America's Smartwool to collect 400K old socks for circular production

Last year's sock take-back collection kept over 12,000 pounds of material out of landfills, and together with North Carolina-based Material Return, Smartwool turned that waste into the Second Cut K9 Camp Cushion, the company said in a media release.

Smartwool is continuing its partnership with Material Return—a custom circularity platform within The Industrial Commons group delivering local and sustainable textile manufacturing and waste solutions—to give old socks a second chance at life. The goal to collect 400K socks this year will help Smartwool create recycled yarn to use in future circular products.

While most consumers donate their old clothes, a recent Smartwool survey showed that many do not participate in recycling programmes, either because they are unaware of how to recycle or the resources are not available (46 per cent), or because the item is completely worn out and they perceive it to have no value (67 per cent). This month Smartwool wants to educate and encourage people to adopt better recycling habits, by sending in their old socks to participate in the Second Cut Project, the media release added.

"With the relaunch of our Second Cut Project, Smartwool is one step closer towards achieving our 100 per cent circularity pledge by 2030. Smartwool is committed to finding innovative ways of manufacturing to limit our impact on the environment, and the Second Cut Project allows consumers to aid in our progress by visiting our retail partners to recycle their socks," said Alicia Chin, sustainability, and social impact senior manager, Smartwool.

Smartwool’s retail take-back event has started today and will continue till April 24. Participants can also send in any brand of old socks for recycling by selecting a free mail-in bag on Smartwool.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SF)