Eco-Friendly Performance Socks
These socks are better for your adventures and the planet
Finding eco-friendly socks is difficult enough, finding eco-friendly socks that will support your adventures and athletic pursuits is a whole new ball game. Here are a few treasured brands that create socks that are both Earth friendly and designed to keep your feet comfy and dry during your big endeavors. As with all things performance, you may have to try a few before you find your perfect eco-friendly performance sock.
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Smartwool
Smartwool makes high quality socks out of sustainable materials like. They have also committed to becoming more sustainable by 100 percent climate-positive wool and 100 percent regenerative materials and be 100 percent circular by 2030. Their The Second Cut program allows you to send in and recycle your old socks.
Teko is perhaps a lesser known brand with a big commitment to sustainability. They manufacture using renewable energy, source within 300km of their factory in Italy, transport all raw materials by boat and make their socks with merino wool from South America, recycled polyester made from plastic drinks bottles and regenerated polyamide made from commercial fishing nets. Their socks are chlorine free and use Bluesign® certified dyes without allergens, carcinogens, heavy metals or formaldehyde and all of their products meet the OekoTex100 standard. Teko's Evapor8 socks are made from 100% post-consumer regenerated polyamide. Teko makes socks for men and women and for running, hiking, skiing, and cycling.
RunFit Light Cushion Multi-Sport socks. Image courtesy Teko Socks
Allbirds performance socks are made from 46% recycled nylon, 35% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 15% Merino Wool, and 4% Spandex. Allbirds generally has a strong stance on sustainability, is a certified B Corporation and uses sustainable materials for all of their products.
Patagonia Performance Anklet
Patagonia makes a pair of performance socks comprised of 58% merino wool that is sourced under the Responsible Wool Standard in a family run factory in North Carolina. The socks also contain 41% nylon and 1% LYCRA® which are not environmentally friendly fabrics - they do note this and their efforts to improve sourcing for these fabrics on the site, and their transparency is appreciated.
Girlfriend is a favorite for sustainable activewear and offers a compressive quarter crew sock for women made from 90% recycled plastic bottles (RPET), 10% spandex (not clear if eco-friendly or not). They are also donating 100% of net proceeds to organizations who are providing meaningful support and services to Black communities — The Loveland Foundation, The Okra Project, and the NAACP Legal & Defense Fund - at a minimum of $20k for each, while supplies last.
Organic Basics SilverTech™ Active Ankle Socks
Organic Basics’s ankle socks are ethically made with 60% recycled wool, 34% polyamide (not clear if eco-friendly or not), 4% other fibers, 2% elastane. They also use a proprietary bluesign® approved recycled silver salt called Polygiene® , which stops the growth of odor causing bacteria.
EcoSox JAG Bamboo Running Socks
EcoSox Bamboo Running socks are made with performance in mind (plus they come in fun, lively colors). The main fabric in these socks is bamboo viscose. These socks also contain polyester, nylon, rubber, and spandex and do not state percentage or eco-friendliness of the additional fabrics. EcoSox plants a tree through One Tree Planted for every pair of socks purchased.
