How Long Do Socks Last?

How Long Do Socks Last?

The answer to the question of how long do socks last depends on the quality and durability of the sock. Generally speaking the higher the grade of cotton the better. Furthermore, the addition of polyamide and or Spandex also helps to increase your socks life span. 

It is also important to consider how often you wear, and how you wear your socks. The care you are provide them between wash cycles is very important to their health.

Let’s look at a few factors when it comes to determining how long socks will last:

Price

When it comes to socks pricing is generally a good indicator of the quality of the sock. With cheap socks, lower-quality materials will be used to keep the total cost of the socks low. These socks will wear out faster, have holes, and lose their overall elasticity much more quickly than higher-priced, higher-quality socks. We understand that paying a few bucks for socks may seem like an awesome deal but over the course of several years you will end up spending more money on replacements.

Fit

The way the sock hugs your feet is also important in knowing how long socks last. Wearing ill-fitting socks decreases their life span, so we recommend making sure the socks contain Spandex or elastane to achieve the best fit.

The sock in this image contains spandex and a high ribbed elastic top. This ensures that it will continue to stay form-fitted to your feet.   

Washing

If you have delicate socks, such as dress socks for a special occasion, you ought to hand-wash and line-dry them. Having your socks tumble around a washing machine, rubbing against abrasive clothes, and getting snagged in the mechanism can cause wear and tear or even ripping.

The gentler you are when washing your socks, the longer they will last. You should also heed the laundry instructions and be sure not to cook your best socks in a hot wash; these days, if you’re not wearing them down the coal mine or hauling in fish on a trawler all day, a warm wash is more than enough especially with a quality gentle detergent. 

Delicate socks, such as dress socks, colorful socks, or socks with detailed prints should be washed and line-dried separately. Doing so will prevent them from getting caught in the washing machine’s mechanism or with other clothing and causing damage.

As a general rule you should always follow the sock’s laundry instructions for best results. If you are unable to find the washing instructions we generally recommend a warm wash with a gentle detergent. 

Activity

How you wear and where you wear your pair of socks will ultimately determines how long your socks will last. For example, wearing socks outdoors or in your house over rough surfaces such as asphalt, concrete, or tough carpet can decrease the overall integrity and lifespan of the sock. Furthermore, playing sports such as soccer or football will have a larger impact due to sweat and friction. It's important that you make sure you are using the right socks for the right activity.

Why Do Socks Get Crusty?

When someone asks why do socks get crusty they are generally asking what is making their socks hard to the touch. Most likely this is caused by dead skin cells and an excess amount of sweat. If you continue to wear the same sock repeatedly and then leave it for an extended period of time your socks will eventually become crusty. It is important to wash and dry your socks after every use or you will continue to ask yourself why your socks are crusty when the solution is relatively simple.

Where To Donate Used Socks?

If you have ever thought about where to donate your used socks we advise you to pass on throwing them away and instead consider donating them. 

While it is generally more commonplace to know where to bring your used bags, gently used shirts or even pants, socks are not usually thought of in the same manner. This is because socks are considered a hygienic product and as a result it is unsafe to donate these socks for human use. Fortunately, just because they cant be used for someone’s foot does not mean they don’t have a use when it comes to donating used socks.

The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that landfills received 11.2 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2017. One of the man culprits of this massive amount of waste was the textile industry. This is a huge waste of materials and is extremely damaging to our planet because of this we are going to elaborate more on where you can donate used socks to drastically reduce this number of textile waste. 

1. First, let’s start with Terracycle. Terracycle allows you to recycle fabric or textile-based fabrics, including clothing while producing zero waste. They do this by sorting through, cleaning and sending off to third-party partners who process the materials into usable forms.
2. Next, we have, Simple Recycling a for-profit company. You can schedule a free pickup at your home and they will come and pick up your used clothing and shoes. On their website, they state that, “All of the materials are graded and sorted locally and/or regionally based on quality and condition. The top quality materials will be resold to local thrift outlets, mid-grade is exported to international markets, and “unusable” items are processed for raw materials.”
3. One company many of us are familiar with, H&M, has launched its own sustainability initiative, which collects most clothing to be reused or recycled depending on the condition it was donated in.
4. Finally, we round off this list with one of the more well-known second-hand stores, Goodwill. With thousands of locations across the United States and Canada, Goodwill accepts many different textiles, including gently worn socks, to be reused or recycled based on their condition.

Now that you know more about where to donate used socks you can feel confident knowing that by choosing any of the above options you’re helping to lower your carbon footprint and lessen any negative environmental impact.

Conclusion: How Long Do Socks Last?

So how long do socks last? Well, in the end if you abide by the following rules your socks should last you years to come.

1. Purchase high quality socks from a reputable company
2. Use your socks appropriately and be careful of where you decide to wear or use them.
3. Follow the washing instructions that came with your socks. A warm wash and air drying is the best method but if you must a light tumble will do.
4. Be sure to wash/clean your socks regularly if you do not they will end up crusty.
5. At the end of your socks lifespan look into ways you can donate your socks for a good cause.