The Benefits of Woven vs. Printed Custom Socks

Socks bearing the image of a favorite animal, symbols of your favorite holiday, or your company’s logo are a wonderful way to inject some whimsy into your day or a fun way to promote your business. Learn the benefits of woven vs. printed custom socks here.

What’s the difference between woven and printed custom socks? There are basically two options for customizing socks: woven custom socks or printed custom socks. The difference is that with woven socks, the graphics are knitted in as part of the fabric itself. Printed socks have the graphic images printed on their outside, usually through a process called heat sublimation. It’s basically a more sophisticated type of iron-on process. There are some benefits of woven vs. printed custom socks, as we will discuss below.

Designs Distort Less

When your design is woven right into the fabric of your socks, the image distorts less when you put the socks on your feet. That way, a logo or holiday symbol remains recognizable when you’re wearing the socks.

Images Last Longer

With woven custom socks, the images on the socks last longer. The fabric fibers of the socks aren’t subjected to the high heat of the dye sublimation printing process, so they retain their softness and structure better than a printed sock.

More Luxurious Look

Another benefit of woven vs. printed custom socks is a more luxurious look. Woven socks incorporate the custom design using the same type of thread the rest of the sock is made from, giving the whole piece consistency in its look and feel.

With printed socks, the images may distort when you wear the sock. Since the images are imposed on the sock instead of woven into it, the sock undergoes additional processing after it’s knit. While printed socks may accommodate a broader range of colors, they’re more apt to fade, and the images could fade inconsistently.

The images on a woven sock, on the other hand, should wear at the same pace as the rest of the sock.

Woven branded socks are a bit of custom promotional swag that your employees and customers alike will appreciate. When they wear them, they carry your brand out into the community, along with their good feelings about your business.

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