Abrasion Resistance - The degree to which your socks are able to withstand rubbing and chafing within your shoes. Many socks are reinforced, usually with nylon, to provide abrasion resistance.

Absorbency - The ability of a substance to take in and incorporate another material; in the case of socks, moisture.

Acrylic Fiber - Most widely used family of man-made fibers in socks. This fiber is generally warm and lightweight. Acrylic keeps its shape and properties, including resilience, softness, easy care, low-shrinkage, rich colorations and wicking. Examples are Duraspun^® and Creslan^® .

Active Sports Socks - These are the socks you use when you do active sports. "Active Sports Socks" are different from "athletic socks," because they offer high performance features such as special fibers, triple layer construction or pads to help prevent blisters and abrasion.

Alpaca - Extremely fine, soft, and costly yarn made from the hair of a domesticated Peruvian llama.

Angora - A yarn made from the hair of the angora rabbit. Prized for its soft feel and fluffy look, angora is often used in blends. Adds great warmth to socks. Angora is now often simulated by the use of specialty acrylic fibers.

Anklets - Socks that cover the anklebone and rise about one-third of the way up the largest part of your calves.

Antron - A registered trademark of the DuPont Company for trilobal nylon. Antron combines unusual lustre, strength and coloration properties.

Athletic Socks - Socks (usually white) that are designed for active sports. They often have ribbed striped tops and plain foot construction. They're usually knit of acrylic cotton, wool or combinations.

Blends - The combination of two or more types of fiber in one yarn to achieve improved performance or styling effects.

Boarding - A finishing operation where heating socks on forms give your socks the desired shapes and size. A process similar to ironing. The term "boarding" stems from the olden days when actual wooden boards were used to dry stockings.

Bobby Sox - Heavy cuffed anklets that were fashionable with girls in the 1940's. They're currently enjoying a revival.

Boot Liners - Thin socks that provide a layer of comfort between the leg and the sock.

Boucle - A sock fabric that has a looped or knotted surface.

Cable - A knitted pattern usually made up of two vertically intertwined bands.

Cashmere - Luxuriously soft, expensive yarn made from the undercoat of the Kashmir goat.

Casuals - A term used that describes all women and men's socks except for dress, athletic and work styles.

Circular Knit - The major knitting method for socks. A single or double cylinder-knitting machine makes the sock in one operation. Toes are later closed in a separate operation.

Colorfast - Fabric with good dye retention so that no major change in shade takes place during your sock's normal life.

Combed Cotton - The highest grade of cotton. It has been processed through a "comber" which removes short fibers and trash components to achieve higher uniformity and tenacity.

CoolMax^® - A high performance fiber that moves sweat away from the body to the outer layer of fabric, where it dries faster.

Cotton - Soft vegetable fiber widely used in socks. Cotton yarns are available in a wide variety of types and qualities. Long staple combed cotton is generally considered to provide the finest quality cotton yarn for socks.

Cotton Lycra^® - Yarn application where cotton fiber is wrapped around a core of Lycra^®.

Crew Socks - Mid-Calf socks that are popular with men. Crew socks are available in many colors and patterns.

Crochet - A sock fabric that is created by interlocking loops rather than rows of stitches.

Cuffed - Socks that fold over at the top, usually just above the ankle.

Cushion - Any construction with a terry or pile surface on one side and a ribbed or plain knit surface on the other. In most cushioned athletic socks, the terry forms the inside of the foot portion of the sock. Some of more complex constructions feature added layers of cushioning under certain areas of the foot, depending upon the sports activity for which the socks are intended. While terry cushioning normally fulfills a functional purpose of reducing shock of running or jumping, the same terry-knitting procedure is followed in producing novelty socks with a terry or velour outer surface.

Cushioning - The padding ability of a terry-surfaced sock, paired against a ribbed or plain surface.

Cycling Socks - Sports socks designed specifically for cycling enthusiasts. Cycling socks generally have heavy knitted pads in the arch of the foot where the pedal makes contact with the foot.

Decals - Designs printed on paper and transferred to the sock by means of heat and pressure. A term used interchangeably with "heat transfer".

Denier - Denier is the weight-per-unit-length of the yarn. (It is numerically equal to the weight, in grams, of 9,000 meters of yarn.) The lower the denier, the lighter and finer the yarn, and the sheerer the garment.

Double-Reinforcement - Two thread lines, usually nylon or polyester, knitted into portions of the sock feet to achieve added abrasion resistance. Most commonly used at the heel and/or toe.

Dress Socks - Light to medium-weight men's and boy's styles, usually in dark, solid colors. Lengths vary from mid- to over-the-calf.

