Customers often wonder how long their socks should last. Although most of us understand that socks are not meant to last forever, this information is important for customers to gauge if what they’re purchasing is worth its price.

Some manufacturers indicate their socks will last roughly a year if worn once a week. Others provide a two-year warranty, and a few brands even offer a lifetime guarantee for their socks.

The truth is, how long your socks will last depends largely on the quality of the material and manufacturing of your socks, as well as how you wear and how you care for them. There is no reliable measure of how long your socks should last because everyone is different.

That said, we’ll explain some of the factors that influence how long your socks will last, and what you can do to prolong their life.

How you wear your socks. To prolong the life of your socks, make sure they fit properly. Socks that are too small for the feet will stretch out and stress the fabric. Socks that are too big will bunch up in shoes, creating undue friction against the fabric. Ensuring that your shoes fit properly and that your toe nails are trimmed will go a long way in preventing untimely wear.

Where you wear them. If you walk around often without shoes, you may be shortening the life of your socks. Even in your home, certain floor surfaces can cause faster sock wear. Carpeted floors create friction, while older unpolished wood floors often have tiny nails and splinters that can poke holes in your socks. Smooth surfaces will limit the amount of wear and extend the life of your socks.

Also, keep in mind that many physical activities like running, sports, and others that require a lot of steps can also cause socks to develop holes faster. Try wearing synthetic socks built for sports for these applications.

How you wash your socks. The more delicate the socks, the more you should consider hand-washing and line drying them. The agitation and friction against other clothing in washing machines and dryers wears the fabric with each wash.

If you do machine wash your socks, wash them inside out, and use cold water in the gentle cycle. Never dry clean or iron socks.

About the author

EVERSOX is a worldwide supplier of custom branded socks for businesses, retailers, and promotional products distributors — with over 10,000 designs manufactured & 100 major brands served since 2010.