Ranges of socks are available today to cover the whole colour palette, all lengths, and every trend. And while socks are becoming a fashion item it is important to choose by functionality. Socks should be an essential part of our foot care routine as they can make a huge difference to how our feet and ultimately, we feel.

And if you ever had sore feet, you know that cushioning makes all the difference.

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What are Cushioned Socks?

Cushioned socks are a type of sock that has extra padding, usually on the sole and heel of the foot, however, you can find all-over cushioned socks. This padding can provide foot support for walking and cushioning for people who stand or walk for long periods.

Cushioned socks can be used in many ways, depending on your needs and lifestyle. For example, some people use them as a preventative measure against plantar fasciitis (heel and foot pain) while others use them as an injury treatment after they’ve already had an issue with their feet.

How is cushioning achieved in socks? (Nerd alert)

With terry loops. Okay, you probably need more information than that.

You might have heard of “terry cloth”, most used in towels. Let’s get an expert “Fine Linen and Bath” to explain:

“Terry is a specific style of weaving. First introduced in the 1840s, terry is made with uncut loops — known as “piles” — that stands up off the base, or ground, of the fabric. Most fabric is made by weaving yarn in two directions: vertical (warp) and transverse horizontal (weft). Terry cloth is made using two warp beams: the ground warp, which helps form the base of the towel, and the pile warp, which creates the loops of thread. These loops stand off the base on both sides of the fabric to increase surface area, enhance absorbency, and maintain a soft feel.

French terry is a knit fabric with loops only on one side. This style used primarily for sweatshirts, casual clothing, and other knit sportswear as opposed to bath linen.”

And as we now know, socks.

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What are the advantages?

Terry jacks pull the threads during the sock knitting process to form a loop between every stitch, just like the surface of a towel. That increases the surface area significantly which also increases moisture-wicking properties. What does that mean? You can walk as far as you want or run as fast as you can, you will still have dry feet and most importantly no blisters.

All those loops created also give the socks a cushiony feel and air pockets that create insulation.

The health risks associated with wearing regular socks are eliminated because cushioned socks offer protection against compression, rubbing, and blisters. They also provide warmth to the feet during cold weather and support for those who suffer from foot problems such as plantar fasciitis or diabetes.

Cushioned socks are designed to provide protection and comfort to the wearer. Several benefits come with wearing these types of socks.

• Protect Your Feet from Injury
• Reduce Stress from Pressure (Gravity)
• Manage Moisture
• Made to Fit the Dynamic Nature of the Foot
• Comfort and Durability
• Insulation

Cushioned socks vs other styles of socks

Cushioned socks provide extra protection and support for the feet. They are recommended by podiatrists, orthopaedists, and doctors. However, they also have their disadvantages.

Most cushioned socks are generally thicker (but not all), they are not ideal for tight shoes as wearing thick cushioned socks in tight shoes causes discomfort.

And this last one is very specific: if you are a sprinter cushioned socks may affect your responsiveness and possibly affect your running speed. If you are running longer distances or running casually this won’t affect you.

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How to care for cushioned socks?

You should wash any garment by their washing instructions. Of course, there is no inside label for socks (although J. Alex Swift include washing instruction with every package sent out). With footwear go by the material. So wash wool socks like wool jumpers on a wool cycle.

A general rule of thumb is that the more luxurious (expensive) the sock is the gentler you need to wash it. You can never go wrong with hand wash.

As for cushioned socks: wash inside out so the loops refresh and keep giving you the ultimate comfort and softness.

Conclusion

Cushioning in socks is achieved by terry loops or “French terry” which is a special type of knitting that makes socks softer and more moisture-wicking.

Cushioned socks help to keep the feet dry and blister-free. It gives more comfort so you can perform your activity longer. It has great insulation which keeps your feet warm.

Be aware that most cushioned socks are on the thicker side and won’t fit into tight shoes.

Ben Jackson has a teatime radio show on BBC Radio Leicester about all that is Leicestershire. He came to the factory (for not the first time) and interviewed the director Ian Swift, the 4th generation of the Swift family, to run J. Alex Swift Limited.

Meeting Ian in the factory you wouldn’t think he is one of the directors. He is very hands-on in the knitting room; you would usually see him setting up or repairing a machine as this is what he loves to do; this is also what his Dad used to do.

Also featured is Aniko Madi who talks about the adventures of setting up and running the online shop of Swift’s.

So listen to get behind the scene of running a sock factory.

Play the video to see our alpaca hiking socks being made in just over 2 minutes. Well, that is the length of the video, in reality, it takes a bit longer…

We admire Emma’s dedication to sustainability and her care for the planet.

Socks need to endure all day friction and although we knit high-quality products, over time they can develop holes. Especially if you wear your favourite pair day in, day out. But a hole or a loosened stitch shouldn’t mean you have to throw away that well-loved pair.

Have you heard about the art of darning? Repairing your socks (or any item you already own) can save costs for you and resources for the planet. To learn how, attend Socko’s darning workshop.

