From Socks to Solutions: Why We Moved Beyond “Buy One, Give One”

Socks Save Lives (Yes, Really)

Did you know socks are the most requested item in homeless shelters? When we discovered this heartbreaking reality, Hippy Feet launched with a “Buy One, Give One” model - donating a pair for every pair sold. Month after month, we handed out socks to those in need, but we noticed something: the same faces kept returning. We realized we were treating a symptom of homelessness, not the underlying causes.

So we pivoted.

Instead of just giving socks, we started hiring. We invited homeless youth into a 6-month paid job training program, empowering them with skills, consistent pay, and job-readiness. This was the lifeline many needed to secure housing, rebuild confidence, and step into stable careers. We are grateful to say that we actually got some people out of homelessness.

But we didn’t stop there.

In 2021, we took our biggest leap yet: 50% of our net profits now funds non-profits tackling homelessness at its roots - think job placement, mental health services, and affordable housing. Why? Because socks can warm feet, but opportunity changes lives.

At Hippy Feet, we’re fighting two battles at once: textile waste and youth homelessness. Every purchase you make fuels this mission. But how do you know your socks are truly ethical and quality? Let’s break it down.

3 Features of Ethical Socks (That Most Brands Ignore)

1️⃣ Durability: We (and the planet) need socks that last. Low quality socks don't just make your feet smelly, they are on a fast track for a landfill. We don't sacrifice comfort and quality, we make sure to use the best materials available when making each pair. 

2️⃣ Material: Avoid too much synthetics (they trap moisture, lead to smelly feet, and bad for the environment). Opt for cotton or merino wool (breathable, antimicrobial, way less smelly). Even better if you shop our socks made from recycled cotton blends. All socks need synthetics like elastic for stretch and support, but thats no reason to have a fully-synthetic sock! (Plus - We use a naturally derived rubber-elastic in ours!)

3️⃣ Giving Model: Skip “buy one, give one” brands. Make a bigger impact when you support our mission (Hippy Feet partners with shelters and non-profits across the U.S.) with financial donations that make things like shelter and support possible.

4. Why Hippy Feet Socks Are the Ultimate Dual-Purpose Gift

• For You:

  • Feel good about supporting a small brand on a humanitarian mission

  • A huge catalog of designs to choose from, with styles for everyone

  • Unmatched coziness

  • Shop our collaborations to find socks by your favorite artist!

• For Others:

  • Donations totaling over $80,000 to our non profit-partners

  • We've saved millions of gallons of water by using our recycled yarns, that otherwise would've been used to grow fresh cotton. As well as TONS of material diverted from landfills! (Recycled yarn blends made from T-shirt scraps)

  • Help us continue this mission, with the world and its people in mind!