Smelly socks, socks with an ankle hole or thumb hole, socks with bad quality elastics etc have been a common scary sight, with people neglecting this one piece of clothing for decades altogether. But socks and stockings have vastly altered over the years to finally become a stylish necessity. But the context of necessity have equally widened as have the need to have glamorous feet increased with time. The reason to wear socks have altered to accommodate medical conditions and the genuine requirement of wearing comfortable clothing while travelling, during pregnancy etc. These are those conscious feats that man has probably taken with lifestyle alterations and much like the bigger bracket of apparel, socks have also fit in well within these changing map.
Socks are knitted garments for the feet. And the trend of wearing socks to keep the feet protected was the initial need on which the first socks were made, as evidences from historic timeline shows. “The global fashion industry and increased exposure and awarness are fuelling the interest of the Indian consumer to stay updated and trendy. India already has a market for functional garments, we have seen the gradual rise in demand for several categories of functional socks in the past few years,” explains Harsh Saraf, Director, Super Knit Industries. Also poor materials could cause socks to fit improperly and bunch in shoes. All of these features can result in foot problems such as athlete’s foot, bad foot odor, and blisters. Just to add the feet is one of the most sweaty areas of our body. So wearing the right pair of socks will insulate in chilly winters and absorb the sweat to keep the feet dry during harsh summers.
From mass appeal to industry specific appeal, while the underlying need to invest in socks is protection of toes. But the functional aspect of socks have also risen over the years to give way to more specific requirements. “Recent studies have found that more than 7% of the young Indian population suffer from varicose veins and in fact, more number of women fall prey to this lifestyle disease. Some of the factors that cause varicose veins are a sedentary lifestyle, desk jobs, and prolonged wearing of ill-fitted shoes and sandals. Apart from this, diabetes, post-thrombotic syndrome, lymphedema also lead to feet related disorders that need a specific treatment. This is where Mustang’s line of the exclusive range of health, trekker and compression range of socks comes into play that allows our consumers to continue with their daily routine seamlessly. What makes these socks unique is that owing to their compression and elasticity they offer a better grip and a long-lasting solution in dealing with these feet related disorders,” informed Lubeina Shahpurwala, Partner, Mustang Socks.
Thus wicking moisture gave away to many more functional requirements over time and began including medicinal necessities too, to support feet suffering severe edema, lymphoedema, advanced varicose veins, arterial and venous insufficiency, phlebitis and venous thrombosis.
The use of the compression therapy is an ancient concept. As early as the Neolithic period (5000-2500 BC), the images of the soldiers with bandaged lower extremities were found in the drawings of the caves of Tassili in Sahara. Hippocrates treated his patients’ leg ulcers with tight bandages, which were described in his Corpus Hippocraticum. Galen (130-200 AD) used wool and linen compression bandages to prevent blood from pooling in the legs.
Marathon runners have been sporting compression socks for several years. Now compression technology is hitting the roads and the makers of the expensive products tout the performance benefits of compression technology. Which are:
- Protection: They protect your legs from small scratches, abrasions and nasty things like poison ivy on the trail. And can be worn for various adventurous outings too.
- Swelling: Compression technology has been proven to limit swelling, especially in people who spend all day on their feet or people with special medical problems that might lead to swelling of feet.
- Dirt: Collects on your socks and not on your legs.
- Warmth: Allows you to feel comfortable amidst harsh adversities.
Compression socks for problem feet
Compression socks and stockings are engineered to assist the veins in legs to transport the blood back to the heart. Young or old, male or female, active or less active, compression socks offers relieving feeling yet healthy looking legs. The light compression ranges (less than 20 mm) are preventative and can be worn by anyone. They have a magical benefit on individuals who stand or sit for long periods of time or are exposed to medical trauma and severe medical conditions that might lead to problems of the feet, making them predisposed to venous disorders. Frequent travelers are just one potentially at-risk group, especially those passengers on long flights who have to sit through cramped spaces for hours.
