From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Socks being worn

Various makes of socks in a pile

A sock is a knitted or woven type of hosiery garment for enclosing the human foot. Socks are designed to:

• ease chafing between the foot and footwear,
• keep the feet warm
• absorb moisture
• provide comfort
• absorb perspiration
• helps prevent athlete's foot ^[1]
• fashion item
• keep your feet clean

Sock is also the term given to the layer of leather or other material covering the insole of a shoe. When only part of the insole is covered, leaving the forepart visible, this is known as a half-sock.^[2] The average foot has 250,000 sweat glands, and the average pair gives off about half a pint (almost 250 mL) of perspiration per day.^[3] Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can wick the perspiration away.^[4] In cold environments, socks help to retain/remove the moisture given off by one's feet, decreasing the risk of frostbite.^[5][6] There was a shoe worn by Roman comic actors called soccus in Latin. It was a slipper and fitted loosely so it could be taken off quickly.

Socks can be created from a wide variety of materials. Some of these materials are cotton, wool, nylon, acrylic, polyester, olefin, polypropylene, or spandex.^[7] To get an increased level of softness other materials that might be used during the process can be silk, linen, cashmere, or mohair.^[8] The color variety of sock choices can be any color that the designers intend to make the sock upon it's creation. Sock 'coloring' can come in a wide range of colors. Sometimes art is also put onto socks to increase their appearance. Different sports generally brandish different sock colors and there are also sometimes each sock will have a different color (for some significance or another). Colored socks may be a key part of the uniforms for sports, allowing players teams to be distinguished when only their legs are clearly visible.

Sock sizes can vary from 8.5 - 11.5 ^[9]. Sock lengths vary, from ankle-high to thigh level and much in between. Other styles of socks include crew socks, mid-calf, and bare socks. A toe sock (also known as a digital sock) encases each toe individually the same way a finger is encased in a glove. Leg warmers, which are not typically socks, are commonly replaced with socks in northern regions of Scandinavia due to the cold climate.

In the UK, a sock's size is the similar to that of a person's foot; for example, a foot that has a shoe size of 9 would require a sock sized 8-10.

In some parts of the world socks are sized differently than shoes. The chart below gives size equivalences, although there is no indication as to which of the numerous sizing systems it represents:

Other less common sock sizes are 10-15, 13-15, and 13-16.

Look up Sock in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Socks

• Stocking
• Sock puppet
• Tabi (traditional Japanese socks)

v • d • e Hosiery
	Lower leg: Bobby socks · Bootee · Knee highs · Leg warmers · Loose socks · Socks · Tabi · Toe socks Full leg: Fully fashioned stockings · Hold-ups · Leggings · Legskin · Pantyhose · Stocking · Tights Historical: Boothose · Hose Brands: Aristoc · Gerbe · Hanes · Jockey International · L’eggs · Levante · No nonsense · Victoria's Secret · Wolford · Fogal