2024: How We Gave Back

We are on a mission to make the world’s best socks, unconditionally guaranteed for life. Likewise, we are unconditionally committed to the people and places that support us. We pursue our mission with the awareness of our impact on the environment and people’s lives.    

As a family-founded, family-run business, we are bonded by the unbreakable threads of our values. So, every year, we give back. Our committed ethos involves a responsibility to you, our customers, our staff, and the planet from where we source our fibers.    

Without your support, our contributions would have been minuscule. So, as we round up the end-of-year data on how we gave back, we do so with gratitude to you.   From local initiatives to global outreach, here are some of the most significant ways we made an impact in 2024:   

• 286,000+ meals donated to the Vermont Foodbank  
• 80,000+ pounds of fiber waste recycled  
• 25,000+ pairs of socks donated globally  
• 500+ hours volunteering in our community  

Over 286,000 Meals to the Vermont Foodbank

In Vermont, two in five people are food insecure. Specific demographics are often more acutely affected by food insecurity, including households with children, low-income families, and certain racial and ethnic groups.    

Through our Knit-to-Give program, we strive to fight food insecurity year-round with socks that give back to the Foodbank. On Giving Tuesday, our site-wide event donated even more meals, as every purchase that day supported the Vermont Food Bank.

To date, we have donated 1.5 million meals and are well on our way toward our mission of donating 2 million meals. 

Over 80,000 Pounds of Fiber Waste Recycled

In our quest to knit the world’s most durable socks, we manufacture them to minimize our impact on nature, including by sourcing sustainable materials for knitting and supporting the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS).

Our knitting process generates three types of waste. The first two are pre-consumer waste: mis-knits (discarded partial socks due to knitting errors) and lint sausage (yarn fibers cut during the knitting process). The third type of waste is the socks that get returned to us as part of warranty process. We recycle all of these fiber wastes.

The first two types are repurposed into various blankets, such as emergency blankets, giving these fibers a new life and purpose. The warranty socks are transformed into items like automotive felted matting for car trunks. 

We increased our recycling in 2024 — This year, we recycled over 80,000 pounds of fiber waste — and are continuing to explore the best avenues for our fiber waste. 

Over 25,000 Sock Donations

Alongside giving meals and proceeds from sock sales, we also donate socks nationally and globally. 2024 marks the first year we purposely knit socks for donation using overstock yarn. 

We proudly support programs that align with our values, such as the Department of Children and Families,  Veteran’s Place, and VT Supports.

For example, once a year, employees and their families attend Norwich University’s Hockey Game Sock Toss. Every attendee receives a new packaged pair of socks as they enter the rink. When Norwich scores their first goal, attendees toss their socks onto the rink. This year, Norwich scored its first goal within 15 minutes. Hundreds of socks blanketed the ice, and the hockey team collected them to give to local homeless shelters.  

Additionally, we donated socks to emergency relief workers and people affected by flooding in Vermont and North Carolina. In 2024, Darn Tough donated more than 25,000 socks globally.  

Over 500 Hours of Volunteering

Our leadership teams encourage employees to participate in paid volunteer days, promoting a culture of giving back.

This year, teams of employees participated in the 2024 Polar Plunge fundraiser for the Special Olympics in Burlington, the Waterbury Reservoir clean-up and paddle day, a Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) Farm clean-up day in Richmond, the Fire Truck Pull in Burlington, Trail Magic days, and more, totaling over 500 hours of volunteer time. 

More Socks That Give

In 2011, we knit our first giving sock supporting the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). Since then, we have expanded our community outreach to help preserve outdoor education programs and trail conservation through our Triple Crown series. Year to date, we've donated over $16,000 to the ATC, Continental Divide Trail Coalition, and Pacific Crest Trail Association to preserve our nation's trails.

This year, we expanded our Knit to Give program to include a sock supporting the High Fives Foundation. Inspired by nature, a tree-lined sky, and the dawn of a new day, High Fives’ Founder Roy Tuscany and professional sit-skier Trevor Kennison helped us design a snow sock. 5% of the sock’s proceeds go to the foundation.     

High Fives provides resources for individuals who suffer life-changing injuries in outdoor action sports. In 2024, we donated $20,000 to High Fives to directly support their adaptive athletes’ needs, equipment, camps, and experiences for veterans. 

From You to Us

This year, you also gave to us.

During the bustling days of immediacy, and virtual and digital everything, we cherish slowing down and receiving snail mail. Along with your well-loved socks for warranty, we received a bazillion love letters, er, ok, fine, “thank you” notes.

In addition to receiving your well-loved socks for warranties, we also received Post-it notes and handmade crafts, invitations to 126 weddings and 15 graduations, as well as birthdays and baby showers.

We read every note you send; your kind words recharge our batteries and propel us to give forward and back.  

Goodnight, 2024. Looking Ahead to 2025.

How we give back reflects our company-wide mission, values, and commitments to our customers, employees, and community.  In our efforts to improve other people’s lives — whether through providing socks or donating meals — we all win.

We wouldn't be a successful brand and company without the community that supported us when times were tough. So, it's a privilege to give back to those communities in Vermont and anyone around the globe who's bought socks from us.    

We are thankful for your choice to purchase with a purpose. Your purchases are part of creating positive change. Small steps achieve big goals.  

We have a motto: We Have Yet to Produce Our Best Sock. We consistently strive to hit a mark that forever rises. Giving, too, has no end. So, as we look forward to 2025, we encourage you to do what you can to ease your neighbors’ day. Help when you can. Give because it feels good. Give because it builds bonds and grows empathy, goodwill, and integrity. Give because it might be you who needs help one day.

Also, let us know what we can do to be a better brand and company for you. After all, we like mail.  

About the Author

Chris H. Hadgis is a copywriter for Darn Tough Vermont. For over 10 years, she has worked as a professional copywriter, journalist, and contributing writer for local and national publications, including Bicycling, The Los Angeles Times, The Radavist, and Vermont Sports Magazine. When not writing, riding bikes, learning to ski, or making art, Chris is on the trails with her puppy, Halloumi, near their Vermont home.