From a technique that keeps feet warmer to a new way to recycled fibers into product, sock marketers are bringing their technology to new levels.
The Lycra Company
The Lycra Company, developer of innovative fiber solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, has introduced Thermolite Everyday Warmth technology for socks.
The company’s latest innovation will transform how brands deliver an everyday sock solution that provides functional performance and offers lightweight warmth and comfort for consumers. Thermolite Everyday Warmth technology for socks traps the wearer’s body heat and stores it in hollow fibers in the sock to provide warmth without excess weight
The Lycra Company has defined fiber blends for the everyday sock to help keep the wearer comfortable while temperatures drop indoors or outdoors. Through a proprietary, standardized measurement technique, values have been established that measure the degree of warmth for socks, helping to ensure that consumers’ feet stay warm.
“We’re laser-focused on producing high-quality fibers that empower our customers to create comfortable garments that deliver lasting performance,” Sybille Bald, legwear strategic marketing director at The Lycra Company, said. “As the temperatures drop and people lower their thermostats to save energy, socks that help keep feet warm will become a critical component of daily attire. The launch of Thermolite Everyday Warmth technology for socks enables brands to differentiate their products while providing consumers in colder environments the warmth they require.”
Kingly
Kingly Ltd, a GOTS-certified sock producer, has rolled out its “Upcycling project” that intends to retrieve textile waste to use in creating new products.
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Rob Armour, CEO and founder of Kingly, a zero-waste textile company that creates sustainable products for the promotional industry, said the project’s mission “is to inspire and educate people on upcycling and repurposed design and how to do it on a larger scale.”
Sock manufacturing produces small factory offcuts. They’re a mixture of cotton, nylon, Lycra, elastane and materials like polyester and polypropylene. It is difficult for these offcuts to be recycled, so they would normally go to landfill.
However, based on its commitment to a better, cleaner environment and in line with its ISO 14001 Environmental Policy, Kingly is able to retain these waste fibers. The leftover fibers find a new life as stuffing for printed pillowcases and furniture.
The company said a case study from 2021 shows that Kingly helped Google save over 24 million liters of water with a single order of socks. Kingly has also partnered with the developers of Polygiene, a technology that enables textiles to stay fresher for long, to reduce the frequency of washing and allow further resource savings.