Compression socks or stockings are effective in reducing leg symptoms only when the compression is graduated. The circumference of the limb and the superficial veins could physically be reduced by the compression of the hosiery. When the size of the veins is decreased, blood flows faster, therefore helping prevent blood from pooling and the chances of developing thrombus. Valve functioning can also be improved by compression therapy. The veins appear blue, twisted and bulging. Heaviness, and swelling around the ankles are also symptoms. There could be other symptoms like pain in the legs, night cramps, knotty veins, changes in skin color and sores.
Wearing maternity compression socks during pregnancy is an easy way to promote leg health. Blood circulation in the correct way is a must during this phase of a woman’s life and when they are carrying a baby, the feet becomes genuinely weary. So pumping in blood the perfect way is more a necessity rather than anything else. And compression socks work wonders at this stage.
These socks are extremely positive and excellent in terms of the elasticity they generate over a long period of time. wearing and removing the same is quite easy too. Allergic effects on the skin decreases even when you keep wearing the same over longer periods of time, the silicone top band used on thigh length compression stocking prevents sliding the stocking from the legs and does not distort the compression profile. In hot weather conditions of India, cotton is the preferred fiber for varicose vein stockings, as it is for clothes.
Compression Socks for Diabetics
“According to Future Market Insights, the number of people suffering from diabetes is on the rise, which in turn is expected to increase the demand for compression socks in the country. As people are now more aware of such kind of health socks available, owing to a strong distribution network, Mustang has been able to introduce more verticals to it – starting with health socks and then compression based trekker socks.
Apart from the elderly, even the younger generation is also realising the importance of wearing compression socks. More importantly, owing to the benefits and simplicity of wearing compression socks and their availability, more and more people are gradually opting for it,” informed Lubeina Shahpurwala, Partner, Mustang Socks.
Diabetic socks are crucial to maintain healthy diabetic feet. Socks for diabetics are designed to protect feet from external damage, minimize irritations, offer no or light compression, provide therapeutic benefits, reduce pressure points, and offer comfort.
Produced using X-Static yarns diabetic socks or stockings are developed especially for people who suffer from diabetes. Featured with natural silver’s thermal conductivity these stocks keep foot cooler in the summer and warm in the winter. The anti-static feature of the product conducts static electricity from the body and helps to feel comfortable all day long. It produce magnetic field which speeds up the blood circulation which in turn help to prevent edema in foot.
” Compression socks are designed to be well-fitted without tight elastic bands at their ends. This helps improve the blood circulation to the feet for blood pressure patients. Diabetic socks do not have seams or elastic tops and are made with loosely woven materials to ensure extreme comfort and relaxation to blood vessels carrying fresh oxygenated blood to and fro to the lower extremities,” explained Harsh Saraf, Director, Super Knit Industries.
Market for Compression socks
“There is certainly a large population which both (a) has the need and (b) can afford to buy functional garments. So, India is certainly going to be a big market for functional garments. The millennial Indian is changing market dynamics and moving from classic to functional garments – which can be seen from the success of various functional apparel and shoe launches by brands such as Arrow and Hush Puppies.
We are extremely bullish on this market and are rolling out many models in this category such as socks with mosquito repellent specifically targeted at the Aedes Aegypti mosquito which is a ‘leg-biter’ and is responsible for the spread of the dengue fever, Chikungunya and yellow fever viruses,” informs Aayush Goenka, Director, Calzini Fashions Ltd.
The company sells wellness socks under the Dr. Calzini label and performance socks under the Calzini Sport label. We also sell many models under our licensed labels – viz. Hush Puppies and Arrow. The MRP depends on the sock and brand and ranges from 169 to 299 per pair.
While Lubeina Shahpurwala, Partner, Mustang Socks too confirmed that the Functional and performance wear is definitely taking shape, “we have to my knowledge at least three strong home grown brands in the category that are putting great products on shelves. For socks, the market is a little early as people are just awakening to the possibility of clothing being functional. Our exclusive range of health and compression socks is priced between INR 100 – INR 430,” she added.
