The Alternate Stitch

Mutual Crush: Developing Work Socks with the Salmon Sisters

I can trace my crush on the Salmon Sisters all the way back to 2018. Needless to say, I was beyond excited when I heard they reached out, and even more excited to work with them on developing a new Darn Tough sock.

Sock 201: How to Design and Develop Socks

We take you on a closer look into how we design socks, from the research and development to knit-downs and fit testing. No worries, we’ll walk you those terms in a moment, but first let us show you.

Why You Should Be Wearing No Show Socks
Meet the No Show sock. Our go-to in the spring and summer, on a run, hiding beneath a stylish sneaker or loafer, or sauntering around a golf course (golfers saunter, and you know it). Hopefully it goes without saying that although the No Show is minimal, it still has our trademark Merino Wool for the comfort, quality, and protection you know and love.
Blister Prevention 101: Putting Out Those Hot Spots
We’re about to break down the most common reasons behind what causes blisters. And the key ways to make sure that tending to one of these suckers doesn’t become the most memorable part of your next outing.
Limited Edition by Limiting Waste: The Overstock Project
This spring, we started knitting socks using yarn we had excess stock of, yarn that had no future to become a sock if we didn’t seek out a solution. Knitting socks with overstock yarns helps us out in two ways.
What on Earth Is a "Lifestyle" Sock?

Huh. This is a great question. I mean, what exactly IS a lifestyle sock? I’ll be honest, I never really knew what a “Lifestyle” sock was until I started wearing them. All I knew at the time was that they were fun and felt good on my feet. But they are so much more than that!

How to Organize Your Sock Drawer: 5 Sock Folds, Rated
Have you ever opened your sock drawer, winced, and just closed it right back up again? Me too. Here’s my story of sock drawer organization, with tips and tutorials on how to organize socks, and my in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of different sock folding methods.
The History of Merino Wool, From Flock to Sock
The Merino Wool story is full of top-notch historical characters and plot twists (steal a sheep and get beheaded on order of the King, oh my!). So we’ll do our best to condense the tale of how we got from wild sheep shredding the hills to our current and future source of naturally warm and moisture-controlling fabric.
The Time of Boots & Boot Socks
Want to know the clincher that makes a good boot day a GREAT boot day? Boot socks. Let me tell you why boot socks are so great, and why, if you have a closet full of boots like I do, you also need a matching drawer full of boot socks.
How to Choose the Right Socks for Work
Here’s the deal: you can have the best, most technical work boots or shoes in the world, but your feet are not going to be happy if you are wearing a crappy pair of socks
Socks with Sandals & Other Controversial Sock Pairings
Some say, “Nope. Absolutely not! I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing socks with sandals.” But some say, “Why not? Sandals need sock love too.” Let's get into it.
To Cushion or Not Too Cushioned: A Sock Cushioning Debate
In this post we’ll break down what sock cushion is, why it’s helpful, the types of cushioning options we offer, and give some examples of different activities where you’d maybe want to go with Cushion or No Cushion.
Warm in Winter, Cool in Summer. Breathable Socks All Year Round.
Here’s how Darn Tough uses the advantages of Merino Wool to make socks that work in all seasons: warm in the winter, cool in the summer, dry and breathable all the time. If that sounds like a wild sheep chase, read on to find out more.
Choosing the Right Running Socks
Hey, what's up? I'm Josh Ferenc coming at you from Vermont, talking to you about how to choose running socks. Running socks are going to make a huge difference.
5-ish Reasons You Need Our Merino Wool Socks in Your Life
You can grow old appreciating socks, but you grow wise appreciating Merino Wool socks. And if there’s something we feel comfortable with, it’s experience with the best wool socks.