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The Only Baby Socks Guide You'll Ever Need

by Pivotal Digital 03 Feb 2023
The Only Baby Socks Guide You'll Ever Need

Buying socks for someone who will outgrow them before they even take their first step can seem crazy. But baby socks can do more than just pull an outfit together with unlimited cuteness. New parents always have their plates full, and it’s easy to overlook the importance of socks… or at least, it was. Until now.

When you bring home your brand-new baby, there are few things as fun and rewarding as dressing them in all the adorable clothes you have collected for them before they were born. Tiny jumpers, cosy sleepers, matching mittens, and, of course, socks! 

There are so many varieties of clothes for babies that it can be hard to tell which are necessary vs novelty. That’s where this post comes in.

Socks will certainly keep your little bundle of joy’s toes nice and warm, but are they really a must-have? And are all baby socks created equal? Read on to find out.

 

Why Do Babies Need Socks?

The most important reason for your baby to wear socks is to keep their feet and toes from becoming cold.

Babies have poor circulation at first, and their feet are often colder than ours. That means if you’re feeling cold, your baby is likely colder.

But, just like with adults, babies don’t need to wear socks all the time. It can be invigorating to take your socks off after a long day, wiggle those toes in some fresh air! Sometimes, though, you’ll want to be sure your baby's feet are properly covered before leaving the house, especially on a chilly day.

Baby socks hanging on a washing line outside

Even on a brisk spring day when adults would be fine in a pair of sandals, babies will need socks. This is because they don’t move around nearly as much as adults, so their feet can get cold much faster.

According to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, newborn bodies aren’t the best at regulating body temperature. So, a pair of soft, insulating socks can help keep all of your newborn cosy, not just their feet. 

 

Necessity or Novelty?

Do babies need socks and shoes? Yes and no. We’ve already covered the benefits of socks for your wee nippers. Meanwhile, soft, non-constricting shoes are fine for babies, but they don’t need a proper pair of shoes until they begin to walk.

Shoes aren’t nearly as important for your little ones as socks, because socks provide plenty of warmth and protection since babies aren’t walking. With infants, shoes are more of a fashion choice than a must-have. 

For babies taking their first steps, we recommend these Catspads Cotton socks, with their non-slip soles to give that extra grip and encouragement they need.

 

What to Look for in Baby Socks? 

Since babies aren’t up and hiking trails and climbing mountains like some adults, their socks don’t need all the same fancy features. But that still leaves the question - what do we need to look for in a quality baby sock?

  1. Material
  2. Fit correctly
  3. Quality sock construction

 

Black and white photo of person's fingers against baby feet

Material

The number of different materials that socks for your kids can be made of is staggering. Still, there are certainly some materials that are heads (and toes!) above the rest.

The number one fabric for all types of baby clothes, socks included, is cotton. Cotton is all-natural, moisture-wicking, breathable, and touchably soft and gentle for a baby’s skin.

The yarn count, extra-long-staple and organic cotton are other factors to consider. Cotton will be blended with other materials to help with the fit. Ensure quality Elastane, Spandex, Lycra is used. Usually only a low percentage otherwise the socks will quickly become loose and fall off. Quality wool such as Merino can also be blended with cotton for lovely soft warm breathable baby socks.

Socks made of brushed cotton are particularly soft and cosy!

 

The Perfect Fit

Babies are constantly growing at a rapid rate. As such, it’s crucial that any sort of clothing that your child wears on a regular basis must fit correctly. Most importantly, baby socks should never be too tight.

To build their muscle strength, your little bundle of joy will wiggle and move all day every day, and this includes their toes! So many parents find themselves begging for an answer to the question of how to keep baby socks on; take it from any frustrated mamma or papa bear out there – you want to get this right!

Socks that are too tight can restrict this movement, making it more difficult for your little munchkin’s feet to become strong.

If socks are too tight around the ankles, this can even impede blood flow to your baby’s toes, which can be dangerous.

