All About Stego Fabric Formulas

We curate each Stego sock's Fabric Formula to provide you with the best performing sock for any given activity. We know you’re dying to know the differences between each of our Fabric Formulas and how they support your feet. Don’t worry, we’re here to give you the deets on each and every Fabric Formula in the Stego lineup.

Merino+ Fabric Formula

Have you noticed the + in some of our product names? That + represents Merino wool content. Anytime you’re looking for wool, look for the +! The Merino+ Fabric Formula is packed with the most Merino wool of all of our Formulas. Two main thread types work together to make this powerful Formula – Merino wool (of course) and nylon. We also weave in a tiny bit of spandex so that it’s easy to get the sock on and off your foot and so the sock doesn’t hinder your range of motion. The common thread, aka the base thread, is made up of nylon, which helps the sock keep its structure and provides durability. It also allows for the sock to maintain slickness, so you don’t get a lot of thread pilling or random fuzzies stuck to the bottom of your sock. That nylon common thread is then wrapped with Merino wool to help with temperature, bacteria, and moisture management.

This Formula is featured in our Classic Hiker series. This sock features full-sock cushion, which means that the Formula is woven in a thicker terry loop throughout the whole sock. This allows Merino wool to work its magic along your entire foot and calf, making this style the ultimate Merino wool performance sock.

Polytec+ Merino Wool Fabric Formula

This Merino wool-centered Fabric Formula comes in a few variations across our product line. We’ll go through a couple of examples of those variations later, but first, let’s get into what this Formula is all about. We already know that Merino wool is an amazing fiber that helps to manage moisture, temperature, and stink-causing bacteria, but what’s up with the Polytec? Well, that represents a man-made fiber called polypropylene - a great partner for Merino wool. While Merino wool really rocks moisture absorption and evaporation, it could use a hand in gathering all that moisture so it can be whisked away. Polypropylene is excellent at wicking up moisture from the skin’s surface, without absorbing it (when soaked in water, it only absorbs .01%!) and serving it up for Merino wool to absorb and dispose of through evaporation. Polypropylene is also warm, but lightweight, which makes it a great option for trail socks. Just like Merino wool, it’s resistant to bacteria growth – yay, even less of a chance for stinky socks!

So, back to how this Fabric Formula works in our different sock series. Let’s start with the Micro Crew and ¼ Crew lengths in the EnduroTec+ series. These lengths in this series are made with a Twice as nice double-layered cuff, which helps protect your shins and ankles from the elements while you’re adventuring. But, little do you know, the PolyTec+ Fabric Formula is also at work in this special cuff. The inner layer of that double-layered cuff is made up of nylon, which helps keep the structure of the cuff and to pull moisture away from the skin. The outer layer is made of a Polypropylene common thread, which is wrapped with Merino wool. As we talked about before, polypropylene helps wick the moisture even further away from the skin, so Merino wool can get rid of it completely through evaporation.

In the TrailTec+ series, the Fabric Formula is more targeted. Up the leg and on the top of the foot, we’ve got Hydrotec polyester to promote breathability (more on that later). The toe and heel are made of Polytec+ Merino Wool – this placement was strategically engineered to promote durability and to prevent blistering from abrasions caused by moisture. Since polypropylene is a man-made fiber, it’s very strong and will help prevent thinning and holes in these high-impact areas. We already talked about how this Fabric Formula helps with moisture management, but the construction of the sock itself also helps out in this series. The fabric construction through the body of this sock is made of terry loops that help trap moisture. From there, the moisture is carried over to the WickLink Channels and Vented Top Panel in the middle of the sock, or up the cuff shaft, where the tight ribbing in the material helps disperse and get rid of it. Who knew that Fabric Formulas were about more than the thread composition of a sock?! We did... that’s why we’re telling you.

Sorbtek Fabric Formula

This Fabric Formula is what makes our RunTec running socks so great! This sock is primarily constructed of nylon for durability, slickness, and structure. Then, we throw in the added twist of Sorbtek polyester throughout to support your feet where they need it most. Sorbtek polyester does moisture management best – it's built to catch moisture and wick it away from the skin to keep you feeling dry. We target the Sorbtek polyester in the RunTec series to support your feet best – the toe and heel are made with this powerful fiber. Plus, the reinforced landing area at the bottom of the sock is a blend of Sorbtek polyester and nylon – the nylon helps provide extra support and durability where your socks take the brunt of the impact, while the Sorbtek polyester helps to add some cushion with its soft fibers and prevents moisture buildup along the bottom of the foot. Did we mention that Sorbtek polyester is tough against dirt and stains? No more grungy running socks for Stego customers!

HydroTec Fabric Formula

Some may say that the best socks for everyday use are made of cotton. Well, we think they’re wrong. Socks built with performance materials can really help your feet out during even the most mundane activities. That’s why we built our StrideTec series out of the HydroTec Fabric Formula. Hydrotec polyester is a powerful man-made fiber that will keep your feet dry and comfortable, from chasing after the kids to standing in the grocery store aisle. Hydrotec polyester is built to absorb moisture, and then evaporate it away at a rapid rate. We chose it for our everyday socks because of its long-lasting moisture management capabilities – this fiber will keep performing wash after wash, because the technology is built into the fiber itself, instead of coming from a post-knit wash (take that post-knit washes). The icing on the cake is that Hydrotec polyester is super soft and provides a pillow-y feel. When we pair this fiber with nylon in our HydroTec Fabric Formula, you get comfort, moisture management, and durability. The perfect blueprint for everyday wear socks!

So, now you’re up to speed on Stego Fabric Formulas! Hopefully you found this information just as riveting as we intended. If not, that’s cool. We're sock nerds and we can accept that. If you take anything from this article, just remember that no matter which Stego socks are your favorite, you can rest assured that we’ve thought of every way that we can support your feet when constructing our socks – down to each individual fiber.