Why should you think twice before grabbing those 100% cotton socks?

You often see sock brands displaying the materials they use, and not having the hundred percent raises confusion and questions. It might be new knowledge but having different sock materials offers various benefits, especially when choosing cotton socks. To help you choose the right pair, we created a detailed guide to help you understand why 100% cotton socks may not be the best choice and why you should not buy 100% cotton socks.

Socks made up of 100% cotton may sound promising. However, contrary to the common perception, having socks that are 100% cotton is not always the best option. Cotton is absorbent, so it easily wicks sweat away from the skin, creating moisture. Hence don’t forget that moisture and friction also cause blisters. Now, this only means socks that are 100% cotton would mean being prone to more blisters. Also, since bacteria thrive in moist environments, foul odors are more prominent.

In terms of durability, socks that are 100% cotton wear off faster at high friction points such as at the sole and in the toe. This causes it to shrink after washing, affecting fit and comfort. In addition, since it does not have that elasticity property associated with artificial fibers, they lose shape over time. More often than not, it will only bunch or slide down your leg.

Socks made entirely of 100% cotton do not come with any elasticity whatsoever because cotton itself does not have stretch and recovery resulting in elasticity. As fibers, cotton is extrinsically soft, breathable, and absorbent, making them comfortable, but they do not have a self-return or return to their original shape at all once stretched. Such socks, therefore, made entirely of cotton will lose shape and sag, especially after repeated wear and washing.

Curious about what builds elasticity then? Socks are made elastic by blending cotton with synthetic fibers like spandex, elastane, or Lycra. It gives them the stretch and recovery necessary to be tight-fitting and retain their shape even with heavy usage. Typically, a small dose of spandex is blended into the cotton for comfort and elasticity. These spandex fibers give the socks the stretch and fit onto the foot, all the while bouncing back to their original form.

Without elastic fibers to stretch, 100% cotton socks for women and men would need another design to bind themselves in place. Manufacturers may use ribbed cuffs or tighter knitting which will help the socks grip the feet. However, these are not as effective as the elastic materials themselves in holding up. While 100% cotton socks are soft and allow for airflow, they utterly fail to provide the highly essential elasticity of synthetic fibers, that sets a fitting and keeps these socks up during wear for an entire day.

Indeed, 100% cotton socks can absorb sweat however these can also have negative impacts such as:

●       Moisture Accumulation: The socks become damp and subsequently heavy.

●       Blisters: More sweating increases the friction between skin and socks, thus increasing the possibility of getting blisters

●       Odor: The trapped sweat shall facilitate the growth of odor-causing bacteria

●       Cold Feet: The moist nature of the socks makes one's feet colder, primarily in cold environments.

●       Skin Problems: It will lead to a disease like athlete's foot or fungal infection because of the constant moisture that is available.

●       Wear and Tear: Socks made of pure cotton wear out more quickly, mainly on the heel and toe. This will increase participation in creating holes and thinning over time, reducing life expectancy.

●       Shrinkage: Because 100% cotton socks are prone to shrinkage after washing, their overall size is reduced and affects fittings. This could make the sock tighter or cramped due to the actual reduction in size and thus often requiring replacement.

●       Lack of Stretch: Because 100% cotton socks do not have this elastic fiber to return them to their original shape, they start to lose their original shape and become loose, therefore fitting ill on the foot. Of course, these can have several effects, where they slide down or bunch up when worn for some time, thus creating discomfort and requiring too much hassle in terms of adjusting throughout the day because they do not stretch.

Here are the ways to determine whether your socks are purely cotton or not:

This might be the easiest and most trustworthy test to determine whether the socks are indeed made of 100% cotton. Companies are required to list materials on the packaging or inside the socks on a label. Most labels will just say something like 100% cotton. If it does not merely say cotton, but also says polyester, spandex, or elastane the socks are not strictly cotton.

Although less precise than checking the label, feeling the fabric can offer hints. 100% cotton socks usually feel softer and more natural compared to synthetic blends. They don't stretch like socks with spandex or elastane. Cotton has a smooth texture and a matte appearance. However, remember that judging fabric by touch alone can be subjective and might not always tell you the exact material, especially if you're not familiar with different fabrics.

This will involve setting fire to a small part of the sock to determine how it reacts to flame. It is, however, dangerous and should only be done with great care. If you intend to perform the test, carefully cut an extremely small, inconspicuous piece from the sock and hold it in tweezers over a flame. Where pure cotton is involved, burning will be clean with a smell of paper or burning leaves; it will produce fine gray ash.

Synthetics, such as polyester or nylon, melt and give a chemical odor when burned. Cotton-synthetic blends have some of both characteristics. For safety reasons, the best approach is to assume a synthetic fabric if there is no care label, based on the appearance of the fabric or how it feels.

These methodologies can, therefore, be used to enable one to ascertain with a bit more certainty whether the socks he is about to buy contain purely cotton. However, one simply can check this by looking at the label.

100% Cotton Socks are not the best pair to get, given its flaws, and the lack of elasticity, but you can still get one from online retailers or at your local department store. However there are still premium socks that has 97% percentage of cotton and minimum (3%) elasticity for providing suitable stretchiness., like GoWith’s  97% cotton socks for men and women.  It has the perfect amount of cotton and enough elasticity for added durability. There is  also a colored pack of 97% cotton socks for women and men available.

Here, we’ve given you a background on what possible problems you will encounter with 100% cotton socks. While there are many potential advantages, it doesn’t overpower the several major disadvantages. Contrary to moisture wicking socks; instead of wicking, cotton sucks in moisture and brings discomfort to the feet. However, it’s still advised to opt for socks with the maximum cotton percentage, and one with enough elasticity for added comfort and breathability.