Dear friends,
I love learning how things worked before modern inventions. Before synthetics, there were only natural fibers - wool, cotton, silk, and mohair, to name a few.
Wool and cotton have been the workhorses of textiles since the beginning of time. But old-fashioned wool was often itchy, think of your grandma’s wool blanket. That’s because it came from coarser breeds of sheep. Today, merino is king. It is the softest wool in the world.
And how did those wool socks stay up? Great question! Before elastic fibers, people used garters: straps, ribbons, or bands. Keeping socks in place was part of dressing properly and neatly each day.
Everything changed in 1935 with the invention of nylon. By the 1940s, nylon stockings were wildly popular, and it only made sense to add nylon to everyday wool socks. Nylon helped them stay up, hold their shape, and last longer. The garter soon became a thing of the past.
Then came spandex in 1958. By the 1970s, it was everywhere improving fit, comfort, stretch, and staying power. Blending nylon and spandex with wool or cotton created the perfect balance of durability, snug fit, and shape retention.
And that’s how we arrived here: the modern wool sock, strengthened with nylon and spandex, and staying in place all day. But what happens when you add mohair?
Ahhh… now we’re talking about elevating the humble wool sock to an entirely new level!
Story to be continued in part 2, Elevating the Traditional Wool Sock with Mohair.
Angela