Clothes (In this case Socks and Shoes) — A Daily Thread – Post 3

Of course, one of the best ways to reduce your clothes consumption is to buy well made, high quality clothes and footwear that last long and/or can be repaired.

The trade off will be that the price one pays for such things will be far higher than what you might otherwise be used to. The simple fact is that better made things are more expensive to make and thus are correspondingly more expensive to buy.

For instance, I’m really hard on footwear. Both shoots and socks. Unsure why but it’s been this way my whole life. My socks wear out or develop holes. The soles of my shoes lose their tread. I seem to go through such things at a much faster rate than many folks I know.

When a friend recommended Darn Tough Socks to me I was a bit skeptical. I mean, these socks are expensive (averaging about $25 a pair) and the Lifetime warranty seemed implausible for an item of clothing as seemingly disposable a socks. That said, I was willing to take a chance on a couple of pair and see how things shook out.

Well, these are now the only sock brand I wear. As my other socks wore out I replaced them with these. They last, easily, 3-4 times longer than any other socks I’ve worn on a regular basis. On the couple of occasions I’ve needed to replace a pair under warranty, it’s been easy, fast, and no-questions-asked. I feel like with that kind of promise I’ll actually not ever have to pay for a pair of socks again.

For casual shoes and work boots, Red Wing has become my main go to. I have a pair of camp mocs I wear in the spring/summer and a couple of pairs of work boots. Being in Minnesota these are made locally (in Red Wing Minnesota) and are not only made to last some of the harshest work environments but also are made to be re-soled and repaired. I’ve had occasion to do this with only one pair of the boots and, once again, the process was simple and the results worth the cost (less expensive than buying a new pair for sure).

I also own a pair LL Bean’s Bean Boots. They are an excellent choice if one is looking for quality fall/winter/rain boots and shoes that are long lasting and repair/re-soleable.

I have some Blundstones which are also high quality, comfortable and I wear them often but are not re-soleable and I have to say it does give me pause given how hard I am on shoes.

I know of other brands that also are of the same quality and repairability. Quoddy, Alden Shop, and Danner come most immediately to mind.

Bottom line is that when it comes to footwear it’s worth looking for brands that produce at high quality and are willing to stand behind the life of the product. You’ll pay more up front but the benefits of longevity, sustainability, and a commitment to buying less means that ultimately the higher price will pay for itself.