Wool socks are hosiery products woven primarily from pure wool yarn. They typically employ weft-knit, drawn thread, solid color embossed, or embroidered fabric structures. The core material is Australian sheep wool with an average fiber thickness of 14-16µm and a length of 32-36mm. Warmth comes from the air gaps formed by the crimped wool fibers, combined with blending processes to enhance elasticity and abrasion resistance. Some products utilize 14-needle double-ply high-density weaving and dry-spun ultra-fine profile technology to achieve a 3D three-dimensional knitting structure or enhance heat retention efficiency. As of 2024, the wool content of mainstream products on the market is mostly between 6% and 50%, achieving a balance between warmth and cost-effectiveness through optimized fiber ratios.
The industry standard FZ/T 73018-2021 Wool Knitwear stipulates that "fine and carded pure sheep wool knitwear" must have a sheep wool content of 30% or more, with some high-end brands reaching up to 83%. A 2022 spot check showed that the pass rate for meeting the FZ/T 73037-2019 standard was 81.7%, with the main non-compliance item being false labeling of fiber composition. In 2024, sales of ski socks containing 50% top-grain wool exceeded 2 million pairs in the Zhuji sock market in Zhejiang Province, and the repurchase rate of wool socks with antibacterial function was 37% higher than that of ordinary models. In 1994, Smartwool launched the world's first high-performance Merino wool ski socks, pioneering the functional wool sock category. This category is suitable for winter wear, covering styles such as short and mid-calf socks, and is further differentiated into professional products for different sports scenarios such as skiing, hiking, and running.
