More than an accessory of the fashion industry, socks are nowadays a way of expressing yourself and showing your true colours.
Socks can be thin, thick, transparent, long, short, embellished, smooth, coloured, made of silk, cotton, wool, nylon, lycra, with compression, anti-cellulite… We could be here describing the many types and goals of this fashion accessory that is so indispensable in the modern era. So, today there are socks for all occasions and for all types of people.
They not only give you the comfort necessary to your feet, but they also help to compose the look. More than ever, socks are a fashion statement, an item that helps people discover more about you, your likes and your sense of humour.
A sock is a piece of clothing that wears the foot in order to warm it up or protect it from direct contact with footwear. They can also serve as therapy in the case of diseases such as varicose veins.
One of the main roles of socks is to absorb perspiration, because the foot is among the heaviest producers of sweat on the body, as it can produce over 0.12 litres of sweating per day.
Socks are classically constituted of tip, foot, heel and wrist, but sometimes some parts are suppressed as in the case of without a handle or without a point.
How were socks invented?
As far as we know it, the first socks were used by Greek women around 600 B.C. At that time, men did not usually use socks, since they were considered a shameful article for them.
In Rome, it was the women who also wore socks. It was already a modified model, made of soft leather, which came to be called “soccus”. When they arrived in the British Isles, the Anglo-Saxons discovered that if they used “soccus” in a boot, their feet were protected. And that was the time when this item became better known and people started to use it massively.
Therefore, there was a need for a process or equipment to facilitate the manufacture of the socks. So, in 1589, the Englishman William Lee invented the first sock making machine and in 1656 the first sock factory. The procedure was extended through all Europe and by 1700 there were already 32 sock factories just in Berlin.
A change came during the Industrial Revolution. By then, socks made of wool became a fever in Europe and, over time, became fashion accessories for the whole world. They were exploding everywhere as so were the many types of socks available. Colourful socks, high socks, personalized socks have gained fame and became a way of expressing our personality, humour and charisma.
Socks all over the world
Nowadays, in the morning, after opening your closet and choosing what to wear, you pick a pair of socks, but not just any pair. You chose the socks that better fit your look for that day, whether it is to complete it or to stand out.
This is something that happens all over the world. And for that same reason, we want to thank all our clients spread worldwide by highlighting the word in their language. Check it out.
- Portuguese: meias
- English: socks
- Spanish: calcetines
- French: chaussettes
- German: Socken
- Italian: calzini
- Dutch: sokken
- Latvian: zeķes
- Swedish: strumpor
