How are socks made ?

First step : knitting

Once this step was done by hand, using metal needles, but now the work is done by machines specially created for circular knitting. The sock is knitted from a thread of cotton, wool or synthetic material, such as Lycra, for instance.

Second step : remeshing

This is a method that permits closure of the sock at the tip. There are three main methods of remeshing.

The first technique, chosen by the big houses such as Gammarelli, Gallo or Falke, is to take up the threads one by one to join them in an invisible seam. This method makes for maximum comfort but it also requires a lot of skilled labour, which causes other manufacturers to do the remeshing by machine. This is called a "Russo" remeshing, referring to the inventor of the machine, or a "Toe Line" remeshing, which is an intermediate form between the "Russo" remeshing and doing it by hand.

Third step : shaping

Once they have been sewn, the socks are placed by hand on forms shaped like a foot, and then, using a suitable machine that operates with steam, they are pulled and ironed to stretch the sock.

Last step : pairing and labelling

The sock is now almost finished: all that remains to be done is the fourth step, which is the pairing and labelling. This is done by workers who put the two socks in pairs and join them together with a small stitch.

And that’s it: the socks are ready to be sold.