Sodium formate is used in several fabric dyeing and printing processes. It is also used as a buffering agent for strong mineral

Sodium formate can be prepared in the laboratory by neutralizing with . It can also be obtained by reacting with an alcoholic solution of .

or by reacting with .

The latter method is generally preferred to the former because the low aqueous solubility of makes it easier to separate out from the sodium formate solution, by , than the soluble would be.

Commercially sodium formate is produced by absorbing under pressure in solid at 160 °C

Sodium formate may also be created via the between and in the presence of a . This procedure is well-documented for the preparation of .