Sustainability

Using healthy materials is of course step one, but we like to go a step further. We had our production checked on the environmental friendliness of the materials used. How organic are they? And what about the people who manufacture the products?

A GOTS certificate (Global Organic Textile Standard) guarantees that production takes place in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible way. Three aspects are considered: environment, socially responsible production and quality.

Environmental aspect

The GOTS certificate means that our organic materials (cotton and bamboo among others) are grown organically.

Within the GOTS certification, two quality marks are issued in the area of the environment:

GOTS certified: the products consist of more than 95% organic textile fibres.
GOTS (%) certification: the products consist of 70% to 95% organic textile fibres.
Sokkies is proud to report that 90% of our production carries a GOTS label. The remaining 10% has a GOTS (x%) label.

Socially responsible production

The GOTS certificate is (partly) a social label. The check on working conditions takes place in our production warehouse. It looks at a ban on forced labour, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, safe and hygienic working conditions, a ban on child labour, discrimination, physical abuse and other forms of intimidation. Wages and working hours meet at least the national legal requirements.

Quality

The GOTS certificate also includes criteria for shrink resistance during washing and drying, and for colourfastness against perspiration, washing, wet and dry rubbing and exposure to light. These criteria are based on the standards of ISO (International Standards Organisation).

Certificate issued by Control Union Certifications B.V. in Zwolle, the Netherlands.

 

Certificate issued by the Global Organic Textile Standard.

Our socks are therefore made from organic material that carries no harmful substances. The labels too are (largely) made from recyclable cardboard. To bundle these socks we previously used two plastic packages. The socks were individually packed in a plastic pouch and then in a large bag per 10 pairs.

The large bag for 10 pairs keeps the socks protected from dirt during transport and makes them easy to handle for our customers.

The small packaging looks nice, but after feedback from a number of customers we asked ourselves: what added value does this small packaging have? The added value is minimal and does not outweigh the amount of plastic thrown away per shipment. It is recyclable, of course, but leaving it out is greener still. No weight in transport, no extra handling when unpacking, and the socks are protected by the large bag anyway.

From 2023 we therefore decided to leave out the small packaging. That saves a great deal of unnecessary plastic. In addition, we offer the option of biodegradable bio-plastic for the large bag.

In recent years bamboo socks have been one of the most sustainable trends within the sock industry. An ecologically responsible option that can compete on quality with the cotton market standard. Bamboo socks are extremely soft and, alongside sustainable benefits, also offer comfort advantages.

They are made from bamboo yarn, made from the bamboo plant. This plant grows naturally in China, where our production is (largely) located. The official name for this bamboo yarn is bamboo viscose, but it is commonly called bamboo. These socks can also be made with a fun print, logo or icons.

We have listed a number of (sustainability) benefits of bamboo socks:

• The bamboo plant grows extremely fast and goes through a simple production process (little water and electricity use).
• The bamboo plant absorbs 35% more CO₂ than other plants
• Antibacterial; bamboo socks absorb moisture, so no unpleasant sweat odours
• Longer lifespan than cotton socks
• Temperature regulating: warm in winter, cooling in summer

The production of bamboo socks is relatively new within the industry and is still in its early stages. In recent years we have invested in this production together with our supplier, aiming to bring the production cost per pair of bamboo socks closer to that of cotton socks.

To encourage our customers to choose bamboo socks, these are offered at the same price as the cotton socks.