Duraspun^® - This high bulk acrylic wicks moisture away from feet three times better than cotton so feet stay drier. Socks made with Duraspun^® retain their shape and thickness, even when wet.

Dyeing - The permanent application of color to a yarn or fabric.

Egyptian cotton - Strong, high luster, long staple cotton.

Elastic - A term that designates the ability of a yarn to return to its original size or shape after being stretched.

Elastomer - Elastic fibers such as rubber or spandex that have physical stretch properties.

Fabric Stretch - The amount of stretch in fabric from the relaxed state to the fully extended stretch.

Fabric Recovery - The ability of fabric to recover from the fully extended state to the original flat state before extending.

Fair Isle - Any nordic or snowflake patterning.

Fancies - Men's socks of any length that have multi-colored designs such as stripes, herringbones, argyles and other fashion styles.

Feeds - This term is normally used in conjunction with circular knitting machines and literally means how many yarns are fed into a machine at each revolution to knit continuous rows of stitches.

Fiber - The essential unit, or filament, which makes up any textile yarn. All fibers must be processed into yarn before they can be knitted into socks.

Finishing - Includes all sock manufacturing steps after knitting. This includes bleaching, scouring and dyeing, boarding, pairing, ornamentation, folding and packaging.

Fit - It is the combination of yarn and construction that determines the adaptability of socks to your feet. Stretch and recovery of yarns and knit construction contribute to a sock's fit.

Flat Knit - The second most widely used construction used in socks. A flat knit is when sock fabric knitted on a single or double cylinder machine and producing a fine, smooth surface with a jersey-like appearance.

Footsocks - Short, below-the-ankle-bone socks of varying weight and fiber content. Also known as "footies."

Gauge - The measurement of the distance between needles in a knitting machine. Two-thirds of the gauge equals the number of needles per inch. For example, on a 60-gauge machine, there are 60 needles to 1-1/2 inches.

General Athletic Socks - Many sport athletic socks today are designed for specific uses. General or basic athletic socks are multi-purpose, designed with no specific athletic sport in mind.

Golf Socks - Socks designed for golfers, particularly during hot weather. Golf socks generally have cushioning and are short and below the anklebone.

Gore - The center of the heel or toe pocket, created in the knitting process, sometimes giving the appearance of a seam.

Hand - The tactile qualities of a fabric such as softness, elasticity, fineness and resilience. Moretz Sports socks have great hand.

Handle - The reaction to the sense of touch when fabrics are grasped in hand. Many factors which give "character" combine in the judgment as to the handle.

Heat Transfers - Applying a design or logo to socks. Made by using heat and pressure to transfer a design from specially printed paper to the fabric. "Heat transfers" also are called "decals".

High Bulk Duraspun^® - Solutia's (formerly Monsanto's) registered trademark for its premium acrylic that is lightweight but provides great bulk. Duraspun^® properties include sweat removal, "bounce back" cushioning and increased durability.

High-Bulk Yarn - Qualitative term to describe a highly-twisted textured yarn. A bulked yarn develops more bulk than stretch in the finished fabric.

Hiking Socks - Socks designed just for hiking enthusiasts. These socks are generally heavyweight, with cushion or padding in the foot or heel. Designed with wicking action to carry moisture away from the foot to allow perspiration to evaporate. Hiking socks are very long so they can be worn with hiking boots.

Hollofil^® - Dupont's registered trademark for hollow fibers, which trap and hold still air, providing excellent insulating properties. Used in thermal socks in blends with other fibers.

Hydrophilic fibers - Fibers with a tendency to absorb and hold moisture, such as cotton and rayon.

Hydrophobic fibers - Fibers that repel moisture. Examples include Orlon^® acrylic, nylon and polyester.

Ingrain Yarn - Yarn that has been dyed before knitting, requiring no further dyeing.

Intarsia - A geometric pattern knitted-in either with a different stitch or different color from the background. Both sides of the fabric look alike in intarsia knitting.

Knee-Highs - Socks that come up to just below your knee. They're styled with elastic tops to stay up. Used mainly for women and girls' socks.

Knitting - The process of converting yarn into fabric via needles mounted on the drum of a circular knitting machine.

Lambswool - The first clip taken from a sheep that is up to seven months old. Lambswool has a soft, slippery hand.

Layered Socks - Wearing more than one pair of socks at a time for fashion effect or comfort.

Leg Warmers - Heavyweight women's and girls' socks that were popularized by dancers in the 1970s. Knitted from wool or acrylics, leg warmers are long socks, often without feet, that reach above the knee or higher up the thigh.

