Detailed Socks Manufacturing Process
Socks manufacturing is not a high-tech industry, but it involves many detailed processes. Each section of the production must coordinate with each other to ensure quality requirements and time-controlling. In this post we will talk about socks manufacturing process in detail.
Overview of socks manufacturing process
The following image shows how socks are manufactured in a typical socks factory in China. We follow the process and continue to offer our customers like SockCustom headless service so they can focuse on branding, marketing and customer caring.
The whole socks manufacturing process does involve many steps, and the coordination between these steps makes the whole process time-consuming. Sorting out all steps above, there are overall 7 steps that we will mainly talk about as follows:
- Pattern coding
- Yarn preparation
- Knitting socks
- Linking/Sewing socks
- Boarding
- Pairing&Labelling socks
1. Pattern coding
What our clients provide us are the sock designs, however sock knitting machine are not that intelligent to read the designs directly. A professional coding team who are familiar with sock pattern and mahine mechanism will do this job. They will transfer your vector designs into bitmap designs and then codes that the knitting machines can read. Every pixel of the bitmap design means a thread with the specific color will be knitted through.
Different needles of knitting machine means the widths of flat bitmap designs are different, 96N, 144N, 168N, 200N of machines means the widths are 96, 144, 168, 200 pixels, respectively. And the limit of threads count is the reason why socks can’t present gradient or detailed patterns.
2. Yarn Preparation
In the order details we have confirmed 2 important things regardign yarn: Composition and Colors.
On how to choose a proper composition for your socks.
We have also writtern a post about yarn color accuracy and we suggest using pantone tcx colors.
For normal and combed cotton, we have over 1000 colors in stock that are able to match your pantone colors.
For other yarn like merceized cotton, wool, etc, we will make custom dyed yarn according to your specified pantone tcx colors.
3. Knitting socks
Using programmed codes in step 1, multitude of needles then knit the various threads into a series of interlocking loops. Computerized sock knitting machines work at high speeds and can easily be programmed to produce a wide variety of socks. 1st inline-inspection is implemented here to avoid mistakes like length, trimming, interlocking etc.
4. Linking/Sewing socks
Knitting makes a cylinder tube, thus we need to the sewing process in order to link the seperated toe parts together. This is usually done by machine, which is quick. Sometimes this process is also done by manual work, which costs a lot of time. Since the socks are sewed one by one, our skilled workers can easily find defective socks and clear them away from the majority, which is the 2nd inline-inspection.
5. Boarding socks
The boarding process is actually implemented to keep the socks in good shape, so that they can easily be paired and packed. One more thing to note here is that the boarding step also keep the socks clean and soft by experiencing steams under a fixed pressure and temperature. After boarding, the socks will naturally dryed.
6. Pairing&Labelling socks
This is the final inspection step to see if there is any deflection on the socks. The left and right socks are paired together and then passed on to be private labelled. You can choose hangtags or bands to label your socks.
End
Check our socks manufacturing blog to find more about socks manufacturing process and socks oem service.
Also there is a video about socks knitting process here:
Hi!
I would like to check how is ribbed cotton sock done. Will there be extra cost?
Yes, that adds very little cost.
Supper!
i am looking to start a small brand what would be a realistic cost to start something like that
It depends upon the place where you want to start with. Initial manufacturing cost with promotion & branding is enough to get considerable growth.
I would like to start a socks manufacturing business in kenya
Hello, how much is it to add a logo to the socks (Per Pair)? the same one stance has on the socks. also how much is the average cost to ship to Australia?
sir I am looking for small scale business and looking to establish socks manufacturing unit in Hyderabad.what is the overall cost to establish and where can I get the details and were can I getthe mechines and all
You should go visit some big sock manufacturers in your country, it helps a lot.
I want to start manufacturing.wich kind of matchin I should buy?
Is it depends on needle count.
I am new for this trade
i need all sizes of socks plain color but personalized
what up playboyabu hows busninis
i recently joined a socks factory and the whole process intresting and i just want to know if i can learn more about the machine online ？
As far as I know there is no such training courses…
It should be quicker if you stand before the machine and discover its functionality.
