The Knitty Gritty

Closed Loop Fashion in a Comfy Sock

Closed Loop Fashion in a Comfy Sock

As Americans, a wimpy 3% of our clothing is made here in the states. As a company who believes in growing communities, supporting local businesses, and doing more to preserve our home planet, hearing this statistic was just mind-boggling to us. It drove us to prove that a company can source responsibly, be Earth-conscious, and be successful all at the same time. 


Since then, we have launched our Outlands USA recycled textile socks, certified organic bamboo collection, and partnered with Beam Impact to give back to our communities!

(Just recently, we also expanded our Outlands USA collection to include essential colors for everyday wear! Check them out here.)

 

But how exactly are we saving the Earth from wasted materials? 


Recover: Closed Loop Fashion 


Recover™ has dedicated themselves to minimizing textile waste. As it is, millions of pounds of textile scraps, cuttings, and otherwise wasted material is lost in making shirts, pants, hats, etc. every year. Recover™ uses a process to take all that discarded material, break it down, and recycle it into raw material for new apparel and clothing.

“Each year, humans produce more than 100 billion garments, while we dispose of over 48 million tons of clothing, of which 73% goes straight to landfill or incineration. With global fashion consumption projected to grow 62% from 2015 to 2030, so will its associated environmental footprint. At the same time, the fashion industry needs to reduce its emissions by 50% to keep Earth within a 1.5 degree change. This means there is a huge gap to close.”


How Outlands USA Closes the Gap


We partnered with Recover™ to provide the recycled material for our Outlands USA collection. Recover™ is a Spain-based company, and the material we use for the collection is taken to North Carolina, where the recycled, raw material is spun into our signature hiking socks with a cushioned footbed, and arch support!


Because we used recycled textiles from Recover™, we minimize the use of water, pesticides, and precious soil to grow new cotton fibers. We also keep waste out of landfills and slowly shift the standard of manufacturing by supporting incredible companies like Recover™.

By the time your socks are made, they have already been certified by the Global Recycling Standard.


The Outlands USA collection is not new, but we did add new colors!  Check them out here.


Wait wait, you said cushioned footbed?


Yes! Our adventurous crowd loves our Outlands USA socks for these reasons:


Recycled: each pair of socks is sourced from recycled materials.

Cushioned footbed: additional padding and comfort in the heel, arch and toe.

Arch support: dynamic support with light compression, to help support your feet and lessen fatigue. 

Roll top: less pinching, constriction, and indentation.

Comfort ribbing:  a tight knit with a secure, snug fit that limits slipping.

Needle construction: needle quantities inside the hosiery machine, 144 or 84 needles per loop. The greater the number of needles, the denser the weaving of the sock (makes for a tighter, finer sock)



Feeling Eco-Friendly Two Different Ways


The Outlands USA collection became our bragging point in so many ways. We were so proud to do our part, but now that we partnered with Beam Impact your purchase goes even farther.


Beam Impact: Choose Your Charity at Checkout


Not only are you saving wasted textiles from escaping into the environment and ocean, when you purchase from our Outlands USA socks you are also able to take 1% of your order and donate it to a nonprofit of your choice (see how we do that here)!


The 1% to nonprofits is available on orders sitewide, but only with the Outlands USA collection are you getting a double-whammy of positive impact to our communities.


SEE OUR IMPACT HERE

 

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