Cotton socks would rock

June 5, 2024 4:28 AM

I want some nice, stretchy, medium-thickness, medium-dressiness everyday crew or ankle socks that are all cotton except for maybe some spandex or elastane. Who still makes these?

It's crazy to me that in the US these days, even the priciest mall-level retailers seems to exclusively stock the cheapie cotton-poly blend socks that make one's feet sweat like crazy. (Nothing gives me Fall of the Roman Empire vibes like seeing rack after rack of tatty plastic socks bravely pretending that "moisture-wicking performance blend" is a thing.)

I love Smartwool and Darn Tough, but in summer I would also really love to find a source for everyday utility stretch cotton socks like they used to have back in the day, just ~95% cotton ~5% spandex or similar. Other priorities would be having multipacks and plain black design for the visible ankle portion. I would cheerfully pay somewhat of a markup for these, although probably not $25++ per pair. Men's or women's sizes both fine. Do these exist anywhere? TIA!

posted by Bardolph to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (14 answers total)

Perhaps these from Vermont Country Store?
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 5:15 AM on June 5

These are 98% cotton from Maggie's Socks. I think the key search words are "wellness socks" or diabetic socks.
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 5:18 AM on June 5

I've been wearing natural colored cotton socks like these for a couple of years. They have a little more non-cotton content than you specified, though.

For me, they last well and are very comfortable.
posted by Archer25 at 7:28 AM on June 5

Uniqlo has some socks that are 86% cotton, like these.

Cotton content varies across different socks and colors, so you have to poke around a bit.
posted by needled at 8:15 AM on June 5

Vans
posted by christiehawk at 8:21 AM on June 5

Pact has nice organic cotton hybrid dress-crew socks (don't get their no-show ankle socks, they don't stay up). I have them in charcoal and black and am pleased with them.
posted by snaw at 8:38 AM on June 5

These might be bulkier than you want but they are available in black (and not very expensive):
Carolina Ultimate Non-Binding Half Cushion Rib Crew Socks 4 pair pack, at Jefferies Socks
They are only 80% cotton but once I bought them I stopped wearing any of my other socks. I like them because they don't have a tight band at the top (they are pretty stretchy throughout). I wear a women's US shoe size 9.5 and the Large size socks fit me well (I don't like tight socks).
posted by adventitious at 9:23 AM on June 5

Eczema-targeted vendors might be of interest to you.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 11:09 AM on June 5

Socks.
posted by ichimunki at 12:28 PM on June 5

K Bell socks from Costco are ~20% nylon but really remind me of those old socks. Also, exceedingly inexpensive.
posted by miscbuff at 12:31 PM on June 5

Socks at Cottonique
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:48 PM on June 5

Only Footprints is a guy named Kyle who makes 85% cotton/15% nylon crew socks with Texas-grown organic cotton as well as 100% cotton ankle socks. No dye though, so they're cotton-colored. They're sized, 100% USA made, and he takes custom requests.
posted by jocelmeow at 10:54 AM on June 6

Zkano. They are not cheap (they are expensive socks) but it's a family company in Alabama that uses organic cotton, they last forever (I gifted the entire family matching socks about six years ago for Christmas and the socks are still going strong) and they are super comfortable. Highly recommend.
posted by bluesky43 at 5:31 PM on June 6

I don't love to recommend amazon, and if you search there for "cotton socks" not all of them will actually be that... but many of them are. Here's the usual caveat that there's no quality control on amazon so even if a seller claims their socks are X% cotton, it might not be true. Still, I've gotten plenty of good (and inexpensive) socks there that do seem to be cotton.
posted by trig at 2:42 AM on June 10