The Process of Manufacturing Socks
Did you ever wonder how socks are made? They are an important part of our everyday life, but many of us are unaware of the process that goes into making each sock. The manufacturing approach used in making socks has changed drastically over the years.
A pair of socks may look like a simple clothing item to an everyday user but here at Waveyla, we know the level of work that is required for making your favorite cotton socks. Through this blog post, we will show you the fascinating journey a sock travels through to finally come on your feet.
The old days have past gone when socks were knitted by hand or on big looms. In today's modern world, socks are manufactured on state of the art circular knitting machines that deliver a product of unmatched quality and design.
Each sock producer can have different sources and separate techniques when it comes to sock making, but generally, throughout the sock manufacturing industry, the process looks very similar.
Although many of the sock making processes such as knitting, shaping, pairing, etc. still need manpower, some areas have now become automated.
What Types of Fabrics Are Used in the Making of Socks?
Socks can be made in a variety of fabrics and the fabric used to create the sock can really make a huge difference to the wearer. A wide range of materials, such as cotton, wool, nylon, acrylic, and polyester are used to create socks.
To increase the softness of socks, other materials such as bamboo, silk, and cashmere can be mixed with cotton. Socks made from plain natural cotton mixed with bamboo or polyester offer a great level of comfort and keep the feet cool and free from moisture.
Some fibers are especially helpful for people with sensitive skin, whereas others may worsen their allergies. Another aspect to bear in mind is the tightness and fitting of the sock as tight socks may affect or restrict blood circulation.
The color variation of the fabric being used can be any color the designers want to create when the sock is made. A large variety of colors can be used for sock coloring. Quite often art or a creative pattern is also put on socks to make them look more attractive. Colored socks are the main part of sports uniforms that helps distinguishes teams from one another.
The Steps Involved in the Manufacturing of Socks?
The entire production of socks involves several steps and is a time-consuming process. From the creation of a sock pattern to different production techniques, packing, and shipping, here are the key steps a sock goes through before it meets your foot for the very first time.
1. Research, Development & Pattern Coding
It all starts with an idea! The R & D department performs deep market research and gathers ideas and preferences of consumers according to the latest market trends. This is how ideas for men, women, or children's socks are born on paper in the form of a design.
The next step is to develop the sock design because color tests have now found the right color to be used. The prototype allows a sock to be produced in 5 to 10 colors. Furthermore, employees perform constant tests on the products. This design is then moved on to the printer, ready to go on the socks.
This part will be done by a team of coding experts who are accustomed to the sock patterns and machine mechanisms. They will move your vector designs into bitmap designs and then codes that can be read by the knitting machine. Each pixel of the bitmap design ensures that a thread of a particular color is knitted through.
2. Yarn Preparation
Workers first set up the yarn for the machine using industrially manufactured stockings. If this is not done properly, there is a chance the yarn may tear or slip while being used on the machine, which as a result can cause delays and errors in the production process. There are a number of quality criteria that must be met ranging from cleanliness and persistent density to knotless yarn.
The flexibility of yarn also plays a big role. It is also necessary to avoid tightening the yarn more when it’s loose. After that, the winding plays a significant role. Workers in the winding division use cross-wound bobbins which are usually conical for setting and loading. These two steps are really crucial in the manufacturing process.
Workers then adjust the spool, so that the yarn is constantly pulled off. The yarn then travels through an adjustable slot from there. If during the first quality check something such as a protruding fiber is missing, it is now removed by the constriction.
Once the yarn has been cleaned, it is covered with paraffin. This makes it more flexible and is the only way it slips through the machine.
3. Knitting
The raw materials are cleaned, colored, and spun into yarns at the factory. The yarn then reaches huge yarn spools. The various threads are then knit into several interlocking loops by a multitude of needles. These loops produce the tube of woven material used to manufacture socks.
Each individual part and size of the garment is made on separate stitching machines with needles of different diameters for top fit and comfort. A large number of needles then knit the various threads into a sequence of interlocking loops using programmed codes.
Inline inspection is then carried out to check for any mistakes in the size, trimming, or length.
4. Sewing
The main benefit of the knitting machine is that it minimizes the number of seams. The fewer the number of seams on a sock, the less rubbing and irritation, and the more comfortable it will be for your feet.
The toe seams must be sealed after the socks are knitted. After leaving the knitting machine, it is then checked for consistency and quality. After that, it heads to the seaming section where the toe opening is sealed.
Different types of linking are applied to the various types of socks such as seamless linking or hand-linking, according to the requirements.
5. Wash and Dry
Once the seaming process is over, the socks are then ready for the next part, which is the wet finish process. At this stage, the socks are properly washed and dried to remove any oils and residues left from the yarn or knitting process. Apart from cleaning, the socks are washed and dried to stabilize any shrinkage. The socks are washed only with water, no chemicals or detergents are used.
6. Boarding & Pairing Process
The socks move to the board pairing area after getting washed and dried. They are then pulled on straight metal foot forms (this is known as boarding), where they are transformed into the required shape and size. The socks are then finally steam pressed to retain their last and final shape.
Now the socks are ready to be paired up. Even socks made from the same machine may vary a bit using the same yarn and settings, so the pairing step is necessary to eradicate any problems that can emerge during distribution.
7. Inspection
The last and final step in this process is a thorough quality check, where the finished product is closely inspected and, if there are any defects, they are tracked down in the manufacturing process and fixed.
8. Packaging
After passing the final quality check successfully the socks are now ready to be packed and shipped to their final destination.
By now you must be well aware that it requires a lot of expertise and the right materials and processes to make a high-quality pair of socks.
All the socks available at Waveyla are carefully manufactured in a state of the art factory using the right processes to provide the best quality socks in town. Socks like our newest cotton designs are soft and breathable and provide top comfort which is not easy to find in the market.