Lycra^® - DuPont's registered trademark for its spandex fiber. Widely used in socks for its stretch and recovery properties, which help provide better fit and shape retention.

Make-up - No, we're not talking about what women wear on their faces. Make-up consists of the top 3 or 4 courses (horizontal stitches) of a sock. Lycra^® spandex or rubber yarn is sometimes used in the make-up of socks to help keep them stay up on your legs or ankles.

Man-Made Fiber - A class name for various types of fibers (including continuous filaments) produced from fiber-forming substances. Included are: 1) Polymers synthesized from chemical compounds, such as acrylics, nylon, polyester, polyethylene, polyurethane and polyvinyl fibers; 2) Modified or transformed natural polymers, e.g., alginic and cellulose-based fibers such as acetates and rayons; 3) Mineral, e.g., glass.

Marls - Multicolored yarns in which each component strand is different color.

Mercerized cotton - A process giving cotton yarn luster and dye receptivity by treatment with caustic soda under tension.

Merino - A fine grade of wool from sheep originating in Spain.

Mesh - An open knit used primarily to achieve a hand-knit, textured look.

Mid-Calf/Crew Socks - Socks with the top extending beyond ankle length but not beyond the largest part of the calf.

Mock Rib - A surface texture variation used in flat knit socks to simulate the look of a rib.

Moisture transport - The physical process by which acrylic moves moisture (sweat) along the surface of the fiber, rather than absorbing it. With moisture transport, your feet should stay dry.

Natural Fibers - Cotton, wool or silk hosiery fibers.

Needle Count - The total number of needles used to knit a sock. The higher the needle count, the closer the stitches and the finer the fabric.

Non-Reciprocated - Socks or sheer hosiery knitted with no heel or toe pocket, e.g. tube socks.

Novelties - Women's non-basic styles that have unusual patterning and/or coloration.

Nylon - A man-made polyamide fiber derived from coal, water and air. Introduced in 1938, nylon is the first and oldest of the true synthetics. Famous for its strength, abrasion resistance, dimensional stability, soft hand, elasticity, easy-washing qualities and quick-drying characteristics.

Olefin - Man-made fibers derived from polypropylene or polyethylene.

Outlast^® -Temperature regulating fiber that absorbs excess body heat - holding it and releasing it in response to your body's thermal comfort needs. Outlast^® maintains your personal comfort zone and keeps you warmer and more comfortable over a wider range of temperatures and activities

Over-The-Calf Socks - Men's and boy's socks that reach just above the thickest part of the calf.

Pairing - The finishing operation in which individual socks are inspected and made into pairs prior to folding and packaging.

Pima cotton - A long staple cotton fiber from plants grown in the southwestern United States.

Pointelle - An open, lacy-look knit that's similar to crochet.

Polyester - A man-made fiber made from polymers. Polyester has abrasion-resistance, durability, shape retention, dye fastness, excellent washability, and fast-drying properties. Used in men's and boy's dress socks, in decorative applications such as cross-dyeing and jacquards, and as a reinforcement. Examples are Dacron^®, Fortrel^®, Kodel^® and Trevira^®.

Polypropylene - A petrochemical-based man-made fiber usually used in socks in combination with other fibers.

Pom - A women's or girl's footsock or footie that has a pom-pom sewn on at the back.

Pouch Heel - A simulated or "false heel" in what is fundamentally a shaped tube sock. The heel effect is created in boarding. Unlike the tube, a pouch heel sock usually has a fishmouth toe.

Private Label Program - Merchandising socks under the name of a retail operation, as opposed to manufacturer's brand names. Moretz Sports has a very strong private label program for its sports socks with some of the largest retailers in the United States.

Rayon - A man-made fiber, usually made from regenerated cellulose. Rayon has a soft hand, high moisture absorbency and retention, good dyeability and washability. Examples: Avril^®, Prima^® and Durvil^®.

Reciprocated - In the usual knitting process, the sock is begun at the top and knitted toward the toe. Upon reaching the heel, the machine begins to move more slowly in a semi-circular ("reciprocated") fashion to produce the heel pocket. It may be adjusted to reciprocate again at the toe to form a toe pocket. Not all socks have reciprocated toes and heels. For example, the basic tube styles have neither.

Reinforced - Toe and heel areas (stress areas) often are strengthened (usually with nylon or polyester) to improve abrasion resistance and therefore increase durability.

Ribbed - The most common pattern for sock construction. Composed of vertical ridges or "wales" of varying width. Ribbing is popular not only because it looks good, but also because it gives a sock needed elasticity.

Rolldown, Rolled Cuff, Rolled Top - A top for socks that's turned over on itself and sewn down, often during knitting. Traditionally a women's style, but recently you've begun to see rolldown, rolled cuffs or rolled tops in men's athletic socks.

