I'd recommend Merino wool. Durable stuff. Warm in the cold, cool and sweat-wicking in the heat, and insulates when wet. If you're going through socks that quick, you might check Darn Tough (not affiliated and haven't tried them personally but probably will after finding them just now). They have a pretty incredibly looking guarantee. https://darntough.com/pages/our-unconditional-lifetime-guarantee
this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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AskBeehaw
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Love Darn Tough socks, would definitely recommend them! I haven’t had the chance to use their guarantee yet because my socks have held up well, but I’ve heard good things and that they actually do honor it!
Seconding Darn Tough. My dad is a laborer and has sworn by these socks, and I use them for sports. They do honor their guarantees as well if you do get a hole. My only issue is where the toe seam is can be uncomfortable sometimes, but that's in ski boots, so lots of compression on the toes anyway
I third darn tough, I use them for running and hiking, and have used two pairs for 500 miles of running in the last year and I haven't had a hole yet
Darn Tough makes a black calf length “dress” sock, a bit thicker than regular dress socks. It has minimal logo stuff going on, the only visible one will be a small one up at the very top of the cuff.
Almost all my socks are Darn Tough now. They do tend to run slightly small, so if you are between sizes I would recommend choosing the larger size.
Adding a follow up to the sizing as well. Any modern sock with elastic will wear out faster if it's material is stretched too thin constantly. Buying socks that fit your feet appropriately will also extend their life in addition to all the advice on natural wool everyone else has already given in this thread.
I also love Darn Tough!
You could try double layered socks, like the ones you can get from the Doc Marten stores...
Probably depends a bit on your location. UK based, I go to TK Maxx and buy the sockshop bamboo work socks they sell, lovely and soft even after repeated washing and haven't had a hole yet!
I've got a few pairs of Smartwool socks that I've owned for years and are still great.
If you're willing to experiment away from business socks, try sport socks. I use Puma ones because they're readily available, but really anything a bit more structured.
Pakas and Bombas are 2 brands that I have a good experience with. Expensive but worth it imo
You may want to stop using fabric softener if you do. This wears down your clothes, fast, socks included. You'll find your things wear through much slower if you stop using it.
Use low heat for the dryer. I've noticed a major reduction in dryer lint on the filter, which is empirical evidence that it's beating less material out of my clothes per cycle.
I suspect this is also true for the wash cycle, and most modern detergents work just fine with cold water anyway. Plus it saves energy.
Why use a machine dryer at all? I’ve heard the lifespan of anything elastic (esp. elastic bands on underwear) is shortened by using a machine dryer. I air dry everything now for the environment & for my clothes.
OTOH, I’m a skeptical as well that this solves the OP problem because how do you explain socks wearing out so much faster than all other elastic materials? Surely most of the damage is done by wear and tear.
By air dry do you mean hanging clothes outside? Where I am I wouldn't be able to do it half the year due to weather. I did air dry inside for a while, but that lead to a lot of excess moisture.
I always air dry indoors close to a window, which I open ¾ of the year. In the cold season you need some kind of ventilation. Even if you use a dryer you’re still going to get moisture in the air that needs to escape the house.
A ventless heat pump dryer is the best if you need a dryer because the moisture is condensed either into a tank that needs to be emptied, or it’s connected directly to the drain. Ventless dryers also operate at a much lower temp which is gentler on the clothes.
Fabric softener doesn't wear them down leading to tears; what it does is build up material on the surface that can eventually make your clothes feel different, can make towels less absorbent, can strip other coatings from your fabrics (like fire-retardants) and can leave deposits in your washing machine that can get moldy. It actually makes most natural fibers, like cotton, more elastic allowing them to hold their shape better and gives them a little bit more resistance to being torn.
As a wearer of toe socks, I have given up. #DarnTough & their competitor (forgot the name) only make tube socks.
Has anyone considered getting a sewing machine to repair socks? I have a stash of holey socks now and wonder if some of them can be sacrificed for patches on others. I wonder if that can be done in a way that doesn’t result in a seam that can be felt. #askFedi #sewing
One darning mushroom, some fine black yarn & a darning needle. Or one of those little Russian darning looms.