Why do socks have so many "ribs"? — Two inventions that changed socks

Hello.
I am Akuru, and I run the sock workshop Toré.
I have spent years working in large-scale apparel OEM, producing millions of pairs of socks in collaboration with factories in China.

In this note, based on that experience, I write about the mechanisms of socks that are usually not given much thought, in a way that is as easy to understand as possible.

Socks are very understated, but
they are actually a surprisingly deep world where "the body," "industry," and "fashion" intersect.
This time, I would like to write about something you always see when you look at socks:rib knitting.

Many business socks are made with a fabric that has vertical grooves—
what is known asrib knitting.

Of course, socks can also be made with flat fabric.
Even so, why has ribbing remained such a staple?
Is this just a design choice?
Or are there more structural reasons for it?

I have been working in the sock manufacturing business for a long time, but I don't think there is just one reason for this.

Rather,
the body
technology
history
culture

I believe that several factors have overlapped to leave us with the current form.
That is how I see it.

Socks exist "between the foot and the shoe"

First, as a premise, let's consider the role of socks.

Although socks are a type of clothing,
they are actually in a slightly different position than other garments.

Body
↓
Socks
↓
Shoes

In other words, socks area layer between the foot and the shoe.
There are mainly three things happening here.

Friction
Humidity
Pressure

Every time you walk, friction occurs inside the shoe, your feet sweat, and your body weight is applied.

Socks have the role of protecting the feet in this environment and regulating the conditions inside the shoe.

The structure of rib knitting

Now, let's look at rib knitting.
Rib knitting is a fabric with vertical ridges.

The characteristic of this structure is that it easily opens in the horizontal direction.

Within the knitted fabric,
knit stitches
and
purl stitches are arranged alternately, and the fabric expands as these ridges open and close.

Ankle
Instep
Calf

The shape of a foot varies significantly from person to person.
Rib-knit fabric naturally adapts to these differences.
The ridges open, and the fabric expands along the shape of the leg.
In other words, ribs are not so much for visual decoration as they are a structure that creates fit.

Two technologies that changed socks

Here, let's look back a little at the history of socks.
The shape of socks is not determined solely by fashion.
What has a much greater influence is industrial technology.

There are two things that seem to have been particularly important:
double-cylinder knitting machines
and elastic yarn (covered yarn)
.

Double-cylinder knitting machine

Modern socks are made using specialized circular knitting machines.
These are machines that create tubular fabric by rotating needles arranged in a cylinder while knitting yarn.

There are two main structures for these sock knitting machines.

Single cylinder
is a structure with a single row of needles, mainly used for plain knitting.
Double cylinder
is a structure where two rows of needles, upper and lower, face each other, allowing for rib knitting.

Ribbing is not just a knitting method, but a fabric structure tied to mechanical construction.
The advent of double-cylinder knitting machines made it easier to industrially produce socks with rib structures that fit the ankle.

The background to the spread of ribbed socks may have been this evolution in machinery.

The invention of elastic yarn

However, rib knitting alone did not completely solve the problems with socks.

Old socks used to gradually slide down while being worn.

Cotton and wool do not have as much elasticity as one might think.
While they may stretch, their ability to return to their original shape is not that strong.

This is where
elastic yarn with a polyurethane core comes in.

This yarn has a structure with polyurethane at the center, wrapped in fibers such as polyester.

It is a yarn known as so-called covered yarn yarn.

When this yarn is knitted into the back of a sock, it creates a property of
stretching
and
recovering.

The combination of ribs and elastic yarn

Here, let's recall the characteristics of rib knitting.

Rib knitting is a structure that opens horizontally.

When elastic yarn with a recovery force is added to that, it creates a movement of
stretching
,
recovering
, and conforming to the foot.

In other words, the sock becomes a device that clings to the foot.
The rib structure and elastic yarn were a very compatible combination.

And fashion

The story so far has been about function and technology.

However, socks are also clothing.
In other words, they are also influenced by culture.

In the world of menswear, flashy decorations are not very popular.
Instead, what is valued is
material
,
weave
, and texture.

Rib-knit socks look plain from a distance, but
when seen up close, they have vertical shadows.
This understated three-dimensional effect may have been compatible with the aesthetic sense of menswear.

Rib knitting is also frequently seen in socks from the long-established British sock manufacturer
Pantherella
.

Why are women's socks different?

Here, a counter-question arises.

Men's socks have many ribs.
However, looking at women's socks, plain-knit socks are also frequently seen.
Why is this?

One reason is decorativeness.
For women's socks, visual expression such as color, pattern, and transparency is sometimes emphasized.
Plain knitting can sometimes make it easier to express patterns.

Another reason is the difference in shoes.
With delicate shoes like pumps, thick socks are difficult to wear.
Therefore, thin and smooth knitted fabrics are sometimes preferred.

In other words,
men's socks are heavily influenced by function,
while women's socks are also heavily influenced by appearance.
Perhaps that is where the difference lies.

Socks might be about structure rather than design

When organized this way, it starts to look like ribbed socks are not just a design choice.

Body
Machine
Material
History
Culture

Various elements overlap, and the current form remains.

In short, ribs might be
not a design, but a result of structure
.

Socks are small tools, but their shape is inscribed with the history of the body and technology.
I feel that if you look at socks while thinking about that, they become a little more interesting.

What did you think?
I don't think you usually pay much attention to how socks are knitted.
However, looking at it this way, various things are layered even within the shape of a small sock.

If you take a look at the knit next time you choose socks,
"I wonder what kind of design this sock has"
I would be happy if this becomes an opportunity for you to think that way.

Socks are a modest existence, but I hope you enjoyed this even a little.

At the sock workshop Toré,
we will continue to pursue such designs with the theme of "socks that aren't flashy but can be worn every day."

Click here for Toré's socks ↓↓