The ‘Second Cut’ hiking sock, a new product from activewear producer Smartwool constructed from old, abandoned socks turned in by customers, was announced by the company.
By gathering resources for repurposing and reuse, Smartwool hopes to transition its business towards a circular model.
In April 2021, the company launched a take-back initiative called ‘Second Cut’ that collected more than 725,000 pairs of socks and kept more than 54,000 pounds of them out of landfills. Customers can add a pre-paid bag to their basket while making a purchase on the website in order to mail old socks for recycling.
According to the official press release, the recycled, respun yarns from the gathered socks are combined with “responsibly sourced” Merino wool and fashioned with an elastic arch and a seamless toe to assure comfort.
The process was developed and refined in collaboration with Material Return, a circularity-specialised manufacturer in North Carolina.
Director of product development at Smartwool, John Ramsey, said: “We were able to accomplish this through new and innovative technology, team collaboration, and consumer participation. Investing in this process has enabled Smartwool to take leaps forward toward our goal of shifting towards a more circular business model.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), only 14 per cent of textiles are recycled, with socks being one of the most frequently discarded items. By launching this take-back programme and actively involving consumers in the solution, Smartwool hopes to advance the elimination of apparel textile waste.
The Smartwool Second Cut K9 Cushion, a dog bed with recycled socks as the filler, was the first product to use the customer donations.
The company’s online store presently sells the Second Cut Hiking sock.