Socks that are too loose around the ankle will roll down and eventually come off. On the flip side, socks that are too big will come right off when your bairn rubs their feet against anything.

Always make sure your baby’s feet have plenty of room to move in their socks!

 

Quality Sock Construction

Just like with any baby apparel, make sure that your baby’s socks are well crafted and made from high-quality materials. Cheaply made baby socks can have loose threads, and these threads can have very unfortunate consequences.

Seamless socks made from one piece of material rarely have any loose threads, making them the best choice for baby socks.

The toe seams and the sock closure (cuff) type and material are also crucial considerations.

  • Cuffs that are too tight or poorly constructed can leave marks or become loose faster.
  • Quality toe seams will be virtually undetectable with hand-linked flat seams; these are more costly but much more comfortable without the bulky toe seams that can be irritating and uncomfortable for babies.

A well-fitting sock cuff made of knitted elastane will help prevent socks from sliding off during an energetic kicking and wiggling session. This is easy to overlook, however, as baby socks don't need elastane to fit well.

Socks like Falke's Sensitive Babies Socks are specially designed to be gentle for babies by not compressing the skin around the top band of the sock

 

Baby socks on a grey carpet next to toy boxes spelling out 'Falke'

Do Babies Need to Wear Socks at Night?

Maybe. It all depends on the weather outside and the temperature of your child’s bedroom.

We know that newborns and young babies shouldn’t ever sleep with blankets, but what about socks? Wearing socks to bed is fine for babies, but it’s likely they will kick them off during the night, and they aren’t always necessary.

If your feet are cold in your home during the night, go ahead and bundle your baby's little tootsies up. But if you sleep without socks, your little one can too. 

 

Easy As ABC (In Conclusion)...

Socks are a must-have for any baby, especially the ones at risk of cold feet. Baby socks will help your infant regulate their body temperature and keep their feet and toes warm during chilly outdoor expeditions.

Choose the right fabric for your baby’s socks and make sure they fit correctly. Beyond that, you can pick out whatever precious style you want, or even a pair to match every outfit!

At the end of the day, it’s not rocket science, just good old common sense.

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Welcome to SocksFox

SocksFox.com is owned and operated by Zapzero Ltd (referred to in these terms as SocksFox). We provide access to the socksfox.com website ('website') and sell our products to you subject to the following terms and conditions. The following terms and conditions of sale constitute a binding agreement between SocksFox and its customers, which applies to all purchases made on the website, by telephone or email.

  You agree to review these terms and conditions prior to placing future orders to ensure you are aware of the current terms and conditions in place at that time. You agree not to change these terms of sale from the form presented by us. All other terms and conditions including those in any order submitted by you are expressly excluded and shall have no effect.

1. Your Account

When you use the website, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password. You should contact us immediately if you have any reason to believe that your password is being, or is likely to be, used in an unauthorised manner.

Please ensure that the details you provide us with are full and correct. Let us know immediately if any changes need to be made to correct the information you provided on registering.

SocksFox reserves the right to refuse access to the website, terminate an account, remove or edit content, or cancel an order at our discretion. If we cancel an order, any payment made will be returned to you.

2. Privacy & Security

We take the security of our customers and website very seriously. We will only collect information about you that you have specifically and knowingly provided, for example your contact details and card information. This information will be used to deliver your ordered products to you, process your payments and communicate with you about your orders.

Zapzero Ltd, socksfox.com utilises a to offer secure communications by encrypting all data to and from our site. The padlock helps you know that you are on an authenticated legitimate website and that your transactions will be secured.

Your payment details and credit card numbers will only be shared with our payment providers Braintree or PayPal for the purpose of processing your orders. When you place an order via our website SocksFox will not be privy to your credit and debit card information. If you place your order by telephone as soon as your payment has been inputted your card details will be securely destroyed and disposed of. SocksFox does not store any credit or debit card information.

We will only send you our offers and product news by email if you have chosen to opt in. You can remove yourself from our mailing list at any time.

