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A Guide to Socks and Fabrics: From Cotton to Vicuña Wool

The sense of touch is one of those things that we take so much for granted that we rarely think about it. It’s a “missing the forest for the trees” situation. However, the sense of touch has a big impact on our lives. We believe that we should value this sense more than most people currently do. When it comes to clothes and fashion, the things that touch our bodies have a very big impact on the way we feel and on our attitude. While many people don’t consider this, those who have worn both poor-quality fabrics and high-quality ones can tell you that the difference between good and bad fabrics is very big. Different fabrics have different feels and therefore they make us feel in different ways. This is why some fabrics are more appropriate for certain settings, while others are suited for other types of occasions. Silk, for example is associated with formal dressing: it is smooth and refined and goes hand in hand with the emotions that come along with a formal event. In the world of fabrics, silk is the equivalent of an opera show. Cotton is versatile and suited for almost any setting, which is why it is the most appropriate thing to wear on a day-to-day basis, while exotic fabrics are the right thing to wear when you want to feel special and, well… exotic.

 

The socks and fabrics you wear are probably one of the most important pieces of clothes you own. Along with your underwear, socks are part of the basic layer of clothes, these are the ones that come in direct contact with your skin and should therefore be the best they can. Bad socks will lead to discomfort; not only physically, but also psychologically, if you will. Have you ever worn a garment that was not of high-quality and felt like it just doesn’t sit into place, it itches and burns, you are too warm or too cold and then you felt overall out of place as well? That’s what happens when you are not wearing the right fabrics.

 

Choosing the right socks can be a hassle if you don’t know some things about it. This is why, in this guide, we will break down the different fabrics from which socks are made and look into what makes each fabric special and why you should wear it. Some people are allergic to different fabrics, which is one more reason why you should know that there are different fabrics out there from which socks are made.

It’s good to have a place from where you can choose the right socks for the occasion, for the clothes you have and for the needs you have. Mes Chaussettes Rouges is a brand that sells a very diverse range of socks. We like it because they offer all kinds of socks, in different colors and made from diverse fabrics. They also sell some extremely rare types of socks which we will be mentioning later on as we are big fans of them.

 

 

Cotton

Cotton socks are probably the most popular type of socks. The reason for this is that cotton is a natural fabric, it is strong and versatile in terms of style, and it can warm you up in the winter and cool you down in the summer. Moreover, cotton is not very expensive and therefore it is very accessible to most people. Instead of buying more polyester socks, you should buy a few cotton ones and your feet will thank you!

 

 

Cotton socks are extremely versatile, as cotton can be easily paired with any other fabric, so you can match your cotton socks to both formal and casual outfits!

 

As a tip, when you buy cotton socks, you should make sure they are strong enough. Your shoes put a lot of pressure on your socks and can therefore damage them if they are not made right. Another thing that is very important is the dying. Poor-quality socks can leave their colors on your feet or on your shoes, so you might want to stay away from socks that you are not sure how they will react.

 

 

Wool

 

 

 

Wool socks are the right thing to wear when it becomes cold outside (or inside). Even though many people associate wool socks with their grandfather’s chunky socks, you should know that woolen socks can come in very light versions as well. Wool socks can both absorb and give off moisture. This is a very interesting aspect, which makes them perfect for hiking or other similar activities, as wool socks can absorb 30% of their weight in moisture before they feel wet. Wool socks are ideally to be washed by hand in water with very little soap. After that, you can simply let them out to dry.

 

 

Cashmere

 

A pair of cashmere socks found on the MCR website!

 

Cashmere is known as a very elegant, fine fabric, mostly used for high-quality garments. While some associate cashmere with scarves or jumpers, there are also a lot of cashmere socks out there. Cashmere, even though usage defines it as a type of wool, it is in fact a hair, which is why it feels so different from standard sheep’s wool. If you are wearing cashmere socks, you can be sure that your feet will be dry. They are also very lightweight which is another reason why they feel great!

 

 

Silk

Silk is a fabric that is even finer than cashmere and for some; it is a staple of luxury. Silk socks should be worn at formal occasions and when you need to complete a very dressy look. Generally, silk socks are not found in a lot of colors, so finding colored socks made from silk is definitely something you can brag about. As a tip, the brand we mentioned earlier, Mes Chausettes Rouges, also sells a variety of colorful silk socks; which is one of the reasons we really enjoy it and recommend it to our clients.

 

Colorful silk socks are a fashion gem, as they are quite rare. These can be found on the Mes Chausettes Rouges site.

 

 

Exotic fabrics: alpaca, yak and vicuña wool socks

 

Even though they don’t look very differently, they feel completely unique: alpaca socks (up, left); camel hair socks (up, right); vicuña wool socks (down left); yak socks (down right).

 

 

Some socks are made from fabrics one doesn’t get to see every day. From camel hair to yak hair, alpaca or vicuña wool or even bamboo, these are all special types of raw materials from which some exotic fabrics are made. As you know, yaks are found in the Himalayas, camels generally live in Africa, while the alpaca, which is a member of the camel’s family and the vicuña live in the Andes. Vicuñas produce very soft wool, but not very much of it. The reason why the production of socks from these fabrics is so limited is because they produce a rather small amount of wool to begin with. While yak or alpaca socks can cost the same amount as regular socks, vicuña socks tend to cost a lot more due to the rarity of the material.

 

To conclude, we can say that each fabric has its advantages and is appropriate for someone. You just need to find what you like and need and buy the thing that meets your requirements. If you are one to sweat a lot, go for wool, if you need versatility and style, opt for cashmere or cotton; if you want to feel special, you should definitely try out some of those amazing vicuña socks we love so much!

 

 

We are wondering whether vicuñas make good pets as if you were to have one as a pet, you could get fancy socks for free if you don’t count all the costs and work that would go into it. It might be easier to simply a pair of socks online.

 

 

Fraquoh and Franchomme

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Which fabric is your favorite? What are you looking for when you are buying socks? Ask a question or leave a comment in the space below and don’t forget to follow us via e-mail or on our social media!

 

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5 replies on “A Guide to Socks and Fabrics: From Cotton to Vicuña Wool”

Vicuna do not make great pets. The evidence for this is overwhelming, and it’s not that they dismember children without warning, like pitbulls, or screech at ≥130dB like New Zealand Parrots and Cockatoos, nor do they methodically chew furniture and designer shoes. So what’s the problem? Where is this evidence?

Consider that the Peruvian Andes are not known for abundant and diverse economic opportunities, sadly only cocaine comes to mind, but for Peruvians who want to live beyond their thirties and don’t want neck tattoos, raising a well mannered group of vegetarian creatures who’s fur sells for ten times as much as cocaine by weight, you can be sure that more than one person tried it.

The problem is that Vicuna are not into just hanging out with their necks tied to trees, and they are very agile creatures who are the animal equivalent of Houdini. They can leap over 12 foot walls, chew through thick rope, outsmart most humans, and deal with captivity like Navy Seals (Survive, endure, resist, escape).

If you want to be the first to mastermind a plan to domesticate vicuna, they will make a James Bond film about you.

Hello Mark,

Thank you very much for your comment! It was very interesting to learn that vicunas are so hard to domesticate; even though we had never actually planned on getting a vicuna pet.

We would give it a try though to see if we can get a James Bond movie deal, haha! James Bond and the Wild Vicuna!

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