It’s National Sock Day, and we’re celebrating with a post on… you guessed it… socks!! 🎉

And in true Sockprints style, we’re keeping it light, funny… and sometimes unbelievably true… with five fast and fun facts about socks. We hope they make you smile, and maybe even give you the edge to feel like a sock-star at your next party! 🤘

(And if not, don’t worry—our custom-printed socks can do the trick. Trust us… they’ve been a big hit at all of our Sockprints socktail parties! Martini anyone? 🍹🙋‍♀️)

1. Even Cavemen Wore Socks

That’s right! Historians believe that the original socks were worn by cavemen, and made from wrapping animal skins and furs around the feet and ankles. How do we know this?

Cave paintings and archeological artifacts depict cavemen wearing these “socks.”

To us, non-washable animal fur socks sound a little itchy (and, let’s face it… smelly 🙊). So we’ll be sticking with our washable, breathable cotton-blends for now, thanks! 

2. Happy Feet is More Than Just a Movie - it’s a Health Movement

 

One of our biggest pet peeves is wet socks. And there’s a reason. 

Foot hygiene is a really important part of your health—and socks play a key role. 

According to the California Podiatric Medical Association, feet have over 250K sweat glands which secrete a half pint of moisture and shed tens of thousands of dead skin cells per day. 🤢 YIKES! 

Unattended, this would lead to bacterial growth, foot fungi … and embarrassingly stinky feet. 😅 But wearing clean, dry socks reduces this growth significantly. Furthermore, it’s been proven that cotton socks prevent bacterial breeding when tested against other, highly-synthetic, fabrics. It’s just another reason Sockprints sticks to our cotton-blend socks and eco-friendly apparel inks that are designed to work well with your skin. 

See you later cavemen socks… and all those synthetic socks we see on the market these days. ✌️ We’re opting for happy—and healthy—feet. 😌

(Freebie tip: Sockprints offers bulk discounts, so if you’re worried that you won’t be able to wear your favorite socks ALL. WEEK. LONG.… check out our buy more, save more deals—starting at three pairs of socks—so you can sport your style day after day, the hygienic way!)

 

3. Socks are THE Most Frequently Requested Item by Homeless Shelters

You heard it here folks. Wondering how you can help give back to your community during this holiday season… and year round? 

Socks are the number one requested clothing item from homeless shelters, which is why Sockprints regularly donates socks to homeless shelters in our L.A. community and beyond. 🧦

This year, Sockprints donated over 350 pairs of socks to the Fresno Mission, a rescue mission supporting homeless populations in the California Central Valley, to help them set a record for the world’s longest chain of socks—spanning 7.39 miles!

So next time you’re expanding your sock collection, pick up an extra pair (or two or three) to donate to your local homeless shelter, too!   

4. Your Laundry Loves Your Socks, too! (And What to Do About it)

 

Ever wash a load of socks, only to find an odd number left at the end of the cycle? 

While this never happens to us (we are the professionals, after all… 🙃), it is common. In fact, it’s estimated that the average family of four loses 60 socks a year to washers and dryers, costing upwards of $80 a year to replace! (and that’s without replacing the cute ones!). 

So… what do you do? 

If you lost your socks in the washer, try looking between the washing drum and the door gasket to locate your missing socks. Chances are, they were just having a little too much fun in that spin cycle and got thrown out of the drum! 😉 

If they were lost in the dryer, try checking beneath the lint trap. If the lint trap isn’t replaced properly, socks can easily get wedged inside! And if you’re feeling really adventurous and handy, you can try periodically removing the bottom of both machines to see what else you find below (we’ve heard of people finding credit cards and small fortunes of pocket change that way…). 💸 

But to save yourself the headache, you might just invest in a small mesh laundry bag to keep all your socks together, each and every wash. Trust us… it’s worth it! 

(And if you need help keeping everything together outside the wash, check out our super cute canvas custom-print and ready made laundry bags! You’ll be glad you did… 🧺)

5. Old Socks Can Have New Life with New Purpose

So you’ve officially taken apart your washer, and there’s still no sign of that fuzzy sock you loved so much. Do you have to retire the other one? 

Absolutely not! 

There’s plenty to do with single socks:

 

Wear them mismatched! Psychologists have studied the impact that wearing mismatched socks can have on helping children learn that it’s okay to be different—and even impact how they embrace diversity of race as early as kindergarten. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤍🤎

And on World Down Syndrome Day, mismatched socks are worn to show solidarity with those who have Down Syndrome.

Clean your dresser. Single socks make great, reusable, and affordable (free!) dust mitts for wiping down your dresser, headboard, or the top of the TV stand! No expensive feather dusters required, and when you’re done, just drop it in the laundry!

Make dual-purpose beanbags. With winter upon us, filling your single socks with dried beans (i.e. pinto) or rice and sewing them shut can create quick and useful heating pads. Throw them in the foot of your bed, use them to stay warm while you’re curled up on the couch, or we like to place them on sore muscles at the end of a long day (but we’re not doctors, so we’re just telling you what we do… not what to do). And in the summer, they double as a beanbag for games of toss, cornhole… whatever! 🌞

Whatever you do with your socks, we just hope you have fun! 

Happy Sock Day!