View our Privacy information page for more information.

 

3. Order Process and Contract

All orders submitted by you on the website (or our customer services team by telephone or email) represent an offer for contract. You are seeking to enter into a contract with SocksFox when you place an order. We reserve the right to refuse your offer for any reason.

SocksFox will send you an order confirmation email confirming receipt and details of your order. Your order represents an offer to SocksFox to purchase a product which is accepted by us when we dispatch that product to you.

Only when we dispatch the goods together with a dispatch note will a binding contract be entered. Any products on the same order which have not been dispatched as yet do not form part of that contract.

You can review the details of the orders you have placed and their current status by logging into Your Account. If you choose to shop as a guest you will not be able to review the details of your current or previous orders. 

 

4. Discount Codes, Special Offers & Gift Cards

Our email newsletter (usually sent fortnightly) and occasionally the website offer promotions, which may require the use of a discount code. Our policy is that only one discount code to be allowed per order.

All discount codes and product special offers unless stated otherwise, will end at 12 noon GMT or BST (whichever is applicable) on the date specified. For all discount codes and offers the end time is always based on GMT or BST. 

The United Kingdom is the governing jurisdiction for SocksFox.

A SocksFox e-gift card discount code can be used across the site, on one occasion only and is valid for six months from the date of e-gift card dispatch.

 

5. 60 Day No Quibble Returns

You may return any items purchased from us for whatever reason, even if you just change your mind, as long as you send them back within 60 days of receiving them. Products must be returned in their original condition, unworn with tags attached and the packaging undamaged and complete.

To ensure you order the correct size and colour of an item we would advise the following. As different Countries and Brands have their own size systems, before placing an order we advise that you check the size guide provided for each item in the Size Guide tab to ensure you are ordering the correct size. Colour swatch samples and photographs are provided as a guide only. The colour you see on your screen may not be an accurate representation of the item's actual colour due to inconsistencies in how display screens reproduce colours. Ordering the wrong size or a colour not being to your liking does not mean that the item is classed as being faulty.

The cost of return postage for damaged, faulty items or if we have made an error will be refunded to you. Return postage for items you choose to return will not be refunded.

When returning products we advise you use Royal Mail First or Second Class and obtain proof of postage. If you are returning items from overseas we advise you use the equivalent Airmail service provided by your countries postal service and obtain proof of postage. If you choose to return items by a tracked service or courier you need to gain approval from SocksFox, otherwise we will only refund the amount it would have cost to return the items by Royal Mail First or Second Class or the equivalent Airmail service.

For Customs duties on Returned items please also refer to section 8 Customs of our Terms and Conditions.

Gift cards are non-returnable & cannot be refunded.

For more information on our Returns and Cancellation policy please see here.

 

6. Prices and VAT

All prices quoted are for new products. All prices are based on the Great British Pound (GBP / £) but, for your convenience, can be displayed in the Euro or US Dollar equivalents at ruling exchange rates on the website.

All payments are processed securely through either Braintree or PayPal. Your order payment will be based on the Great British Pound (GBP) amount. When processing your payment you can choose to pay in an alternative currency, to GBP. In this case the amount to be paid may vary slightly as Braintree and PayPal will apply their own exchange rate.

The prices on our website are the same whether you purchase from within the United Kingdom (UK) or from outside of the UK. Within the UK all prices include VAT. For purchases made outside of the UK prices do not have VAT included; the item price you see is the price you will pay.  

All purchases must be paid in full before dispatch. SocksFox will continue to own, and reserve the right to repossess any goods sold from the website until payment has been received and cleared in full.

Whilst we endeavour to ensure all pricing is accurate and correct very occasionally errors may happen. On processing an order if it is realised that the correct price is lower than that stated on the website we will adjust your payment to the lower amount and dispatch your order. If the product's correct price is higher than that stated on the website, we will contact you for instructions before dispatch.

