. Hydrophobic (moisture-repelling) nylon or olefinfibers near the foot transport moisture to absorbent fibers that draw it to theoutside, or up and out of the shoe, where it can evaporate. Dahlgren Footwearuses the opposite approach. In its zone system, natural fibers in the toe andheel absorb moisture. Synthetic, hydrophobic yarns in the arch, instep, and legtransfer the moisture away from the foot.


Temperature Regulation


For athletic socks in particular, keeping feet warm or coolis important. No one wants frost-bitten toes while hiking or skiing, and runningwith hot feet is no fun. Accumulated perspiration can affect foot temperaturein all the wrong ways, so temperature control begins with the moisturemanagement technology discussed above.


Margaret Chesebro, field marketing manager for Wigwam saysthat warm socks are especially important for novice athletes. More experiencedskiers and snowboarders want a thinner sock that allows them to "feel"their boot.


Andrew Skurka says he has been a proponent of wool socks fora long time, but on a recent trip to Iceland (where he reports it is "coldand wet all the time"); he took DeFeet socks with CoolMax EcoTech. Skurkawas pleased that they not only kept his feet comfortable, but dried within anhour, hanging on his backpack.


Of course, plenty of people still consider wool to be thegold standard in cold-weather wear. You can find socks in Merino, Alpaca, and Cashmere. Silk is also considered an "insulating" fiber. Fox River uses a hollowcore fiber to trap body heat. A metalized fiber is knitted into X-Socks toreflect body heat back to the wearer. A similar technology is used to conductheat away from the foot for warm-weather socks and ventilation panels are yetanother option for making cooler socks.

 

Cushioning


As with performance fibers, how and where a sock uses cushioning is important to overall wearer comfort. Thor-Lo makes socks for 32 different activities, each with a specialized cushioning system. Walking and running socks have more padding in the heel. Skiers need additional shin padding while snowboarders need padding on the backs of their legs. Hikers may want to cushion the tips of their toes.


And it isn't good enough to just pad everything. Aside from the fact that wearers would probably have to buy bigger shoes, too much padding can actually cause discomfort. Seligman says that some X-Socks are thinner in the area around the Achilles tendon to prevent pressure from the shoe. Excess padding can lead to wrinkling within the shoe and Damian Loth, SmoothToe, says this causes blisters.


Fit


The other major cause of blisters is abrasion from a loose sock. Fit becomes even more important when socks feature specially-placed vents, pads, and elastic. If the sock doesn't fit correctly, the high-tech components can't do their jobs. One solution adopted by several companies is narrow size ranges. Instead of the one-size-fits-all approach to commodity socks, there may be three or four size ranges, although Chesebro admits that with newer socks, it is not unusual to be more conservative in the number of sizes produced.


For certain features, it is necessary to have a separate left and right sock shape. Men's and women's socks are different too. Several manufacturers design narrower socks for women's feet. Seligman explains that the socks should also allow for expansion and contraction because womens feet are more prone to swelling.


Manufacturers use several techniques to keep socks in place once the customer finds a pair that fits. Elastic fibers are a big part of all these techniques. Roth, who specializes in medical socks, stresses the importance of spandex throughout the sock to provide gradual compression and return blood pressure. Other companies focus on the arch and cuff areas where socks are particularly likely to slip out of place.


But Wait...There's More


The right combination of seam type and location can maximize comfort. Typically, the seams should be as smooth and flat as possible. The toe closure may be located on the top of the foot rather than at the very end of the toes.


More and more companies are offering antimicrobial protection for fresher-smelling socks. This could be in the form of a special fiber or finish.


Once you find that perfect pair of socks, you want them to last. The conventional wisdom for making a durable sock is to use nylon in the heel and other areas requiring reinforcement, but Skurka says the sock stitching can be as important as its fabric.


And of course, there are hundreds of choices for sock color and length-some socks are soft and fuzzy. Others are plain and simple.


So, whether youre waiting tables or running a marathon, there is probably a pair of socks out there just for you!


Originally published in &sec=article&uinfo=<%=server.URLEncode(1895)%>" target="_blank">AATCC News; November 2008

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About the Author


The author; Diana A. Wyman is associated with AATCC.