Why You Should Care About Ethical Socks

Whether your socks are wool, cotton, or made of synthetic materials, those fibers had to come from somewhere. If they originated overseas, your favorite socks likely accrued a high carbon footprint before being put on your feet!

We realize that one pair of ethical socks alone is not going to reverse climate change. Still, you’ll need something on your feet when you take those small steps toward shrinking your carbon footprint. Why not choose a pair of American-made ethical wool socks?

At Sockwell, we want to help you feel good about your impact on the planet while feeling good as you go about your day. Even the smallest decisions can affect the long-term well-being of our world, so here are a few reasons our stylish compression and non-compression socks are the perfect choice for the conscientious consumer.

We Use Natural Fibers

We make our ethical and sustainable socks from merino wool—it’s our signature ingredient! If you’re new to this incredible high-performance fiber, all you need to know is:

• It keeps your feet cool in the summer and warm in the winter
• It absorbs and evaporates moisture, keeping feet dry throughout the day
• It doesn’t hang onto smells
• It helps prevent the growth of bacteria
• It’s incredibly soft
• It’s a sustainable fiber

Cotton may be all-natural, but it requires acres upon acres of space to grow. This means that monoculture cotton plants (including organic cotton) end up displacing food crops. Cotton growing can also contribute to soil degradation and waterway pollution. Let’s not even get into the negative ecological impacts of synthetic, chemical-based fibers (which often aren’t very comfy, anyway).

On the other hand, merino wool travels on the back of sheep, and livestock farming actually contributes to the ecological landscape. These fluffy creatures provide nutrients for the earth, graze on invasive weeds, and keep the land open. Farming sheep helps maintain native ecosystems right here in America. Plus, the renewable wool grows back yearly, and annual shearing keeps our wooly pals happy and healthy.

Finally, socks made with merino wool will last longer. Just five or ten pairs of high-quality merino wool socks like Sockwells can replace 20 or 30 pairs of cotton and synthetic alternatives.

We Make Our Socks in the USA

Our high-quality merino wool comes from domestically farmed sheep in the Rocky Mountains. When wool doesn’t have to cross an ocean to get to us, we can keep our carbon footprint low. Our commitment to domestic wool also helps us support the American textile industry with every pair.

Our wool is processed and dyed in South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively, then knitted nearby in the Southeastern U.S. and shipped to you from our headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This keeps costs down and allows us to offer our ethically made socks at the most reasonable price in our industry. You won’t find more affordable quality from a brand with a lower carbon contribution.

We Care About the Details

While homegrown renewable merino wool is important, other little details also add up. We’ve become a well-known ethical sock brand by addressing smaller, less obvious sustainability concerns, too.

We focus on the following to help you feel better about what you buy:

• Low liquor ratio dyeing, which saves water, gas, electricity, and chemical usage
• Using recycled nylon in our products, reducing waste and gasoline usage
• Choosing fully recyclable and biodegradable packaging materials
• Selecting eco-conscious shipping materials, from reusable, recycled mailers to environmentally friendly ink

Take One Small Step Toward Change in Ethical Socks

A single pair of ethical men’s socks can do more than keep your feet warm. It can reduce your carbon footprint, save you money, support the American textile industry, boost local ecology, and support sustainable practices. Plus, you’re unlikely to find a softer, more comfortable pair of merino wool socks!

Are you ready to take a step toward sustainability? Pick out a pair of homegrown, American-made socks from Sockwell.