Interpretation of Socks Ingredients and Industry Terminology

* Interpretation of common ingredient labels:

* `78% Cotton, 20% Nylon, 2% Spandex`: This is the most classic everyday sock formula. Cotton provides comfort, nylon provides abrasion resistance, and spandex provides stretch.

* `50% Merino Wool, 48% Nylon, 2% Spandex`: A classic outdoor sock formula. Wool provides warmth and wicks away moisture, while nylon and spandex enhance durability and fit.

* `85% Polyester, 10% Nylon, 5% Spandex`: Low-cost or fast-drying sports socks.

* Key industry terms:

* Gauge: This refers to the number of needles per inch on a hosiery machine. A higher gauge results in a denser, thinner, and smoother sock (e.g., 120 gauge, 200 gauge). A lower gauge results in a looser, thicker sock (e.g., 84 gauge, 96 gauge).

* Denier: A unit of measurement for yarn thickness. The larger the number, the thicker the yarn. Commonly used to describe the thickness of stockings (e.g., 20D Ultra Thin, 100D Slightly Compressed).

* Combed: Refers to cotton fibers that have been processed through a combing machine to remove the short fibers and create a higher quality "combed cotton" yarn.