Sustainable Socks — How To Dress Eco-Friendly, From The Ground Up
It seems like every little thing we do, every action we take and purchase we make has an effect on the environment.
For better or worse, there are so many humans on this planet that we can’t help but cause changes.
This has led many people to try and find ways to minimize their footprint.
The problem, many people have asked, is where do we start?
This got me thinking…
Why not start with our footprint?
Perhaps the best place to start making changes is from the ground up.
And so I was off, on an adventure to find sustainable socks, as the first step in a journey to dressing and living an eco-friendly life.
Well, it won’t surprise you to find out that eco-friendly footwear isn’t something you’re likely to find at your local department store — not yet anyways.
The question of where to find these mythical sustainable socks led to a bit of a rabbit hole.
What makes a sock sustainable anyways?
Does it need to be made out of bamboo?
Wool harvested from the trees that wild sheep scratch themselves against?
Spun from the silk of abandoned spider nests?
That would be pretty cool… but not very feasible.
Instead, what about socks that weren’t just made out of sustainable materials, but actively made a dent in our pollution problem?
That’s when I stumbled onto the solution.
Socks made from recycled plastic bottles!
That’s like getting 2 birds with 1 stone — the material doesn’t damage the environment, and it actually cleans up existing plastic.
It takes an average of 3 recycled bottles to make a pair of socks.
That may not sound like much, but imagine how many socks are made around the world in any given year, then multiply by 3!
Sure, not everyone in the world is likely to be wearing them anytime soon, but someday perhaps.
The journey of a million miles begins with the first step — or some cliche like that.
I had found the sustainable socks I had been searching for, and things were good.
But wait, there’s more?
There was one thing left to check of course…
Lots of manufacturers claim that they’re working to help the environment, but are they really, or is it just good publicity?
So back down the rabbit hole I went.
Did you know there are actually companies out there in the world that are honestly working to make it a better place?
It seems the kind of people who decide to make sustainable socks really are starting at the ground floor and working their way up.
They were involved in charitable organizations that aimed to protect endangered orca whales, and they planted a tree for every single pair of socks they sold.
Good socks from good people.
So, unfortunately, you can’t get a picture of the tree planted as a result of your sock purchase — I know, I tried.
That’s fair, it was a silly thing to ask for, and they’re busy planting them.
I’d rather they put that effort into planting more anyway.
On the plus side, the socks are fantastic — they feel great and I feel great for wearing them.
Now I’m off to start the next part of my grand journey to sustainability — pants!
Until next time — stay grounded.
