that they are up to our standards . We can ’ t have our material fall out of our acceptable color range or fall short of our fiber strength requirements . In order to measure the strength of the fibers , we use what is called a tensile strength testing machine . It stretches the fibers to test their strength . To test color , we use a spectrophotometer that measures color density . We use machine-integrated software to process the results . If the color falls out of an acceptable range in a bullseye graph , we send it back . It ’ s a self-improving diagnostic process . By providing feedback to the partners that we source our materials from , not only can we make our own products better – we can help them improve their own quality control efforts on their end .”
Darn Tough applies a similar diagnostic feedback system to all of its internal quality control procedures . With tens of thousands of socks shipped out daily , clear communication is essential at all steps of the manufacturing process to ensure that every sock meets Darn Tough ’ s exacting quality standards . Each sock that emerges from Darn Tough ’ s knitting machines originates in the design department , where sock designs and color themes for future collections are conceived as far as 18 months in advance . Sometimes when time is of the essence – such as special collaborations with local charitable organizations like the Vermont Food Bank , the sock designs are drawn up and sent through the development department in a matter of weeks .
In either case , Darn Tough ’ s artistic team collaborates with their graphic design team to create digital sock designs that are then sent onward to the development department . The development team uses rendering software to turn their artistic concepts into tangible product designs . Using advanced textile engineering techniques , they create algorithmically bit-mapped formulas custom tailored to the machines used on the Darn Tough knitting floor .
According to Development team specialist Trevor Rossi , “ There ’ s a lot of mathematical thinking involved in the process , but you also need to have a good eye for detail . It ’ s equal parts engineering and artistry . Each bitmapped unit has to be in the right place so that the yarn transitions that the machine makes when knitting the socks will be in the exact right spot . Every little dot in the computer program is just one tiny stitch – you have to stay vigilant to make sure that the pattern comes out perfectly .”
After the development team creates the sock design program , it is digitally pushed out to the main knitting floor , into a knitting machine . Before the Darn Tough knitting team can begin production on any new sock style , a test run of prototype socks is knit on a designated “ sample machine .” The test socks are then taken down to the quality control testing department , where a they are stretchtested for strength and durability . After being approved by the quality control department , the new sock styles advance to the production stage .
Knitting Floor Shift Manager Brian Kilmurry says that “ each different type of sock produced by one of Darn Tough ’ s machines comes with a job ticket – basically , a spec sheet that tells the knitter the style and color of the sock , and the yarn types needed to complete the job . The job ticket also tells the knitter what part of the sock the yarn is going into , and which corresponding yarn feeding center it gets fed through in the machine .”
Knitters working on the Darn Tough knitting floor are tasked with keeping the machines clean in order to prevent yarn buildup and ensure correct tension on the thread used to knit the socks . They also hand check each pair of socks by turning them inside out to make sure that the toe seams are not missing any stitches . Occasionally , routine problems such as broken needles will result in noticeable irregularities such as unwanted thread color inconsistencies on the surface of the socks . When complicated mechanical problems arise with the machines , an advanced team of in-house technicians stands ready to restore the machines to proper working order .
Master Technician Jim Cannon has been working at the Northfield knitting floor since the earliest days of Cabot Hosiery Mills in 1978 . He says that back when he started at Cabot Hosiery , “ everything was all mechanical . It wasn ’ t nearly as safe or advanced as it is now with all the technological safeguards . The knitting machines we use today are pretty autonomous in a lot of ways , but you still have to make sure that the program sequence is entered correctly and that the yarn is properly fed into the machine .”
Darn Tough ’ s manufacturing process integrates state-of-the-art sustainable business practices to make sure that
nothing goes to waste . All of the “ waste-yarn ” created by the knitting machines on the production floor gets transported through a vacuum system to a custom aerated disposal unit where the yarn pieces are collected in a plastic receptacle and then shipped out to a recycling facility . Not only does it allow the excess yarn created by Darn Tough ’ s sock making process to be recycled into wool products such as mixed-fiber carpeting , it also prevents yarn buildup in the machines that can lead to mechanical errors .
After the socks are knit and inspected by the floor team at the sock mill , they are bagged and sorted according to style and size and then transported to the nearby Nantanna facility in southern Northfield to be washed , dried , and “ boarded ” by the Darn Tough Sock Finishing Team . Brand and Community Marketing Manager Courtney Laggner explains that “ in order for Darn Tough ’ s socks to achieve their signature custom performance fit , they are first washed and dried in energy-efficient combination steam wash-dry machines . They are then placed on metal footshaped “ boards ” that are custom-shaped for each gender type and size of sock . After being placed on the metal boards , they are flash-heated in a machine that bakes the socks until they custom fit to the perfect size . The socks are then taken to the auditing department , where they undergo another layer of visual and hand inspection . It ’ s important to inspect the socks at every stage of the process to ensure quality standards are met .”
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