Sustainable development

Sustainable development at Mes Chaussettes Rouges

Over-consumption of clothing is at the heart of sustainable development issues. Indeed, the clothing industry generates significant pollution and is costly in terms of natural and human resources. In our sector, it is more difficult to assess the share of sock consumption in this balance sheet.

The quality of a luxury sock can be judged on a number of criteria:

• the fineness of its knitting
• its suppleness and fit
• or even its finishing (knitting, reinforcements, etc.).

However, it is the quality of the yarn that determines the final product. In fact, we are frequently asked about the nature of the yarn used to knit our socks or produce our accessories, such as our linen or cotton boxer shorts.

The use of excellent materials

Different brands and ranges of socks coexist in our range of socks and knee-highs. While the materials and knitting methods vary, the common denominator of all our socks is the quality of the raw materials used.

Mes Chaussettes Rouges makes no compromises on yarn quality.

Whether it's our pure Cotton lisle knee-highs or our cashmere socks, the yarn we use comes from the finest Italian spinning mills. These mills are rigorously audited on their production methods and certified according to various standards. They source from specialized producers in the countries of origin of each material:

• For example, our Cotton lisle is produced in Italy from the finest Egyptian cottons, grown using methods that are more respectful of the environment. These Egyptian cottons are also used in our boxer shorts.
  
  
• The woollens (cashmere, merino wool, etc.) used for our socks, hats and scarves are rigorously selected by the producers. This guarantees that our products come from a chain that respects animal welfare and the environment.
  
  
• As for the linen used in our underpants and accessories, it comes from French crops (France is Europe's leading linen producer).

Depending on their nature, the yarns used to knit our socks and manufacture our underwear have different certifications. These certifications are obtained by passing through a strict protocol of checks on the various players in the industry.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of these certification bodies and standards:

• Global Organic Textil Standard (GOTS): an internationally recognized standard for the certification of organic fibers. The certification protocol is extremely rigorous and applies to the entire value chain concerned. The standard also incorporates an important social factor, ensuring that production is carried out with respect for the working conditions and remuneration of individuals.
  
  
• Oeko-Tex : a standard comprising several certifications designed to guarantee the absence of toxic products in textile and other production.
  
  
• Responsible Wool Standard : like GOTS, this standard applies to the production of yarns of all kinds, especially wool.

European manufacturing

Most of the socks we sell are produced in Italy. This choice was made for several reasons:

• Italy is home to a large number of companies that form a veritable sock manufacturing "ecosystem". The workshops in charge of knitting exchange directly with the best spinning mills.
  
  
• These workshops also obtain supplies directly from manufacturers of knitting machines (another field in which Italy reigns), packaging machines, and so on.
  
  
• The main knitting needle manufacturers are located in Germany...
  
  
• Our underwear is also produced in Italy (linen or cotton boxer shorts) or Portugal (cotton boxers).

This enables us to remain close to our customers by limiting manufacturing to neighboring countries.

Promoting the longevity of our garments

The lifespan of a garment is an essential issue, as it is directly linked to the over-consumption observed in the clothing industry.

Some brands use primarily natural materials, combined or not with synthetic or high-quality synthetic materials. Others favor the use of lower-quality fibers, which are often less durable.

The first approach, which can (rightly) be considered more virtuous from both an ecological and social point of view, is the one we have chosen for our socks.

The pairs of socks we offer are knitted from natural, sustainable fibers. However, one person often wears socks out faster than another. This means that the first wear hole will appear sooner, often in well-defined areas.

Many factors are involved, such as gait, weight, foot width, etc.

So, in order to satisfy all our customers, some pairs of socks are knitted with a more or less pronounced reinforcement thanks to the use of synthetic materials such as polyamide. This is particularly true of our Super-solide range in Cotton lisle or wool, a particularly hard-wearing range of socks that can be worn every day.

If you feel that the content of this page is insufficient to answer your questions, we encourage you to contact us.