Functions of socks

1、 Sweat absorption
How much sweat does your feet sweat every day? According to Wikipedia, it is 240 milliliters – one kilogram per two days. So the primary function of socks is not to keep warm, but to absorb sweat and help sweat volatilize better. This is the main reason why people prefer to wear cotton socks rather than nylon (a kind of polyester fiber) socks even in summer – nylon does not absorb sweat.
If you pay great attention to the dry and comfortable feeling, you may consider those socks that use the “terry” weave method on the soles. The soles of these socks are similar to towels. By weaving the cotton yarn into a ring to increase the contact area with the skin, so as to enhance the sweat-absorbing ability, and also more comfortable and wear-resistant. However, because more natural fibers are in direct contact with the skin, more cotton dust will generally fall off.
2、 Keep warm
When the weather gets cold, the golden season for sock sales comes. Whether it is clothes, bedding or socks, the basic principle of warmth preservation is to slow down the heat exchange between skin and the outside through the air barrier formed in the fabric.
So generally speaking, the thicker the socks are, the warmer they will be. Among the fabrics commonly used in socks, wool has the best thermal insulation effect. This is not only because wool is thick when woven, but also because the fiber structure of wool can maintain a certain air barrier even when it is wet. It is well known that the heat conduction of air is much slower than that of water – which gives it a warm effect that is unmatched by ordinary fabrics.
3、 Ease friction
Everyone knows this, so sports socks are often very thick. Here we can think of a corollary: if the socks are too thin when wearing leather shoes, it is generally not comfortable. In fact, in the design and manufacture of socks, there are many small details that are conducive to cushioning friction that deserve our attention.
For example, at the joint of the sock head, there is a process called “manual eye alignment”, which makes the joint completely free from inward or outward bulge, and will not wear feet in narrow leather shoes; For example, “right-angle connection” – the turn at the ankle is not 120 ° but 90 °, which is more suitable for the natural angle of the ankle; For example, some socks are worn in the shoes, and the heel is easy to fall off. Some socks are specially equipped with soft rubber damping there. These details will significantly increase the manufacturing cost in the actual operation of the factory, but they can really improve the comfort in wearing.
4、 Deodorization
Feet odor is due to the sweat glands in the heart of the foot, which is easy to sweat, which makes the bacteria on the foot multiply and decompose keratin in a large number, plus the urea and lactic acid in the sweat, which will give out a bad smell. Generally speaking, the deodorization effect of natural materials is better, but for polyester fiber, the effect is not satisfactory. This is because the latter has poor permeability, does not absorb sweat, and is easy to breed bacteria and other microorganisms.
In terms of deodorization, the socks made of nano-silver material have the best effect. Silver ion can effectively affect the growth, reproduction and even death of bacteria. It can also inhibit bacteria while killing bacteria. With the advent of nanotechnology, silver has a stronger bactericidal ability in nanometer state. Therefore, nano-silver material has become an important selection index for deodorant socks.