We are all fond of wearing soft and comfy socks that keep your feet fresh. But we are also guilty of not knowing the important role socks have played throughout history and some interesting facts about them. Socks have been a part of our outfit for two thousand years and were first worn by the Greeks. They were known by different names throughout history and went from being a privilege reserved for the rich to an ordinary piece of clothing in today’s world. Socks have seen the rise and fall of empires and a global pandemic too. All throughout this time, socks have been a crucial part of our everyday life. Here we have compiled some extraordinary facts about socks that will surely knock your socks off!
1. Weird Sock Theme Holidays
Did you know that each year, May 9th is celebrated as the National Lost Sock Memorial Day? This day is to honor those lost socks that you never found in your sock drawer. Everyone has gone through the experience of losing one sock from a perfectly matched pair. Although there is no knowledge of how this holiday came into being, most Americans felt the need to reserve a day to pay tribute to the dearly departed socks they used to love! On this day, they wear unmatched socks to remember their loved and lost pairs. So the next time you lose a sock out of your favorite pair, know that you are not alone in your sorrow.
2. Socks Can Help You Sleep
Wearing socks increases the blood flow to your hands and feet, reducing your core body temperature quickly and helping you fall asleep. So aside from being a style statement, socks help give you quality sleep at night. Wearing socks to bed has also been linked with a decrease in sleep disorders like insomnia and fatigue. Socks also enable manage menopausal hot flashes, which cause a rise in the internal body temperature. Comfortable socks can cool down the core body temperature to give you a peaceful night’s sleep.
3. Know the Sock Capital of the World
The Datang district in China has astonishingly become the top producer of socks globally, manufacturing about 40% of the world’s socks in one year! This bizarre production number has caused it to be named the Sock City. This is because this city produces Millions of pairs of socks in one year, enough to supply two pairs to every person on earth. The unbeatable quality of socks became famous after a man found his stocking in perfect condition, even after stuffing a large pineapple into them!
4. Can Your Socks Tell Time?
Just kidding! We know socks can’t keep time, but the area on a sock around the ankle from where a pattern usually runs up the side of your leg is referred to as the clock. This term probably came to be used because the stitched or woven pattern resembles the clock hands when seen from afar. So a sock with a clock is undoubtedly a unique accessory to be added to your wardrobe!
5. Silk Socks Used To Be a Status Symbol
Silk was a sign of luxury due to the expensive clothing in the 10th century. At the time, they used to be produced only in the kingdom of the faraway Chinese empire, and the means of production of these socks was considered a state secret. So upper-class Europeans transformed the purely functional socks into a status symbol, and royals wore knee-high stockings as a way to express their financial standing and affluence.
6. The Original Socks Are Thought To Have Been Toe Socks
Although toe socks are now deemed a fashion faux pas, it is likely that earlier men used to wear socks with sandals and were some sort of toe socks. The earliest discovered socks had a split toe, which made them comfortable to be worn with sandals. So if you felt embarrassed while wearing socks underneath sandals, remember that the Romans started the trend!
7. Your Feet Are Two of The Sweatiest Parts of Your Body
Apart from your scalp and armpits, your feet secrete more sweat than any other part of your body. This is because each foot has up to 250,000 sweat glands! This makes your feet capable of producing half a liter of sweat every day. This is why socks have their work cut out for them, as no sweat socks absorb astonishing amounts of sweat every day!
