Aug 17, 20205 min read

The BEST eco-friendly socks (Allbirds review, EcoSox review, MeUndies review, Pact review)

Updated: Dec 4, 2020

Today, we are going to be talking about a unique topic and that is eco-friendly socks. So, what makes a sock eco-friendly? It’s a lot of things, but mostly it is how it is made and what it is made of. I look for brands that check both of those boxes.

I spent literally DAYS searching for the perfect socks because I am quite picky. Of course, I wanted them to fit the criteria mentioned before, but I also wanted the right size, right style, and not overly expensive. I have a whole list of brands I explored listed below, but only four brands really stuck out to me.

For reference throughout, I am a women's 11/men's 9 and ordered as such from each brand.

Pacts two pack of one white, one gray pair of ankle socks

I wanted ankle socks and most brands offered long socks which isn’t my style, unfortunately. So, if you’re in the market for long socks, you’re in luck. A lot of these brands have everything from athletic socks, dress socks, no shows, and more but the brands I chose were specifically ankle socks.

First, let’s talk about All Birds.

I have heard great things about All Birds as a whole from many zero waste bloggers and YouTubers so I knew I had to check them out. They are best known for their shoes which I would love to try someday, but today we are focusing on their socks. Honestly, I’m not overly impressed with the sustainability of their socks. They are made from a blended fiber (which can’t be recycled) of recycled polyester, cotton, merino wool, and nylon. Sure, some are natural fibers and the polyester is recycled, but I still feel like it could be better.

I loved these socks instantly. The color is my favorite and the fit is very nice and athletic feeling. My only critique is that they were just a tad snug for a size large and they are the most eco-friendly material. Though, I'd still buy All Birds again any day over fast fashion. They have this style, a no-show, a mid-calf, and a knee sock.

Pros:

* Fun colors, but also neutral tones

* Great athletic fit and feel

* Good quality

Cons:

* The most expensive sock I saw and purchased

* A bit snug for a large, consider sizing up

* Not really that eco-conscious of materials. Better than most brands, but not great

You can shop more All Birds here!

OVERALL RATING: 7.3/10

Sock quality: 8/10

Overall price: 7/10 ($15.00 US)

Environmental Rating: 7/10

Don't forget to check out the video version!

Next, let’s move on to Ecosox.

This was a brand that was new to me when I was doing my research. I went with them because they make bamboo fiber socks, one of the most sustainable materials when harvested correctly (i.e. not in a monoculture). I also chose them because of their neutral style ankle sock that was also a reasonable price. When I say a reasonable price, I mean comparatively to big brands like Nike and also compared to other eco brands.

Ecosox is also great because they plant trees per purchase. Bamboo is great because it requires no extra water, pesticides, or fertilizer as well as it can grow up to 2 ft per day. Since bamboo is a grass, it can be chopped part way and it will regrow. I appreciate how open they are about their products and methods that you can find on their About page. And, don’t worry about the pandas as they don’t like Moso Bamboo they use.

EcoSox Athletic Running Socks made from 100% bamboo!

First reaction? I was not too excited. They are a lot thicker than they seem, which isn't an issue, just not my personal preference in a sock. I still really appreciate their 100% sustainable material and they fit very well.

Pros:

* Very high quality sock, nice and warm

* Plethora of fun colors

* Made entirely of Bamboo

* Company also plants trees per purchase

* Fit true to size

Cons:

* Thicker than I thought, very warm in the summer

* Not the most stylish of colors

OVERALL RATING: 7.6/10

Sock quality: 6/10 (great quality, honestly, just not what I expected)

Overall price: 9/10 ($12.00 US)

Environmental Rating: 8/10

You can shop more EcoSox here!

Next up is MeUndies.

Right off the bat, I know this one isn’t truly the most sustainable option, but I definitely prefer it to fast fashion. Though, they do use recycled materials and low impact dyes. On the environmental spectrum from least sustainable to most sustainable, I'd place them around a 6. Not bad, for sure, but not the best either. Though, I really appreciate their fun colors as most sustainable brands go for a neutral, minimal tone. Which is fine, of course, but I prefer a fun sock!

I instantly loved this sock. Though, a bit bigger than I like, I love the fit, love the colors, and love how soft it is. I definitely prefer shopping MeUndies over fast fashion and feel comfortable supporting them again. They also have crew socks and no shows.

Pros:

* Fun colors and patterns

* Fit very nicely, very soft

* Eco-conscious dyes

Cons:

*Not the most eco-conscious brand

* Fits slightly big, consider sizing down

* Made overseas, extra shipping emissions

OVERALL RATING: 7.6/10

Sock quality: 9/10

Overall price: 9/10 ($12.00 US)

Environmental Rating: 5/10

You can shop more MeUndies socks here!

Pact's gray ankle socks. I got 3 gray, 3 white

Finally, we have Pact.

This was another brand I had heard floating around within the Zero Waste community so I was excited to try them. Pact used organic cotton that is GOTS certified and are fair trade USA factory certified. They clearly believe in the health of their customers and the planet. They even have a clothing take-back program (not just Pact products) in order to give back to the local community to people who need them. They are very transparent and you can read more in their About section.

Upon opening my package, I was not impressed. They were fit to be the perfect sock brand, but they had a lot of plastic in their package. Also, another disappointing factor was that they only sold socks in sets of 6, but when I opened my package, they were bundled in packs of two and labeled as such. I would prefer if they sold them in sets of 2 as I did not really want 3 pair of white socks (I think they're ugly). So, I will be dyeing these socks in a later YouTube video so subscribe over there to stay tuned!

Pros:

* Neutral colors

* Fits true to size

Cons:

* Very warm, not great for athletics

* Do not sell in small packs, only can order 6 at the least

* Made overseas

OVERALL RATING: 7/10

Sock quality: 7/10 (great quality, just very thick again)

Overall price: 9/10 (roughly $30-$35 for all six pair US)

Environmental Rating: 5/10

The main point I want to get across with this review is that you can’t always be perfect. No brand is perfect, no sock is perfect, and since we live in am imperfect world designed around consumerism, we can’t be perfect either. Even if ew research for days to find the perfect brand. The point is to be a conscious consumer. Sure, these aren’t perfect options, but they are all clearly better options. Don’t buy what you don’t need, buy sustainably made or even more sustainably and ethically made products. It really does make an impact.

Overall, I’d support any of these brands again for their socks or other garments. They are clearly all better than fast fashion and all seem ethical and sustainable, at least from what I can tell.

Want more brands to chose from? Check out this full list!