Abstract: A sock for managing moisture and reducing friction includes a blend of natural mohair wool fibers and acrylic fibers. Hydrophobic mohair wool wicks moisture away, from the foot of a wearer, and hydrophilic acrylic yarn absorbs moisture wicked from the foot by mohair yarn and holds the moisture away from the skin. As a result, undesirable friction-promoting effects of moisture on a foot are decreased. Mohair wool yarn is disposed on the inner surface of a sock for contact with skin, while acrylic yarn is disposed on the outer surface of the sock away from the skin. A blend of mohair wool and acrylic is placed in areas of a sock likely to have the greatest moisture build-up and the most friction of a foot against the sock and shoe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for finishing socks is disclosed which utilizes a boarding or blocking machine of the type having a plurality of sock boarding (blocking) forms which are movable within a track. Socks to be block (boarded) are applied to the boarding forms with a free yarn end or string still attached to each sock. Clipping assemblies are mounted on either side of the track in position to automatically sever the extending string as each boarding form moves past the clipping assemblies. A vacuum system is associated with each clipping assembly to continuously remove the severed strings and other loose materials resulting from the clipping operations. By employing the clipping asemblies in combination with and in association with the boarding machine, the previously required, separate, string severing operations can be eliminated.