Functional socks are marketed by Calzini Fashions under own/licensed brands including Calzini, Dr. Calzini, Hush Puppies and Arrow. Calzini Fashions has been the first mover in this category, and their first product viz. socks for diabetics was launched in 2005, i.e. more than a decade ago. It is one of their bestselling models.
While talking about the market for compression socks Aayush Goenka, Director, Calzini Fashions elaborated that the most important aspect of selling functional socks is to properly describe the attributes of the sock on the packaging through a combination of written and graphical information, so that consumers can quickly understand the need that the product fills. The biggest problem being faced by these established brands is that there are a variety of ‘me too’ products being manufactured and sold by brands that do not fully understand either the need or the technology behind the sock. Therefore these products do not meet the necessary requirements and fail to address the need properly. In the absence of any certification or mark, there is no way for the customer to know which is the right sock to purchase.
To add on the market perspective Harsh Saraf, Director, Super Knit Industries added, “We have been manufacturing compression socks for export markets, such as Italy and the Middle East since some time now . We have introduced this line since 2014 to the Indian market through our brand Supersox. Our network of 10,000+ retailers across the country has been the driving force behind our several lines of functional socks by sensitising and offering compression socks to the end consumer. There is a limited section of consumers who are looking for these compression socks and they have purchased our products and the feedback we have got is that the product is just like what they used to buy from abroad for 5x – 8x the price. The price range is approximately Rs. 200/pair.”
Compression socks guide from Calzini:
- Put on stockings first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. Your legs have the least amount of swelling early in the morning.
- Wear your compression stockings all day.
- Your compression stockings should feel strong around your legs. You will feel the most pressure around your ankles and less pressure higher up your legs.
- Wash the socks each day.
- Replace the socks every 3 to 6 months so that they maintain their support.
How to wear compression socks:
- Hold the top of the stocking and roll it down to the heel.
- Put your foot into the stocking as far as you can. Put your heel in the heel of the stocking.
- Pull the stocking up. Unroll the stocking over your leg.
- After the top of the stocking is in place, smooth out any wrinkles.
Myth Buster
- Compression Socks can be Harmful
These socks are manufactured for special aids. Wearing them without physician guidance and without detection of the reason for wearing the same, can mean some trouble and can be a little bothersome. But that is like saying should you have medicines without prescription? The same holds true for this piece of clothing too.
- It is unnecessary to wear Compression Socks during Summer
Any vein specialist will confirm that the heat of the summer puts additional strain on weakened or damaged leg veins. Therefore it may be highly beneficial to continue wearing compression stockings during this time of the year to give the veins proper support. And made with light fiber the same does not cause discomfort too.
- Only people with severe medical condition should wear these socks
The socks can be very helpful to people with existing conditions and symptoms (e.g. to relieve heavy and tired feeling legs, to reduce swelling (edema) from the accumulation of fluids and to help with varicose veins and spider veins). Nevertheless, graduated compression stockings and support hosiery of lower grade compression levels (up to 20 mm/Hg) may be highly beneficial as a preventative measure to preserve still healthy legs and boost the return blood circulation in your legs to the heart and lungs.
- Compression Stockings are Ugly
Decades back they used to be uncomfortable, scratchy, itchy and ugly. But manufacturers today are eyeing these socks from the style perspective today and using new fiber materials that are cooler, softer, moisture wicking and highly durable are used to cut down the boring medical side story.
- Compression Stockings can Eliminate Varicose Veins
They surely cannot eliminate existing varicose veins, but they can help to slow the progression of varicose veins and deterioration into worse conditions such as vein and skin ulcers. Compression stockings can help to reduce bulging varicose veins close to their normal size thereby improving venous blood circulation. They can also help with swelling (edema) of the legs as a result of the accumulation of fluids.
- Compression Stockings can Remove Cellulite
Healthy eating, regular exercise can go miles in cutting down the cellulite. Compression socks, stockings, leggings and shorts with special types of weaves can only ensure a massaging effect in these problem areas and will allow proper blood circulation but can surely not burn the cellulites.
