Socks

Here's how you can not only talk the talk but walk the walk, with our eco-friendly sock swaps

Why Swap

Compared to other items of clothing, socks need to be especially hard-wearing if they're going to last. Cheaply-made socks are prone to wearing thin in the places that matter, and synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon not only retain sweat and odors but create thousands of microplastics over their lifetimes. Synthetic blends are also difficult to recycle after use
Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon and acrylic are made from petrochemicals, driving demand for fossil-fuels, creating more emissions than natural fabrics made from renewable materials and leaving behind a wasteful plastic footprint lasting hundreds of years
The fashion industry is rife with workers' rights issues, with garment workers in countries like China and Indonesia working in poor conditions and receiving very little pay for their work. Brands like Fashion Nova, SHEIN, Revolve, and Romwe all score less than 10% on Fashion Revolution's Fashion Transparency Index

The Alternatives

Out of all our garments, socks can be the some of the quickest to show signs of wear and tear. So it's doubly important to buy better to begin with. Wherever possible, opt for stronger and thicker fabrics that last and can be repaired easily. Natural fibres are breathable and can be less likely to go misshapen in the wash and rely less on elastic to maintain shape Check out our recommendations for a great pair of eco-friendly socks.

Recycled Socks

There are some great recycled materials which, while not always plastic-free, reduce existing waste and can help give items like socks breathability. ECONYL® is made entirely from ocean and landfill waste, such as industrial plastic, clothes manufacturing, old carpets and even 'ghost nets', while lyocell (sometimes known as Tencel®) is made from wood pulp. Lyocell has the potential to use up to 50% less water than cotton and utilises a closed-loop system which reuses nearly 100% of the chemicals used in the solvent-spinning process.

Plastic-free

Recycled Materials

Organic

Natural Socks

Natural fibres like cotton, linen, hemp and bamboo have various pros and cons, but are all biodegradable and don't create demand for synthetic oil-derived plastics. Cotton biodegrades easily and can be spun into a durable fabric without requiring a complex chemical process, but is a very thirsty crop. Linen can be more efficient in land and water use, but takes a lot of time to process and is quite a delicate fabric. Hemp can be most efficient when it comes to land and water use, but can take more time to wear in. Bamboo grows quickly and without the need for pesticides, creating a hard wearing fabric but requiring a very intense chemical process to produce.

Plastic-free

Recycled Materials

Organic

Organic Socks

Organic natural fibres (look out for our organic accreditation) like organic cotton are grown without the use of harmful pesticides and chemical fertiliser. Organic products have to meet a high standard, with accreditations like Soil Association and Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) looking at every part of the growing and manufacturing process.

Plastic-free

Recycled Materials

Organic