I generally only part with money for beer. But when I do buy clothing I make sure it’s good quality. Welcome to my review of men’s fashion, the good, the dishonest, and…
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Organic cotton socks from PACT
No this is not a secret vegan cult where you pledge your immortal soul to the gods of eco fashion…
Well maybe it is, but hey what’s a little idol worship for the good cause of ethical fashion? I bought these organic cotton socks from PACT over a year ago, and I’m still in love with them! Specializing in underwear and socks, PACT produces their garments using eco (and all the other good hashtags) cotton, putting ethical practice at the forefront of their business. You can check out their home page here, and read more about their philosophy here.
If you believe the hype that PACT puts out, their cotton is entirely GMO free (not including pre-historic domestication, obviously) and produced on family run (so long as it’s not the Guptas) farms.
According to the packaging, PACT’s cotton is coloured using non-toxic dyes in factories that employ fair labour practices and use renewable energy.
As we all know, these claims can be pretty broad and misleading. Barring a personal visit to the farms and factories these statements are notoriously difficult to verify or quantify. Like with Donald Trump’s penis, the internet will tell you anything you want to know, and a good deal of what you don’t.
Personally I haven’t (yet) found any fashion shade on this brand, so I’ll take their claims at face value for now. And not just because it makes me feel better about spending R700 on three pairs of socks. Though to be fair a good deal of that was import tax. Sigh, since the Moody’s downgrade :'(
I Hate These Three Things
# 1 – This is not the best knit I’ve ever seen in my life…though certainly not the worst! Given that they are socks (and not jerseys or something) the loose strands aren’t really a problem even for frequent washing. I’d usually let something this trivial off with -0.5, but for this price not a chance!
# 2 – The box is a bit counter productive to the ethos of eco fashion. I know I never stop wining about this, but once you’ve noticed the great branding and gotten that warm inner glow that comes from premium purchases…the packaging becomes just one more item of trash clogging the oceans.
Or a new jewelry organizer…who can know?!?
# 3 – The price is crazy, but to support ecofashion worth the cost. Plus I certainly take more care of these socks than ones I bought for R50. Indeed all three pairs are still around and in good shape so…
I Love These Four Things:
# 1 – The patterns are just so cool! I like that they’re keeping up with the ankle flasher trend, while sticking to their own unique style. I’d wager these patterns are a good investment in art.
# 2 – They’re really warm and comfy. Not sure if it’s placebo, but my feet don’t sweat or itch and I have this irresistible urge to lean back with my feet on the desk…or is that a bad thing?!?
# 3 – The colours are still bright a year later, so it’s safe to assume they’re solid, which is quite an achievement for natural dies.
# 4 – Being all eco friendly, renewable energy what-what is just fabulous, and I’m happy to pay a premium for it. Though I would have liked a little more information on the packaging about PACT’s specific programs.
# Bonus – Strangers complement me in the street soooo… I’d say they’re worth pretty much any price!
If you’re in the USA you can get your pair directly from PACTs website, and for the rest of us most of their products are available on amazon. All in all I’ll be enjoying these socks for as long as I can keep them from wandering off into that dark abyss of singles.
If you’ve bought any of PACT’s products I’d love to know what you think! You can get them through the link below.
The Green Tailor is a Bespoke Suit Studio in Pretoria, South Africa. Visit our Style Guide to dress your best