The ribbed socks
Released in June 2024
These socks are made mostly of GOTS-certified organic cotton, meaning it's grown using organic farming methods (we explain that choice here), with polyamide for durability and a bit of elastane for comfort.
4 times more resistant to holes than a classic version.
These socks are made in the Portuguese factory A.J. Gonçalves, in Portugal, which we've been working with since 2024.
The techniques behind the quality
Combed cotton
Cotton with its short fibres removed by "combing" it: softer and more durable than regular cotton.
Combed cotton
Ring-spun yarn
Nylon plating
Pre-washed
Ring-spun yarn
Also known as "ring spinning," it produces a fine, soft and strong yarn.
Combed cotton
Ring-spun yarn
Nylon plating
Pre-washed
Nylon plating
To delay the appearance of holes, we added a nylon thread knitted using the "plating" technique under the heel, toes and sole of the foot: this method directs the cotton (softer) inward, towards the skin, and the nylon (stronger) towards the shoe.
Lab test results: resistance > 100,000 cycles in this area vs. 24,000 in the non-reinforced areas (see the results).
Combed cotton
Ring-spun yarn
Nylon plating
Pre-washed
Pre-washed
These socks are pre-shrunk and pre-washed at the factory, so they won't shrink on you at home (with cotton garments, most of the shrinkage happens during the first wash).
Combed cotton
Ring-spun yarn
Nylon plating
Pre-washed
For the stadium and the style
Sporty-style ethical socks: the cotton is organic and they're made in Portugal. To hold off the holes, we've added a nylon thread knitted in "plating" under the heel, toes and ball of the foot: this technique lets us position the cotton (softer) on the inside, against the skin, and the nylon (tougher) toward the shoe. And because we're not here to suffer, the cotton is combed and therefore lovely and soft on your feet.
In detail
Loops under the sole of the foot
What gives you the cushioning. It's like walking on a cloud.
Fine seams
So it won't get in the way when you move.
Ribbing
The elastic keeps the sock in place without squeezing your ankle too tightly.
Midfoot support
The knit is tighter in the middle of the sock to keep it from slipping down.
Composition
78% cotton, 20% polyamide, 2% elastane
Origin and certifications
... make them in Portugal and not in France? We weren't able to develop this model with its particular reinforcement at our usual French sock manufacturer, so we turned to Portugal for this development. That said, other brands do manage to make excellent 100% French ribbed socks, such as Bleu Forêt.
How this product will age
How do we know? We ask our customers what they think of the product one year after they've bought it. And if the product is less than a year old, we give you our predictions based on some spontaneous feedback and on our experience with similar products.
Thanks to their thickness and nylon reinforcement, these socks will hold up really well against holes at the sole, heel and toe. Like all white socks, they may turn a little grey over time – but that can be fixed with soda percarbonate, recipe here.
Care instructions
Better to wash them at 30°C than 40°C: it's just as effective, far greener, and it'll extend their lifespan.
To make these socks last longer (and for the planet's sake), it's best to air-dry them. But sometimes you don't have a choice: if you have to use a tumble dryer, do it on low heat (i.e. the delicate or synthetics setting) so the sock doesn't lose its stretch.
And clip your toenails and wear shoes — they were invented for a reason.
Environmental cost
This environmental cost is calculated using the official methodology of the French environmental labelling scheme (in force since 1 October 2025).
The label above shows the product's environmental cost according to the official methodology of the French environmental labelling scheme. It's what its manufacturing "costs" nature when you look at its impact on climate change, ocean acidification, its toxicity for freshwater, and so on. Currently rolled out in the textile sector, this label should soon appear on many everyday consumer products (food, cosmetics, furniture, etc.) to help you shop more responsibly.
These ribbed socks therefore have an environmental cost of 167 impact points*.
By comparison, a garment of equivalent weight, made from 100% conventional cotton, manufactured in Bangladesh and sold by a fast fashion brand, has an environmental cost of 637 points*.
Why the difference? Here are the main reasons:
- The countries of production: manufacturing in Portugal or France requires less fossil fuel than in Bangladesh (one of the main producers of low-cost clothing). The result: this more local manufacturing limits the impacts on climate change, ocean acidification and resource depletion.
- The material: organic cotton has a fairly low environmental impact compared to conventional cotton, notably because it uses few pesticides (so low toxicity for freshwater) and because it's biodegradable (so fewer issues with microfibres or end-of-life waste).
- Durability: fast fashion brands drive purchases in particular by refreshing their collections extremely quickly and offering a huge number of styles, and they discourage repairs by charging laughably low prices. This increases the number of garments sold per person and reduces the number of times a garment is worn. At Loom, we've taken the opposite path: we've chosen business practices that encourage our customers to keep their clothes as long as possible.
Even though we've done everything we can to keep it as low as possible, this product's environmental impact isn't negligible. So before you buy, make your clothes last as long as you possibly can.
*Calculations made by Loom on 31/08/2026. Click the links to access the simulations from the official Ecobalyse tool and get more details on the assumptions used. Please note: the number of points isn't always exactly the same on Ecobalyse (whose method evolves regularly) as on the official environmental label (based on version 7.0 of Ecobalyse)
Reviews for this product
The standard practice is to send review request e-mails a few days after the purchase. We wait a month, the minimum time needed to form a well-informed opinion
Customer review policy
When do you ask customers for reviews?
We send you a review request one month after you receive your order. We reckon that's the minimum amount of time needed to have worn and washed a garment several times and to really form a well-informed opinion. After that, all your reviews are published within the week, whether they're good or not.
Do you ask for reviews on 100% of the products customers order?
We used to do that at first, then we realised we were starting to send far too many emails to some people who buy from us regularly. In short, we were spamming a bit. On top of that, it was starting to take up way too much of the team's time to reply to reviews - since we want to reply individually and privately to almost every person who leaves us a review. Today, we no longer ask for reviews on products that meet the following two criteria: 1/ There are enough reviews shown on the site for people who want to buy to form a well-informed opinion about the product 2/ We've read enough reviews within the Loom team to understand how to improve the product for the next generation.
Hold your horses: what proves we don't tamper with reviews by slapping 5 stars everywhere?
Honestly: nothing, we're just giving you our word. Same as for everything else, by the way: where we manufacture, where our wool comes from, our lab test scores, and so on. The only times we might touch what you write are if your message contains spelling mistakes (and even then, quite a few slip past us) or if it's racist, homophobic, and so on (but that's never happened so far).
Asking for a review after a month isn't enough to know whether the clothes really are durable, is it?
You're right, which is why we send you another review request email a year after your purchase – we even ask for a photo to see how your garment has aged. The answers help us improve our clothes and provide information about "how this product will age" on our product pages. To avoid bothering our customers needlessly, we don't ask for these reviews on 100% of the products ordered: as soon as we have enough data to understand the areas for improvement, we stop asking for the one-year reviews.