 

7. Dispatch and Delivery

SocksFox aims to dispatch items the same or next working day. If demand exceeds our stock holding dispatch may be delayed by around 7 working days. If this applies to your order or there is an availability issue we will be in touch by email. At SocksFox, offering an extensive range of styles, colours and sizes at competitive prices to customers in both the UK and Worldwide is what sets us apart from many other retailers. To be able to do this we are unable to hold in stock all items all of the time and in our experience most customers are happy to wait. If immediate dispatch is a priority for you please contact us for current availability.

The postal service selected to deliver your order will be the best one to ensure a successful delivery and a signature may be required as part of that service. All packages are sent using a tracked service. Information on how your package is progressing can be obtained by contacting the SocksFox Customer Service Team.

Estimated Delivery Times: UK Standard Delivery: 2-3 working days; Europe Standard Delivery: 5-7 working days; Rest of the World Delivery: 8-13 working days.

For packages being sent to Europe and the Rest of the World once a package arrives in the destination country for many orders the national postal service will complete the final delivery. If your order has not been delivered by 10 working days from the date of dispatch, 15 working days for Europe & Rest of the World, please contact us and we will look into what has happened to your package.

Whilst most International deliveries are made successfully within the above timeframes unfortunately this is not always the case due to circumstances outside of our control. Sometimes delivery may take up to 6 weeks and for this reason a package is not deemed to be lost until 6 weeks from dispatch have passed.

Non delivery of a package (UK or International) cannot be investigated after 10 weeks from the dispatch date due to carrier tracking limitations. SocksFox will not provide a replacement package or refund if first contact has not been until after 10 weeks from dispatch. 

Any delivery dates are given in good faith. Zapzero Ltd accepts no liability for delays resulting from occurrences outside its control. These include, but are not limited to acts of God, strikes, lockouts and delays by suppliers. Your products will be dispatched to the shipping address as stated in your order confirmation email. It is your responsibility to ensure the shipping address for this order is correct.

It is the customer's responsibility to inform us of any change of delivery address immediately. Unless instructed otherwise your order will be dispatched to the shipping address as shown in the order confirmation email you will have been sent.  SocksFox accepts no liability for dispatch made to the wrong address. Please note that if you request delivery of your order to a designated place (for example in the porch, by the green bin, over the hedge) for if you are out when delivery is attempted and subsequently the order goes missing SocksFox does not accept responsibility for non-receipt.

If delivery of an order is not achieved due to refusal at the delivery destination as nominated by the customer, when the shipment is returned to us a charge will be deducted from your refund to cover any return costs incurred by us.

Please note that due to U.S. Trademark Restrictions we are unable to sell any Burlington items to customers with a U.S. shipping address.

8. Customs

For items ordered for delivery overseas you as the recipient are deemed the importer and you may be liable for local customs, import duties or taxes ('duty'). The amount of duty depends on the type and value of goods and some items can be imported without paying any duty.

For all packages destined for delivery outside of the United Kingdom it is a legal requirement that SocksFox declares the full value of the goods (not including delivery costs).

Each country's customs policies are different and you should contact your local customs office for more information. Any additional costs for clearing customs must be paid by you. Unfortunately we have no control over these costs and cannot predict what they may be.

SocksFox will not be responsible for any local customs, import duties or taxes that may be levied when the goods enter the country of destination.

When returning any goods from overseas, please clearly mark the package on the outside with 'RETURNED GOODS' Unfortunately if any incoming customs charges are incurred as a result of this message not being added a charge will be deducted from your refund to cover the costs incurred by us.

If delivery of a shipment is not possible due to import duties not being paid, when the shipment is returned to us a charge will be deducted from your refund to cover any return costs incurred by us.

 

9. Your Statutory Rights

Your statutory rights are not affected by these terms.

 

10. Zapzero Ltd  

Please do not send any returns to the address below, see here for the SocksFox returns address.

Registered Office Address:
1-4 London Road
Spalding
Lincolnshire
PE11 2TA
United Kingdom

Registered in England and Wales: 4805063

VAT Registration: 843357028

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