Running Socks - Socks designed for runners or joggers. Running socks generally have heavier padding or cushioning in the heels to absorb vibrations or pounding the feet takes while jogging. These socks come in varying heights from below the anklebone to mid-calf. They usually provide some wicking action to carry perspiration away from the foot.

Shetland - Originally a soft, warm shaggy yarn made only from wool of Shetland sheep. Now often used to describe yarns that offer Shetland characteristics. Example: Wintuk^®.

Silk - The luxury natural filaments taken from the cocoons of various types of silkworms. Characterized by high luster, soft hand, high tensile strength and thermal properties.

Ski Socks - Socks created specifically to wear in ski boots. Also designed to provide warmth in cold weather. Ski socks have extra padding or cushioning to the front portion of your feet. This extra cushioning or padding helps prevent blisters and protects your feet.

Slouched - An intentionally "sloppy" fashion look that's achieved by reducing stretch nylon or elastic in sock tops. Slouched socks are pushed down and worn gathered around the ankle.

Soccer Socks - Socks for soccer enthusiasts. These socks have a pocket or pouch knitted into the front of the sock where shin guards can be placed for personal protection. Soccer socks may also have extra cushioning or padding in the foot portion.

Spandex - A man-made, strong, durable and stretchable fiber. Developed by DuPont in 1959, Spandex can stretch up to more than 5 times its relaxed strength and fully recover. Widely used in sock tops and pantyhose waistbands for its stretch/recovery properties and "stay up" holding power. Examples: Lycra^®, Cleerspan^® and Glospan^®.

Spectator Socks - Casual men or women's sports socks designed to coordinate with ready-to-wear but not engineered to provide optimum performance when used in active sports. Lengths vary from footsocks to over-the-calf.

Sports-Specific Socks - Socks with sport styling. Contain extra padding. The socks differ according to how thick the padding is, where protective padding is placed (on the ball, toes, instep, heel, arch or shin) and what materials are used.

Stretch Yarns - Continuous filament yarns (e.g., nylon) that have been textured to give them elasticity.

Tennis Socks - Socks designed specifically for tennis enthusiasts. Can be low cut, below the anklebone or a higher length. Tennis socks generally have extra cushioning near the ball of your feet to protect you during a vigorous tennis match.

Tensile Strength - The ability of fabric or yarn to resist breaking by tension.

Terry - A looped pile construction used inside most athletic socks and some work socks.

Textures - A general term that includes all socks made up of knitted-in patterns such as cables, herringbones, checks and basket weaves.

Thermal Socks - Winter-weight boot length socks worn by skiers, skaters or other winter sports enthusiasts. They can be made of heavy duty Orlon^® acrylic, wool, Thermax^®, silk, polypropylene, Hollofil^® yarns, or a blend of these and other fibers.

Transpor^® Dry Fibre - Moisture management technology that creates a "soft screen" between your skin and the wicking yarns. Vapor and moisture exit through the Transpor^® dry layer to the wicking layer where they spread and evaporate.

Wales - Vertical rows of stitches in a knitted construction.

Walking Socks - These socks for walkers provide cushioning and reversed cushioning so your feet won't slide in your shoes.

Welt Top (or Welt Top Construction) - A double thickness of fabric at the top of the legs. (The welt top is knitted separately and machine-sewn to the top of the sock, or hem at the tip of a stocking knit in heavier denier yarn and folded double.) A welt top construction not only gives your socks a cleaner, more finished look, but it gives them strength and helps them stay up.

Wicking - The capacity of a fiber to transport moisture away from itself. It's important for socks to do wicking in strenuous sports use, because sweat-socked socks become hard and matted, ultimately causing discomfort and possibly helping to cause blistering. (See moisture transport.)

Wool - The soft, curly hair of a sheep which is spun into yarn. The wool family includes Shetland (Scottish) and Merino (Spanish) wool, which are both soft and of high quality. Most woolen yarn used in socks is made from standard grades produced in the United States, Australia and elsewhere. (Alpaca and cashmere are animal hairs but are not properly called wool.) Wool is warm, sturdy and durable. It has a crisp, resilient hand and has excellent insulating properties.

Work Socks - Worn by people who work outdoors or in heavy industry. Many styles are available, including cushioned and flame-resistant socks for fisherman and foundry workers.

Yarn - A generic term for an assemblage of fibers or filaments, either natural or manufactured, twisted or laid together to form a continuous strand suitable for use in producing fibers.

Yarn Count - A numerical designation expressing the relationship of length to weight. The higher the yarn count, the thinner the yarn.