Defeet
INNOVATION, SPIRIT, AND CRAFTSMANSHIP FOR THE SPORTS WE LOVE.
History
DeFeet Has Done It Differently Since Day One.
At the age of four, Shane Cooper arrived in the United States from England. His father distributed knitting machines. In the late 1960's, there was a lot of knitting happening in the Eastern United States. Shane grew up around knitting machines, but he was always more interested in bicycles and music. It wasn't until the early 1990's that Shane decided to turn his attention entirely toward knitting. He embarked on an entirely new way to knit socks. He found it, and he was able to create sock designs the world had never seen.
DeFeet was born in 1992. The first product was a totally customizable, open mesh weave airflow sock. The world's top endurance athletes took notice immediately. The characteristics of those early designs are evident throughout the DeFeet line, today. Elegant, simple, useful and built to last.
There is less knitting, less manufacturing altogether, in the USA now than when Shane's father emigrated. DeFeet will not be joining the outsourcing movement that has become altogether too easy for companies in the United States. To us, that move is like paying someone else to play your music for you. DeFeet is the band, and we will play our own music, thank you. No one else can make our stuff better than we can. Harvard MBA's have told us it's not smart to build a business the way we have. They tell us we can profit more without getting our hands dirty with manufacturing. They say we should source cheap product and mark it up dramatically. That's ok. They can join the long list of brands that do it their way. To us, that would be a hollow existence.
Most of all, we are appreciative of our customers. Retailers and consumers that care as much as we do. We celebrate those that recognize companies like DeFeet. Organizations that go the extra thousand miles or so to stay in the USA and build things. Companies that attract employees with useful skillsets who want to put them to use and always improve.
We salute you. You are the ones operating at a higher level. You have shown us that our products will find their place in the hands of those who recognize the highest standards and always strive for the best.
Recycled - RIDE AND RUN RECYCLED
TURNING DISCARDED PLASTIC BOTTLES INTO THE FINEST SOCKS AND ACCESSORIES
How often do we take a moment to consider where the soft, high performance clothing we wear comes from? Thanks to ad campaigns and consumer education, many more people know the value of recycling and creation of more sustainable product cycles. At DeFeet, we were pushing our suppliers to help us get there long before it was 'cool'. For example, any yarn maker that could not show up at our factory with recyclable yarn cones was immediately sent packing. We said, "Come back when you fix it."
Then, we started asking the same for the actual yarns, themselves. One of our longtime suppliers, CoolMax®, listened. Not surprisingly, DeFeet was the first company to begin using the CoolMax EcoMade™ fiber that is made using recycled plastic water bottles. Today, every non-wool sock in the DeFeet line (other than the Thermeator) is made with Coolmax Ecomade. This fact, combined with our more sustainable USA wool and the controls our Made in USA factory affords, gives DeFeet the most environmentally friendly product line we are aware of.
It takes about three recycled water bottles to create a pair of socks. Each day, millions of these bottles are discarded around the world. The time has passed when a company could say "we are green, buy from us" and expect consumers to respond accordingly. Being a responsible manufacturer is expected. Our goal is to enlighten and inform our customers so they may influence others. Collaboration is what ultimately brings results.
If you wear DeFeet products, have confidence and share the story. Of course, it's best to drink from reusable containers. When you do use bottles, discard them properly and recycle. Eventually, you may wear them for years while enjoying the greatest days that can be had.