Kentwool: Crafted for Comfort, Built for Performance
Words by Paige Townley
Kentwool socks may be best known for their softness and comfort, but they got their start for another reason: performance. More specifically, performance in sports after the company’s founder, Mark Kent, realized the need for a better golf sock.
Mark began the search for a better sock after playing a round of golf at the 2008 BMW Charity Pro-Am when, on the 18thhole with a chance for an Eagle, all he could focus on was that his feet hurt and were badly blistered. But he couldn’t find one. That’s when he set out to solve the problem himself. Already running a wool yarn manufacturing company, Mark knew he could solve his problem, which he soon discovered was also a problem for many others.
After two-plus years of research and development, Mark had created his better sock. One that was specifically made for those with an active lifestyle: it provided the needed cushioning, quality, and durability needed for a day out on the course to cycling and every activity in between.
Yet what may have surprised many about the sock was that it could provide all of these benefits while being made of wool. In fact, as Mark already knew from his longstanding wool yarn manufacturing company, wool provides a host of benefits that make it ideal for performance apparel.
Kentwool’s socks are specifically made from superfine Merino wool, which is incredibly soft against the skin. A common misconception about wool is that it only keeps you warm. While it will keep you warm, it can also keep you cool thanks to its ability to respond to changes in body temperature. Wool is also naturally odor resistant. That anti-microbial feature means that it prevents bacteria, which means no odor. Topping off the performance feature of wool is that it handles perspiration incredibly well—it can actually absorb up to 30 percent of its weight in moisture before it ever feels wet.
Beyond the benefit of wear, wool also offers benefits to the environment. Unlike products made with petroleum-based synthetics, wool is natural, biodegradable, and renewable. It also doesn’t require wash after every wear.
With so many benefits ranging from softness and sustainability to built-in temperature control, it’s no surprise that Kentwool socks have become known as the world’s best socks. The socks have received that designation from those simply looking for comfort and style, but also those looking for optimum performance when on-the-go outdoors. And the now fifth generation company will continue to produce socks known for unmatched quality—all made in the USA.