Detox Your Socks with Conscious Step
Do you know what’s in your sock drawer? The lone sock you’ve been hoarding from 8 years ago. The go-to pairs with the holes in the heel. The pair you wear when you’re all alone because they’re just that ugly yet comfortable at the same time.
What about the chemicals and production stories behind your socks? Chances are, most of us draw a blank when it comes to that.
When it comes to basics, underwear, bras, and tees get all the glory. I’ve written lists on all of those topics, but in all my research (and clothes-wearing), have never written about one of the most common articles of clothing: socks.
Like any other piece, socks can either be made sustainably or unsustainably. They might be small, but ethics are still at play in the “sock industry” as much as any other. Socks can be made with conventional, chemical-laden cotton or, more commonly, primarily (plastic-based) polyester. Socks can be made in undefined overseas factories (like Hanes and most other “name brand” socks companies), or they can go the extra mile and be made by Fair Trade Certified factories and with cotton grown organically, by small farmers.
Although they’re one of our most commonly worn items, socks are some of the pieces we rarely consider the origin of.
Luckily for anyone on the path towards a conscious closet, Conscious Step is on a mission to make sustainable, ethically-made socks available to all, without costing human lives or the planet.
Organically Grown
Conscious Step uses only GOTS and vegan organic cotton. The cotton is grown by organic cotton farmers in India (where over 80% of the world’s organic cotton is grown) and is free from all chemicals, pesticides, GMO’s, and insecticides.
Ethically Sewn
From seed to sewn, Conscious Step checks all of the boxes. Their socks are sewn in Fair Trade Certified factories, where their employees are paid fairly and given the rights that every worker should have. The Fair Trade certification ensures that regular audits are performed at the factories and that everything is up to FTC’s rigorous standards.
Steps Towards Your Favorite Cause
Beyond production, Conscious Step goes even further ensuring every purchase from their site directly supports a charity or foundation. Customers can choose their socks based on which organization the socks support, and the list is ever-growing.
Currently, Conscious Step is partnered with organizations like Global Citizen, Keep a Breast, Water.org, UnAids, Room to Read, and more to come alongside the work of these charities and support them in making the world a safer place.
So far, Conscious Step has provided 82,920 meals to those in need through Action Against Hunger, 836,982 months of clean water through Water.org, 78,823 days of HIV and AIDS treatment through UnAids, and so much more. Those are the kind of tangible differences that the fashion industry (and the rest of the world needs more of).
Next Steps
Maybe you, like me, desperately need to update your sock drawer. Conscious Step is the first brand I’ve come across making something this “essential” in such meaningful and conscious ways. Your sock drawer might not be the most glamorous or shown off part of your wardrobe but it’s one that, with the help of Conscious Step, you can contribute to causes you care about while keeping your sock drawer free of common chemicals.
You can use the code OLIVIA15 for 15% off any purchase from their site!
*This post is part of a long term collaboration with Conscious Step. As always, all opinions, imagery, and creative direction are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make SL&Co. possible*
