The list below is edited selection of all the companies I’ve come across over the years and found while researching this article. I left out companies that don’t have Europe based retailers or etailers.
I’ve also omitted providers of bamboo fibre socks, except for one; Boody. You can read exactly why I don’t rate bamboo in my article on Sustainable Ethical Fabrics and Fibres
I’ve organise the listing under headings that most likely match most readers objectives; organic, recycled, and / or with a lifetime guarantee. If I’ve missed any out please let me know. This article is dedicated to Íde and her search for sustainable socks!
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Local Yarn Socks
Kerry Woollen Mills (Ireland: 100% wool, using some Irish wool, undyed, made in Ireland, processed using eco-sensitive methods €€)
Organic Yarn Socks
AppleOak Fibreworks (Ireland: Natural fibre and organic fibre socks that are either undyed or dyed by them using natural and organic dyes, and with no heavy metals. €€€)
Looky Socks (Ireland: % of organic cotton varies and is blended with elastane and/or polymide & 2% elastane, made in Europe, they offer a discount code when worn out socks are returned to them, €€)
Nah store (Ireland: Tie dyed, 87% of organic cotton blended with 12% elastane & 1% elastane, made in Europe)
Spicey Jam (Ireland: Says it’s 100% GOTS certified organic cotton. I would expect them not to stay up very well with 0% elastane but description seems to suggest they do. No other info available. €)
Dyeboo (Ireland: Designed by artists with autism and made in Ireland. Says the cotton in it’s socks are organic but no certification is mentioned. 80% cotton, 17% polymide and 3% elastane)
Boody (Australia: 62-76% organic bamboo, OEKO-TEX certified, closed-loop manufacturing, made in China, Vietnam and India, available through health stores in Ireland and Boody website, €)
Peau Ethique (France: 98% organic cotton, made in a factory in Turkey, available through website, € – €€).
Wituka (Spain: 85% of organic cotton blended with 12% elastane & 3% elastane, made in Portugal, €)
Organic Basics (Denmark – 80% GOTS organic cotton or 44% recycled wool, or 70% recycled denim, vegan, company uses recycled plastic mailers, made in Europe, Available from website, €€)
A-dam (Holland – 84% GOTS organic cotton and 15% recycled marine waste, 1% elastane, PETA vegan certified, Made ethically in Turkey, Available from website, €€)
Nudie Jeans (Sweden – 75-90% organic cotton, made in Portugal, available from website, €€)
Living Crafts (Germany – 50-100% organic cotton, vegan, made using wind-powered factories with as few chemicals as possible, available to buy from website and An Siopa Beag in Co Clare,, €-€€.)
Blutsgeschwister (Germany – 98% GOTS certified organic cotton, 2% elastane, made in Fairwear accredited factories in Portugal, available to buy from website €€)
Honest Basics (Germany – 95% GOTS certified organic cotton, 5% elastane, available to buy from website €)
Jollie Socks (UK: 80-92% organic cotton, take-back service for end-of-life socks, one pair donated for every pair bought, made in Portugal, available through website or through UK social enterprise website Big Issue, €€€)
Unisock (UK: 90% GOTS certified organic cotton, made in a family-run factory in Portugal, available through website, €€)
Lucy & Yak (UK: 57-80% organic cotton, made in small factories in India paying fair wages, Buy-back option, can buy in their 4 stores in England or directly from their website, € – €€)
Conscious Step (America: 75% GOTS certified organic cotton, Fairtrade, Vegan, 1% planet member, one pair donated for every pair bought, made in India, available from UK websites Union Clothing and Trouva, €€€)
Recycled Yarn Socks
Dedoles (eco range) (Hungary: 60-80% Recycled Cotton, heavily involved in tree planting, made in Turkey, available through their Irish website €€)
Rockay (UK & Denmark: 100% recycled content, some from marine waste, sports, lifetime guarantee, ethically made in Europe, available through website, €€€)
Thunders Love (Spain: 90% recycled cotton, made in Spain in family workshops, €€€€)
Healthy Seas (Holland: 70% GOTS organic cotton and 28% recycled nylon from marine waste, Fair Wear member, compostable packaging, available from website, €€)
Ostrich Pillow – Compression socks (Spain – 50% bamboo, 25% recycled polyester, 10% recycled nylon, 15% spandex, Oeko-Tex Standard 100, ethically made in china, carbon offsetting of products through Pachama, €€€€)
Rifó (Italy – 95% recycled cashmere and 5% recycled wool, made in Italy, available from website and Oh By Gum! in Galway and Fresh Cuts Clothing in Dublin €€€€€€€€)
Teko for Life (UK: varying amounts of recycled polyester and other fibres made from salvaged from marine waste, made in Italy, €€€€)
Arvin Goods (USA: varying amounts of recycled cotton and polyester, organic cotton and Hemp BioFibre, made in China, available from UK based Surfyonder and Orzel, €€€)
Socks with a Lifetime Guarantee
Rockay (See above)
Darn Tough (USA: 45 – 65% wool, made in USA, available from Basecamp Outdoor Store in Dublin and Adventure in Wicklow, €€€€)
Deadstock Socks
Socko (UK – wool / nylon, made in UK, from deadstock (existing) fibre that would otherwise have gone to waste, come with a mending kit, €€€€)
Thanks for Reading
Written by Elaine, Revised by Sophie
PS – If you want to find out where to buy other items check out my article Where to Buy
living lightly in ireland 