Foot Microenvironment & Textile Sampling Study
We are exploring how daily footwear choices (shoe type, sock material), activity level (steps), and wear duration (days) shape the foot microenvironment -- the warm, humid conditions inside shoes and socks that can influence skin comfort, odor, and the risk of common problems such as athlete's foot (tinea pedis).
About the Study
Why Collect Worn Socks?
Socks sit at the interface between skin and footwear, making them a practical "passive sampler" of what the foot experiences: moisture, heat, and the microbes/compounds that accumulate in the shoe-sock-skin system.
Clinical evidence suggests that a warmer, more humid internal footwear environment is associated with higher tinea pedis incidence. Peer-reviewed clinical research indicates the internal environment of footwear -- temperature, humidity, dew point -- correlates with athlete's foot risk.
Microbes transfer from skin to clothing items during wear; socks can capture these signals as a practical sampling textile. Studies show fungal pathogens associated with tinea pedis can be present on socks and may persist under certain conditions.
Humidity and warmth build up with prolonged wear. Multi-day wear can better represent real-world habits (e.g., long shifts, travel, limited laundry access). Longer wear increases signal strength for moisture exposure patterns, odor compound accumulation, and microbial transfer.
Methodology
What We Collect
Participation involves a digital questionnaire with photo upload and optional sock sample submission. All data is handled with strict confidentiality.
Digital Questionnaire + Photo Upload
Required for all participants
- Sock photo (before sealing the sample bag)
- Shoe photo
- Wear duration (hours/day; number of days)
- Shoe type (sneakers/boots/dress shoes/work shoes/etc.)
- Sock type (cotton/wool/synthetic blend; thickness)
- Approx. steps/day (from phone/watch or estimate)
- Relevant factors (e.g., sweating tendency, climate exposure)
Sock Sample Collection
Participants place the worn sock(s) into a provided seal-able bag and label with a non-identifying code. We do not need a participant's name on the sock bag.
Submission Guidelines
Do:
- Wear the socks as instructed
- Place socks directly into the provided bag and seal it
- Take a quick photo (no identifying background) before sealing
Don't:
- - Do not submit socks that are not your own
- - Do not include identifying information on the bag
- - Do not submit if you have an active open wound or infection
Compensation
Participant Compensation & Expectations
Academic Stipend
Participants may be eligible to receive up to $200 per month as an academic research participation stipend. The amount is determined based on valid samples, wear duration, and protocol adherence.
Monthly Expectations
Participants are typically expected to submit up to ~10 pairs of socks per month, each worn under normal daily conditions for approximately 2-3 days(>5000 steps/day). Only authentically worn socks are acceptable for study use.
Authenticity Requirement
Submission of unworn or artificially worn socks is not permitted. Wear duration is verified through self-report consistency checks. Participants must confirm all submitted socks were worn by themselves.
"We're studying real-world foot conditions. That only works if the socks were actually worn during normal daily life."
Safety & Ethics
Safety, Privacy, and Ethics
Participant trust is essential. We value honesty, consent, and ethical participation above sample quantity.
Privacy & Confidentiality
We collect minimal personal data. Samples are labeled with a random participant code. Uploaded photos should avoid faces, addresses, or identifying backgrounds.
Biosafety & Handling
Used socks can contain harmless skin microbes but may also contain fungi/bacteria. Samples are handled using basic biosafety precautions: sealed bagging, no direct handling after bagging, and contained storage until processing.
Consent & Eligibility
Participation is voluntary and requires explicit informed consent, confirmation participants are providing their own socks, and age eligibility per study rules (e.g., 18+ unless guardian consent pathway exists).
No Third-Party Collection
We only accept samples from volunteers who explicitly consent and confirm the socks are their own. We do not accept third-party collections.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
References
Reference Literature
Selected, credible sources from peer-reviewed journals.
- 1Sasagawa Y, et al. Internal environment of footwear is a risk factor for tinea pedis. (2019).
- 2West AM, et al. Shoe microclimate: objective characterization and subjective responses. (2019).
- 3Liu Z, et al. Influence of shoe upper structure on shoe microclimate (2024).
- 4Li PL, et al. Upper footwear materials affect foot skin temperature and humidity (2022).
- 5Whitehead K, et al. Microbiome of clothing items worn for a single day (includes socks). (2023).
- 6Procopio N, et al. Transferability and persistence of microbiome on clothing. (2024).
- 7Callewaert C, et al. Textile microbes and malodor formation (polyester vs cotton). (2014).
- 8Smallegange RC, et al. VOC differences between a worn sock and synthetic blends (odor sampling context). (2010).
- 9Bello JE, et al. Foot-odor extract collection from materials worn inside socks/shoes (chemical ecology). (2022).
- 10Omolo MO, et al. Semiochemical signatures of foot odor (GC-MS / odor constituents). (2021).
- 11Amichai B, et al. Domestic laundry processes and fungal contamination of socks (tinea pedis). (2013).
- 12Tirado-Sanchez A, et al. Dermatophyte isolation in socks of patients with tinea pedis/onychomycosis.
- 13Tanaka K, et al. Preventive effects of footwear/sock types and washing on dermatophyte transfer. (2006).
- 14Ward H, et al. Consensus / systematic review on tinea pedis (background + diagnosis standards). (2022).
Institutional Context
This study concept aligns with academic interests in dermatology, where understanding real-world microclimate and textile exposure can inform prevention strategies for common conditions (e.g., athlete's foot) and improve comfort-focused recommendations. The proposed host unit is the University Hospitals Department of Dermatology, which provides advanced diagnostics and treatments across a broad range of skin conditions.