Sustainable socks are a wardrobe necessity. We’ve compiled a list of the eight best eco-friendly sock brands committed to green living and sustainable shopping.
How can a pair of socks be sustainable? In general, a brand is defined as sustainable and environmentally consciousness if they use eco-friendly, ethically-sourced materials, and have a production process that limits environmental damage. However, it might be difficult for the average consumer to figure out which brands deserve the sustainable title.
Many sustainable brands make use of recycled materials such as recycled nylon and Tencel. If they use wool, they ensure it comes from sustainable agriculture, which has high standards for animal welfare and cruelty-free practices. Another important consideration is the environmental impact of the production and shipping process, as well as the relative sustainability of the packaging.
However, it’s also important to remember that you don’t always need to buy brand new items of clothing. Another way to reduce your carbon footprint is to reuse clothing. Thrifting can help fight the fast fashion industry’s impact on the environment — you can even buy secondhand clothes online. However, socks and underwear are items that many people prefer to buy new, so if you’re still on the hun, check out one of our eight recommended sustainable sock brands.
1. Conscious Step
Conscious Step is a sustainable and ethically-produced sock brand based in the US. With a specific focus on ensuring that the organic cotton used in their socks is harvested and treated to Fairtrade standards, this sustainable brand is approved by GOTS (Gloval Organic Textile Standard) and certified vegan. For every pair you buy, a donation is made to a cause of their choice.
2. Darn Tough
With a focus on socks that can survive the great outdoors, Darn Tough‘s Vermont-made socks are as sustainable as they are practical. This brand takes a different approach to sustainability in the sense that every pair you buy comes with a lifetime guarantee, meaning that you won’t be seeing Darn Tough’s socks in a landfill anytime soon. These socks are also advertised as being made with RWS-certified Merino wool and REPREVE, a recycled nylon material made from waste meant for landfill.
3. Solmate Socks
Made from recyclable materials in North Carolina, Solmate Socks has a commitment to creating socks that are as bright as they are environmentally friendly. Not only are Solmate’s socks unique in the sense that they are intentionally mismatched, but every pair you buy has also been made from recycled factory cotton yarn meant for the landfill. This brand is already a certified B-Corp, and is actively working towards carbon offset — if you elect to carbon offset your purchase, Solmate will match that dollar for dollar in offsets at the end of the year.
4. Maggie’s Organics
Celebrated as the winner of ‘Best Earth-Conscious Winter Socks’ in GQ magazine, Maggie’s Organics is a sock brand that prides itself on being both organic and transparent. This brand works directly with organic cotton and wool farmers to ensure both high standards of fair trade production and workers’ rights. Maggie’s is also committed to goodwill and charitable giving on a global scale, with a commitment to carbon balancing, re-planting trees for every purchase made, and donating their organic socks and underwear to refugees.
5. Boody
The only bamboo-derived sock brand on this list, Boody’s cozy and sustainable socks are both minimalist and good for the planet. Already a B Corp-certified brand, Boody is also certified as sustainable by PETA, FSC, and Ecocert. It is also actively pursuing environmentally-friendly methods of bamboo harvesting, with no artificial irrigation or pesticides used in the growth of Boody’s sock manufacturing materials. Socks are just one of many suprising uses for bamboo.
6. Friday Sock Co.
Similarly to Solmate, Friday Sock Co. focuses on creating socks that are both uniquely mismatched and environmentally friendly. From books to bunny rabbits, Friday Sock’s range of interesting patterns is all made from Oeko-Tex-certified cotton, meaning that your feet will be safe from harsh and harmful chemicals. More recently, they have introduced a new recycled cotton collection and have partnered with charitable organizations such as Against Hunger Canada.
7. Teddy Locks
Teddy Locks is an American-made sock brand that is actively pursuing sustainability through its use of recycled materials. Made from both used plastic bottles headed to the landfill and used nylon fibers from the factory floor, their sustainable socks are free from pesticides and other chemicals. Teddy Locks also make use of the used plastics that have entered our planet’s watersystem, meaning that every purchase you make will be actively helping this brand to reduce the harm of water pollution.
8. Kind Socks
Last but not least, Kind Socks pride itself on doing exactly what the name suggests. Using 100% organic cotton with no added toxic chemicals or pesticides, this brand aims to provide you with socks that are both stylish and kind to the planet’s biodiversity and soil quality.
Committed to charitable giving on a monetary scale, Kind Socks is actively involved in promoting sustainable fashion by donating a percentage of profits from each collection to many different charitable organizations. They hope to get people to quit fast fashion for good, by making quality products that last.
Read more:
- 12 Vegan Clothing Brands That Are Also Eco-Friendly
- How to Dry Shoes: 2 Sustainable Methods
- Donation How-Tos: Does Goodwill Take Underwear, Bras & Socks?
Do you like this post?