Why Bamboo?
I started Huxley Sock Co. to make the best socks out there and like most companies I began producing samples with a cotton-based yarn but quickly realised it felt just like any other sock so I decided to seek out an alternative material. Throughout my research all signs were pointing to one type of yarn, bamboo! It ticked all the boxes for the perfect sock and even offered a few extra benefits I didn’t think of.
The first thing you will notice with our bamboo socks is how much softer they are than any other sock you’ve ever had, they are also very lightweight and slightly glossy in appearance similar to silk. To add to that the socks have excellent heat regulation properties, wick moisture away from the skin faster than cotton yarn and bamboo fibre is naturally antibacterial. These features allowed me to achieve my goal of producing a sock built to excel in all four seasons that could be the perfect daily sock for everyone no matter what lifestyle you have.
As the brand was starting to take shape I decided I wanted to create a more sustainable and environmentally conscious clothing brand, the further into the fashion industry I was getting the more dirty secrets I was finding. Clothing manufacturing is one of the largest polluters in the world, the plastics from polyester based fabric are making their way into our waterways and oceans every time you put them in the washing machine and vast areas of land are being cleared to grow cotton which is leading to life threatening droughts across Africa and Asia. I’m not saying the bamboo industry is perfect but when it is done correctly and responsibly it can be an incredibly sustainable way of manufacturing clothing to meet the world demand. Bamboo plants also absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen 35% more compared to hardwood trees so a more widespread use of bamboo will lead to replanting bamboo forests in Asia and across the world which will improve the quality of our air massively and hopefully reverse the some of the impacts of cotton farming in the coming years.
This brand and our use of bamboo is something I’m really passionate and excited about going forward, we have a huge opportunity to change the sock market with great designs on an even better sock!