While you probably wonder why you put two matching socks in the wash and only seem to get one sock out, what you might not have thought about is, how your kids socks were made in the first place.
The truth is that boys and girls socks can be made in a number of different ways. Of course, today most socks are knitted commercially but interestingly enough, the process for creating commercial socks, isn't all that different from the one used to create handmade girls and boys socks.
Depending on the intended use of the socks, a different type of yarn will be needed. While girls socks tend to be made out of a thinner cotton thread, most boys socks are made using thicker cotton fibers. Once the type of yarn has been selected, the socks are then knitted using a circular needle. When being manufactured commercially, the boys and girls socks are made using machines with multiple needles. These machines are programmed with the various patterns the factory needs to produce. While the specialized machines can create socks in a matter of minutes, creating the same sock at home could take hours or even days.
Once the sock is knitted, the seams on the heel and toe of the sock need to be sewn up. Even in factories this work is usually done by humans, rather than solely by machines. The socks are carried by conveyor belt to the workers, who then sew up the seams using a serger machine. The serger finishes the seams so that they are less likely to unravel or come apart. Of course, seams are important on any sock but you definitely want to look for good seams when buying boys socks.
Once the socks are sewn they are then washed and dyed. While the socks are wet from being washed, they are fitted on to foot shaped forms where there are stretched and sized in order to create a proper fit. Once the socks have been stretched they are then paired up and folded. Finally, the boys and girls socks are sorted and placed into the packing that they will be sold in.
So, you might still not know where all of those missing socks went, but at least you now have a better idea of how they were made in the first place.