I’m Starting a sock line and My team will design. Im looking forward to establishing a partnership with a company that can assist me threw the manufacturing process. I will need my logo on each sock and want to buy in bulk! How do I start? How much would this cost?
Hello Devine,
Once designed you can simply write to [email protected]
Price will be low on bulk.
Cheers,
MeetSocks Team
Does the manufacture know what percentage of each type of yarn that goes into making the socks before making them?
The reason we ask this question is that we have this manufacturer telling us that they need to test the socks for that after the socks were made. It does not make sense. Why can they tell what percentage of each type of yarn that goes into making the sock before making them, but testing for them after the fact?
Any help with the questions above is greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Good question!
Normally the percentage varies because of the difference in sock sizes and designs.
When we knit a sock, we knit the main part using cotton, the patterns and cuffs using polyeste or spandex, so when the sock size or design changes, the percentage will changes slightly.
Hope this helps.
MeetSocks Team
Hello,
We have sent couple emails to meetsocks but unsuccessful?
I’m trying to start a small designer sock business how would I start mostly sale online.
Hi sir
I live in Mississauga, how can I get a small business machine for knitting socks?
Hi, I have a requirement for 50% wool, 25% Acrylic, 20% Nylon & 5% Cotton/ Polyester Socks. Can you offer?
Yes definitely, we will write to you soon.
Hi Meetsocks,
I want to create a very specific brand of dress sock. I’ve been collecting interesting dress socks and have narrowed down material compositions. Can I send you a few socks and you tell me if you can reproduce it?
Hi Sockmen,
Yes definitely, send us physical samples is the easiest way to produce socks, saving time for both sides.
We will write to you about our receiving address.
Best regards,
MeetSocks Team
Hello Meetsocks. I am interested in starting socks manufacturing. Do you sell socks kniting machines? do you provide training to operate the machine?
Phemo
Hi Phemo,
Thanks for leaving a message, we however don’t provide machine training.
Probably you should ask the machine makers?
Regards,
MeetSocks Team
Hi Meetsocks,
I am interested in manufacturing socks in the future. How long does it take for one pair of socks to be manufactured? Also, how many pairs of socks are manufactured in an hour?
Thank you.
Justin Z
Hi Justin,
Typically one sock machine knits 200-300 pairs of socks one day.
Regards,
MeetSocks Team
all the information you have given, is mindblowing and you explain it very well, but I want to know how what is the capability of a taiwani machine? how many pairs of socks it can produce in an hour. And one more question is, how much a pair of regular socks will cost (production cost)?
Hi,
Wishing you and your family good health and happiness forever.
I, Shashank Adhikari, contacting you on behalf of “3 Star enterprises”, I am in need of designing software for my Single Cylinder Computerized Socks Knitting Machine , what kind of software is use for that if you would provide me some knowledge that would be much helpful.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Shashank Adhikari
Supper!
Hi MeetSocks:
I’m curious to know what the best material composition is for a durable sport sock.
Cheers,
Ricardo DeChunka
Hello,
I wanted to know if meet socks can produce wools socks. I’m looking into getting 100-200 pairs of socks made. Thank you for your time and reading.
Hello Sir, yes we can make wool socks but that requires a higher MOQ, it’s 1,500 pairs per design per size. In contrast our general cotton socks requires only 100 pairs as minimum.
I am interested in developing a line of socks of my own design. These would be for athletic use, specifically, for basketball. If I were able to provide a design, would you be able to provide a sample (at my cost)?
I would like to test quality and appearance before making a significantly larger order.
Do you have athletic socks for this purpose?
Hi AJ, yes we can definitely do that! I will forward your request to our sales team and they will follow up.
Best, MeetSocks Team.
Hi. Im interested for a socks made from bamboo fabric. Do you make this kind of socks?
Dear Sir/madam,
Im from Youngone Vietnam an export garment company with Head office in Seoul. We’d like to ask if you are produce socks without wet finishing like washing or dyeing? How the socks shrink and in correct measurement (only by boarding?). I heard that now sock no need wet finish. Is this possible? and are you doing like that? Could you pls help to advise us back.
Thanks so much and looks for your quick response.
Kind regards,
Nguyen Duong