What is the minimum order for socks in Portugal?

It’s quoted per brief. Sock minimums depend on the factory, the yarn and how many colourways and sizes you need, so tell us your quantities per style and we tell you honestly whether a factory in our group can take them.

What do socks cost to make in Portugal?

Socks aren’t in our cost calculator, so we don’t publish a price. Yarn, needle count, toe closing, logo and packaging decide the cost, and you get it in writing with your quote.

Which yarns can sock factories knit?

Combed cotton, merino wool, bamboo viscose and recycled polyester or nylon blends are the usual ones, mostly with some nylon and elastane for strength and stretch. Read our bamboo fabric guide before you put “bamboo” on a label: in the EU it is sold as viscose.

What needle count do I need?

As a rough guide, cushioned sports socks run on lower needle counts and fine dress socks on 168 needles or more. If you don’t know yours, send a reference sock you like and the factory matches it.

Linked toe or sewn toe?

A linked toe is flat and almost invisible, which matters for dress and merino socks. A machine-sewn toe is faster and cheaper but leaves a small ridge. Say which one you want in the brief, because it changes the price.

Can you knit our logo into the sock?

Yes, as a jacquard design knitted into the leg or the sole. How fine the logo can be depends on the needle count, so send the artwork with your brief. Labels, packaging bands and header cards are specified separately.

Socks · Made in Portugal

Sock manufacturer in Portugal, knitted to your spec

Tell us the style, the yarn and the logo. We route your sock brief to a factory in our group that knits socks, you approve a sample on your own feet, and the factory bills you directly.

Send your sock brief See 80+ factories: Directory €39

Free brief
Reply within 24h
No commissions: the factory bills you directly

Directory: one-time €39, instant download.

Sock knitting machine with yarn cones feeding from above

Crew, ankle, sports, dress and merino socks

What we make

Socks we produce

Socks are knitted to shape on circular sock machines, heel and toe included, so the yarn and the machine decide most of what you can do. These are the styles brands brief us most.

Checking a freshly knitted sock
Boarding socks on leg forms
Yarn feeds above a sock machine

Crew and everyday socks
Mid-calf crew socks in combed cotton blends, plain, striped or with a knitted-in logo.
Ankle and no-show socks
Low cuts with a heel grip, for trainers and loafers.
Sports socks
Terry-loop cushioned soles, arch support rib and a mesh top for airflow.
Dress socks
Fine-gauge socks on high needle counts, in cotton, merino or blends with a linked toe.
Merino and wool socks
Merino blends reinforced with nylon at heel and toe, so they last as long as they feel good.
Branded details
Jacquard logos knitted in, woven or printed labels, packaging bands and header cards.

Making a sock that isn’t listed? Brief it anyway, or start with a factory-ready tech pack.

Send a free brief Get your tech pack for €79

Socks at a glance

What to plan around

Minimum orderQuoted per briefSet per style and colourway
Lead timeQuoted per briefSampling comes first
CertificationsAsk per factoryOEKO‑TEX 100, GOTS or GRS: name the one you need
CostWith your quoteSocks aren’t in our cost calculator

We don’t publish sock minimums, lead times or prices: needle count, yarn, colourways and packaging move all of them, so every figure comes in writing with your quote.

Get a quote for your socks Get the Directory for €39

Knitting basics

Needle count, yarn and toe closing

General industry information to help you write the brief. Each factory confirms what its own machines run.

Needle count sets how fine the sock is. Cushioned sports socks usually run on lower counts (roughly 84 to 120 needles), everyday socks in the middle, and fine dress socks on 168 needles and up.
Yarns: combed cotton for everyday socks, merino for warmth and odour control, bamboo viscose for a soft, cool hand, and recycled polyester or nylon blends. Nylon and elastane are added for strength and grip.
Toe closing: a linked toe is flat and almost invisible, the comfortable choice for dress and merino socks. A machine-sewn toe is quicker and cheaper but leaves a small ridge.
Branding: a jacquard logo is knitted in, so its size and colours depend on the needle count. Labels, packaging bands and header cards are specified separately.

Send your sock brief Get your tech pack for €79

Close-up of the knitting head of a sock machine — Knitting head on a sock machine

What to put in a sock brief

StyleCrew, quarter, ankle or no-showPlus cuff height and cuff type
YarnComposition in %Or a reference sock you like
KnitNeedle count or referenceTerry sole, rib, mesh zones
SizesSize range per stylee.g. 36–40 and 41–46
ToeLinked or machine-sewnLinked costs more, feels flatter
BrandingJacquard logo, label, bandArtwork with colour references
PackingPairs per pack, band or cardBarcode and care text if needed

Where it’s made

Where socks are knitted

Portugal’s clothing production sits mostly in the north, and knitting, from jersey to knitwear and socks, is part of that mix. The Directory lists the town of every factory.

Want to contact factories yourself?

The Factory Directory lists 80+ documented factories with town, specialty, MOQ, certification and a direct contact.

Send a free brief Get the Directory for €39

Directory: one-time payment. Instant download.

Guimarães
Knitwear and jersey

The knitting heart of the northern cluster.
Barcelos
Knitwear and jersey

A second knit and jersey hub, north-west of Braga.
Vale do Ave
Knitwear, jersey, cut and sew

The largest cluster by headcount, spread across the Ave valley towns.
Vila Nova de Famalicão
Testing and certification

Home of CITEVE, the lab behind many OEKO-TEX, GOTS and REACH audit trails.

These are the knitting clusters; the exact town of each sock factory is listed in the Directory. More on the regions in our textile statistics.

Rows of sock knitting machines with finished socks in the bins — Sock knitting line in production

How it works

How a sock order runs

Send your brief
Styles, yarn (or a reference sock), colourways, sizes and quantities. Free, and a real person replies within 24 hours.
Spec the knit
Needle count, yarn composition, cuff, heel, toe closing and logo artwork. No tech pack yet? We make one for €79 in 3–5 working days, with 2–3 revision rounds.
Matched to a sock factory
We route your brief to a factory in our group that knits socks. Our fee is quoted in writing after we read your brief, before any work starts.
Sample on your feet
Wear the sample and wash it: check the heel sits right, the cuff holds without marking, the logo reads and the size range fits.
Production and packing
Knitting, toe closing, pairing and packing with your bands or cards. The factory invoices you directly, with no commission on your order.