Custom socks are quickly becoming a favorite giveaway when a company is looking for a funky, fun piece to make a statement.
Socks are one of those things that everyone owns and wears, if not every day, most days of the year. As long as the quality is good, people enjoy receiving a pair of one-of-a-kind socks.
If you’re in charge of coordinating your company’s events, finding the right swag for each of them is always a bit of a challenge. You wish you could find something more interesting than what you’ve done before. You have a budget to stay within, branding guidelines to stick to, and a deadline to meet. On top of what’s already on your plate.
If you are considering socks, there are many different styles of socks to choose from. They come in every shape and size, different types of materials, and customization options.
While this may sound like a good thing, getting them ordered and produced for your next event can get a bit overwhelming.
But it doesn’t have to be, all you need is some guidance. So we’re going to walk you through the factors you need to consider to plan your next custom design socks project to ensure success.
We at KSM make this process easy and fun, doing all the heavy lifting for you, but it’s good for you to know what it entails.
The following are the most important factors to consider when planning a branded socks order.
Promotion Purpose
What is the objective of the promotion?
How can the socks tie-in with your message and brand story?
Answering these questions will help you narrow down the styles, the custom design, the packaging, and the distribution.
Audience
Even though virtually everyone wears socks of some kind, you want to consider the lifestyle of your audience and where will these socks be used. This helps determine the best style and materials.
Are these dress or business socks for men?
No-shows?
Children socks?
You can have exactly what suits best to make sure your recipients will love and use the garments.
Audience Style Match
There are as many styles and designs as there are in retail, so you have a lot to choose from as far as styles. from traditional to fashionable and trendy, and everything in between.
Just like with any promotional product you are planning to hand out, usefulness is a key factor for a successful promotion.
Take a look at the styles options:
Comfort
Socks need to not just look good, but also feel good when you are walking around wearing them. The good news is that you can have your choice of yarns to match the intended use, including cotton, nylon, and spandex, to ensure a comfortable garment
Finishing Touches
Presentation makes a difference, more so when you are giving a personal piece of clothing. You can hand them in a branded box, or add a hang tag for a retail look.
Budget
Once you know what you want in terms of style and packaging, take a look at the costs not only of the garments and packaging, but also the costs of personalization, which vary according to the printing method and level of customization. With all that information, you can now sort out the best way to achieve the look you want and stay in budget. Just as an aside, when you work with KSM, we take care of all this for you, and all you have to do is the final decision.
Custom Design
Here is where the fun begins. You can get as creative as you want.
- You can have a brand graphic printed on the sock, a pattern or even a photo.
- You can have your logo dropped on the predetermined print area. This is the simplest and fastest.
- In addition to your logo, you can also match the colors of the sock to your brand colors
- You can have a full-color, all-over custom design dye-sublimated for a vibrant color accessory.
Once you have determined the style and packaging, the next step is the customization design.
Based on the customization of your choosing, you provide us with your company logo and other art files that might be needed.
We take your logo and/or art and create a virtual mockup so you can see what the final product will look like.
In certain cases, we also produce an actual spec sample. This is a recommended step when you’re looking to match your brand colors or it’s a custom design, or you’re planning a large order. It is important to make sure everyone on your marketing team knows what the final result will look like before production begins
Production
Once the proofing process is complete, and you have approved everything, it’s ready for production to begin.
The time required for production and shipping varies depending on the level of customization. The proofing process and whether a spec sample is required also add to the production time. Simpler projects can be turned around in a week’s time, while more complex ones can take up to 4 weeks.
It is always best to work with a promotional product specialist, such as KSM, so you’ll know for sure how long will everything take, so there are no surprises.
Ready To Start Your Branded Socks Project?
There are many moving parts in getting custom socks produced. It is good to know what’s involved, but it’s best to have someone else do it for you, while you take care of other pressing tasks.
If you are considering socks for your company swag, let’s talk and go over the details. We’ll help you narrow down your options, discuss customization, and quote your project based on your exact requirements. Give us a call or send us a message clicking here.