Living in the high altitudes of the Andes Mountains alpacas had to develop a special fur to withstand the environment. They needed a “coat” that could handle drastic temperature shifts from sub-zero at night to the high amount of sun rays during the day. And the millennia-long breeding results in incredible benefits that we are reaping today.

Many people seek out alpaca products because of their marvellous softness and warmth. If you’ve never owned a piece of alpaca clothing, you’ll probably be stunned by how much you’ll enjoy this prized luxury material.

Alpacas are kind to Earth

Alpacas and products made from their fur are so sustainable that they are still being traded today after thousands of years.

Gentle with the land. Alpacas nibble on the tops of the grass, they do not rip plants out of the ground like many other grazing animals. Resulting in less disturbance of the vegetation and allowing it to grow back quickly.

Softer feet. Goats and sheep have sharp hooves that damage pasture and soil. Meanwhile, alpacas have toenails on top and a soft pad on the bottom of their toes, minimising their effect on the topsoil.

Energy-saving. The treatment system for the water used in the washing process of alpaca fibre requires fewer chemicals and energy than what is needed for other animal fibres.

Eco-friendly. The natural habitat of alpacas is about 3.800 metres above sea level. The water supply is natural at this altitude, and the land is generally not suitable for agriculture. This makes alpacas more environmentally friendly than all other fibre-producing livestock.

Human-friendly. Alpacas are endearing and gentle animals. They are not only cute but intelligent too. They have a natural curiosity that makes them friendly and when handled correctly they can be quite affectionate.

The fibre of the Gods

To deserve such a title alpaca fibre must have incredible properties. And if after learning about the benefits of wearing alpaca you think it’s too good to be true, test it yourself.

Incredibly soft. The softness of any fibre depends on its microsurface. The smoother it is, the softer the feel of any garment made out of it. Look at the picture below to compare alpaca to other fibres and you will understand why it is so soft.

Bear in mind that there are several types of alpacas, therefore softness can vary depending on the source. Also, fibre quality varies on different parts of the animal.

At J. Alex Swift the fibre is carefully selected so only the softest materials are used to make our alpaca yarn that then becomes socks.

Moisture-wicking. Wicking and absorbing moisture are not the same things. Wicking occurs when the fabric transports moisture away from its source to the outside of a fabric where it can evaporate. Cotton, for example, is very absorbent but does not have good wicking properties which are why feet can be sweaty and feel wet in cotton socks. Alpaca however has low moisture absorbency with great wicking properties resulting in a dry and warm foot.This important benefit prevents chafing against the skin, blisters, and colds.

Some also call alpaca waterproof and while we wouldn’t go that far, we must admit alpaca is highly water-resistant.

Thermo-regulation. Alpaca wool has a unique hollow fibre that traps the air inside. By doing so, it can maintain a constant temperature underneath the layer of wool. Alpaca wool does not absorb the temperature from the outside climate. It will always absorb and maintain a constant temperature that is more aligned with the body temperature. This goes for both hot and cold air. That is why it warms you up in the winter whilst in the summer it can feel cool. Now we are not talking about an air-conditioner here, but when the heat rises, alpaca helps maintain body temperature, you are less likely to overheat.

Also, any feeling of wetness from your clothes will lower your body temperature, especially in cold weather, that is where the significant moisture-wicking power of alpaca steps in. And when it gets too hot, the moisture-wicking fibres help take the sweat off.

Naturally hypoallergenic. Alpaca fibre is completely lanolin-free and hypoallergenic (will not affect allergies).

Odour free. Alpaca fibres do not contain any naturally occurring oils or grease, therefore having no foul odour. See next point for more proof.

Sweat resistance. Anti-bacterial fibres and moisture-wicking fibres absorb less sweat and bacteria, keeping the body clean and hygienic. This means less washing and less odour.

Anti-bacterial. Alpaca clothing can be reused several times without needing to be washed.

Breathable. Alpaca fibre allows fresh air to circulate

Alpaca socks

While a jumper or a scarf can be loose fitted, a sock more or less will be skin-tight. And often you will wear them with shoes, putting the socks in a closed environment. The body’s natural perspiration will occur regardless of your activity but of course, the more active you are, the more you sweat.

Wet feet will not only lower your body temperature, but the moist, closed environment can be a hotbed for bacteria.

The solution?

Wear socks made from natural fibres as they are breathable. That will help with odour and lessens the chance of bacteria growing.

Even better if your socks are anti-bacterial (like alpaca or mohair).

To keep your feet dry and at body temperature choose a material with moisture-wicking properties.

Top all that with the softness of alpaca and you have a winner.

No wonder here at J. Alex Swift we are still manufacturing alpaca socks after 25 years of knitting them. If you are interested in how we started, read this article. We are proud to say that our alpaca socks are favoured by many and what better testament to measure success with than our ever-growing number of wholesale customers

Put it to the test

In this article, I dared you to test out all the features of alpaca for yourself. Like any of us have time for that. Not to worry, I’ve found a lady who did that for the good of humanity. If you want to dig deeper into the subject, head over to Yanantin alpaca where the founder, Eveline presents her findings.

If you are already convinced

Good news, now you can also buy direct from us. Many styles are even exclusive to our webshops. Browse our alpaca sock selection here.