These sustainable sock brands have fun and versatile socks made from earth-minded materials like organic cotton, hemp, and Tencel.
With everything from ankle socks and no-shows to knee-highs and performance socks, these 15 brands will cover just about all of your sock needs.
You’ll find that all socks in this guide to have some percentage of synthetics to ensure some stretch, so be sure to use whatever microfiber filter you prefer — like the Cora Laundry Ball, Guppyfriend Washing Bag or a washing machine filter — to prevent the microfibers from being released into our waterways.
[Check out this guide for eco-friendly and ethical slippers]This article features affiliates and partners. As always, we only feature brands that meet high standards for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too!
1. Harvest & Mill
Sustainable basics brand Harvest & Mill uses organic heirloom cotton for their comfy essentials, like their crew-length and ankle-length socks. While these socks might look dyed with their earthy colors, they are actually completely dye-free! Heirloom cotton naturally comes in other colors besides the plain white we’re used to seeing with mass-produced cotton. Pretty amazing right?! The organic cotton Harvest & Mill uses is also all grown, spun, and knit in the U.S.
Explore Harvest & Mill’s Socks
2. MenoMieux
Conscious online retailer MenoMieux has a range of eco-friendly socks and hosiery made from recycled yarn (from the brand Swedish Stockings) or Oeko-Tex Certified Lenzing Modal (from the brand 1 People).
The Swedish Stockings socks and tights are made in a zero waste emissions-free factory in Italy and the brand even has a take-back recycling program, which is exciting to see since it’s often not feasible to resell well-worn socks and hosiery!
Explore MenoMieux’s Eco-Friendly Socks
3. Teddy Locks
Eco-minded sock brand Teddy Locks makes their socks with Unifi Repreve, a fiber produced from certified recycled post-consumer plastic bottles. The recycled fiber is spun into yarn without using chemicals or water and then knit into socks with Green-Certified machinery. All of these steps in the supply chain are completed locally in North Carolina — meaning Teddy Locks’ socks travel less than 250 miles during the entire production process!
The brand also ships their sustainable socks in completely recycled and recyclable plastic-free shipping materials.
Explore Teddy Locks’ Recycled Socks
4. tentree
Socks are the crucial foundation of any closed-toe shoe and tentree’s basics are here to ensure you’re always putting your best foot forward. Crafted from a comfortable blend of hemp, TENCEL™ Lyocell, recycled polyester, and a bit of elastane for stretch, their socks come in an ankle length and above the ankle length range in basic pairs of white and black.
Every pair plants 10 trees (the reason for their namesake ten-tree) in an effort to help offset their carbon emissions and helped the brand attain Climate Neutral Certified status in 2021.
5. Girlfriend
Recycled and recyclable, Girlfriend’s socks are designed with circularity in mind. The socks, which are currently available in crew and quarter crew 95% recycled plastic water bottles and can be sent back for recycling through the brand’s ReGirlfriend program! Girlfriend has plain socks in colorful and neutral hues as well as socks that say “Please Recycle” and “Please Vote”.
Explore Girlfriend’s Recycled Socks
6. Conscious Step
Conscious Step’s socks are made from Fairtrade and GOTS-certified organic cotton in ethical factories. The sustainable brand’s socks are made with an exceptional quality too — each sock has just the right fabric thickness and some of their socks even have a cushioned insole and arch support, too.
Another attribute of Conscious Step that I love is that each design from the brand is associated with a different cause, and when you purchase a pair of socks from Conscious Step, $1 per pair of socks goes towards that cause! For more on Conscious Step, check out my review of the brand here.
Exclusive Discount: Use the code ELIZABETH20 for 20% off your order!
7. PACT
Sustainable fashion brand PACT has organic cotton Fair Trade-certified socks for guys and gals in a variety of styles. They have crew socks, knee-high socks, ankle socks, and no show socks in neutrals, colors, and prints. PACT has some great deals with their organic sock packs.
Use code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20 for 20% off
8. Organic Basics
Organic Basics has organic cotton ankle socks, mid-calf socks and no-show socks perfect for casual wear. The eco basics brand also has sustainable athletic socks made with SilverTech™ yarn to prevent odors.
9. Nisolo
Ethical shoe and accessories brand Nisolo has naturally expanded into socks! Nisolo has crew socks in men’s shoe sizes as well as crew and mid-length socks in women’s shoe sizes. Focused on using repurposed materials, Nisolo’s socks are made from 50% recycled materials like upcycled wool, upcycled cotton, and RPET (fabric made fro recycled plastic water bottles).
10. Patagonia
Outdoors and activewear brand Patagonia has performance socks and “daily socks” made from merino wool and a percentage of synthetics. While some synthetics are unavoidable with socks, Patagonia’s percentage is a bit high, I will say.
All socks are made in the U.S., woven in a family-run factory in North Carolina.
11. Thought (UK)
Thought is an eco fashion brand based in the UK with hemp socks (made with a hemp/organic cotton blend) and organic cotton socks. The brand also has bamboo socks, but I suggest staying away from those — although bamboo is a pretty sustainable plant to grow, the process of turning bamboo into a fabric is chemical and energy-intensive, making it a not-so-eco fabric.
12. Pansy
Organic underwear brand Pansy (for more eco underwear brands, check out this guide) has tube socks in colors that match their bras and undies — how fun is that?! All of their socks are made from 85% organic, USA-grown cotton and 15% synthetics.
13. Kind Socks
KIND Socks is a Black-owned sustainable sock brand using GOTS-certified organic cotton for their vibrant collections! With prints like monstera leaves, watermelons, and bumblebees, KIND Socks will bring a touch of whimsy to any outfit.
14. Maggie’s Organics
Maggie’s Organics socks are knit in a worker-owned facility in North Carolina from GOTS Certified organic cotton. The brand is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, Domestic Fair Trade Association, Free2Work, and Green America
Explore Maggie’s Organics Socks on EarthHero
Use code CONSCIOUSLIFE for 10% off your order at EarthHero!
Save this post to reference later:
