Socks probably aren't the first thing that comes to mind when you think about sustainability. But like anything else we buy, socks require materials, energy and resources to produce.
So can a pair of socks be more environmentally responsible?
We think one place to start is with what they're made from, how long they'll last and whether you're buying something you'll actually use for years instead of replacing over and over.
Start With the Fiber
Different sock fibers come with different environmental tradeoffs.
Cotton requires land and water to grow. Synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon and acrylic are generally made from fossil fuel based materials. Natural animal fibers require land and resources to raise the animals that produce them.
There isn't a fiber with zero environmental impact.
One of the reasons we love alpaca is that the fiber is grown every year by an animal that's pretty remarkable at producing it.
Alpacas Are Surprisingly Light on the Land
Alpacas have soft padded feet rather than hooves, which helps reduce damage to the ground as they move across pastures. They're also efficient grazers and tend to nibble vegetation rather than pulling entire plants out by the roots.
And their fleece grows back every year.
Our alpacas are shorn annually, both for their well being and to harvest the fiber they've spent the previous year growing. That makes alpaca fiber a naturally renewable resource.
Sometimes Nature Already Made the Color
Here's one part of the sustainability conversation that doesn't get talked about very often: dye.
Alpacas naturally grow fiber in an incredible range of colors, from white and fawn to browns, grays and black. Sometimes there simply isn't a reason to dye it.
Several colors of our Alpaca Crew Work Socks and Midweight Ankle Socks contain no dyes at all.
Our natural, undyed colors include:
Fawn
Silver
Charcoal
Brown
The color you see comes from the alpaca fiber itself.
We think that's pretty cool. Instead of taking a natural fiber and changing its color, sometimes we can just let the alpacas handle that part.
But Our Socks Aren't 100% Alpaca
This is important.
A great sock needs to do more than contain a natural fiber. It needs to stay up, hold its shape and stand up to repeated wear.
That's why you'll find other fibers blended with the alpaca in our socks. For example, our Alpaca Crew Work Socks are 78% USA grown alpaca, 20% nylon and 2% Lycra.
Those additional fibers provide structure, stretch and durability that you wouldn't get from alpaca alone.
So we're not going to pretend our socks have zero environmental impact or call them completely biodegradable. They aren't.
What we can do is be transparent about what's in the products we sell and offer well made products that are meant to be worn again and again.
Durability Matters Too
Sustainability isn't only about what something is made from.
It's also about how often you have to replace it.
A sock that quickly stretches out, develops holes or gets thrown into the back of a drawer hasn't accomplished much, regardless of the environmental claims on its packaging.
That's one reason durability matters when we're choosing the products we carry. We want products that make sense for people who are actually going to use them.
So, Can Socks Be Eco Friendly?
There isn't a perfect sock with zero impact on the planet.
But there are better questions we can ask.
Where did the fiber come from? How was it produced? Was unnecessary processing avoided? Is the product well made? And will someone use it long enough to justify the resources that went into making it?
For us, alpaca fiber is a pretty great place to start.
And sometimes, when you see a pair of our fawn, silver, charcoal or brown socks, the alpacas even picked the color for you.
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