We know the thousands of socks and accessories on our site can get overwhelming, that’s why we’re going to be spending some Sock Journal time looking at our Gift Collections. These are Dreamer-curated collections of socks at your fingertips, perfect for when you’re searching for a gift (for yourself or somebody else).
Listen, we know we have a LOT of wool styles. So if you’re shopping for somebody who you know loves wool it can be kind of overwhelming (especially if you’re not somebody who wears wool yourself). When we put together our Wool Gift Collection we kept it small and simple. These styles fit lots of folks and they fit into a lot of different lifestyles.
If you’re not familiar with the wonders of wool, or want to have a better idea of what wonderful winter wool gift to get, we’ve got some tips and, obviously, some suggestions.
Where and What is the Wool?!
As those of us in the Northern Hemisphere head into the cold of winter, exploring the cozy properties of wool socks becomes much more enticing. Wool is the go-to fiber folks turn to for warmth, and there’s good reason why. This natural fiber has great thermal (warm-making) and moisture wicking (less sweaty) properties, keeping the warm in and the cold and wet out. But it doesn’t have to be totally wool to be totally great.
Most wool socks we carry (with some notable exceptions) are blends. Wool is often blended with acrylic or nylon fiber, to create affordable options that can also offer some of the sturdy, easy-care properties of synthetic fiber. This can also make wool styles more comfortable to wear (100% wool can be scratchy to more sensitive skin).
Different wools are also often blended together, since every kind of wool fiber that isn’t just “sheep” has its own awesome abilities to add to the mix:
Alpaca is technically a “fleece” and it’s very sturdy, even when wet, making it popular in sport and technical socks.
Angora is a fancy, fine fiber (and an expensive one), carefully combed from Angora rabbits with care. The fibers are hollow and amazingly good at holding warmth, which makes them ideal for folks with circulation and joint issues.
Cashmere is another super high-end wool that is a popular addition to wool blends. It’s super smooth, fine and soft, adding a touch of luxury wherever it’s blended.
Merino is a specific kind of sheep wool that is known for its softness and strength. It’s another type of wool, like Alpaca, that is blended into technical and sport socks.
Okay, with those wooly buzzwords on hand, let’s look at our favourite wool gifts for winter!
100% Wool
Wait, didn’t I just say most wool socks we carry are wool blends? Well, yeah. But one, these aren’t socks, and two, key word is “most”. We do often get 100% wool styles in, but they’re often seasonal. These two rad accessories we hope never go away because our coziness and comfort rely on them.
Ingenious Insoles
Let’s start at the feet. These 100% alpaca fiber insoles, felted to a burlap core for stability, rock our world.
Process of inserting Alpaca Felt Insoles
“These are just insoles, how can they be so amazing?” You might ask. Oh gurl. If it’s cold and has been cold for a while, the ground gets this bone-deep cold that just permeates everything. Two socks, three socks, the cold seeps through, freezing your poor little toes. But if you add one of these thick, thermal, and practically magical insoles, there’s a cushioning and cozy layer right there in your shoes to whap that cold away.
They’re even designed to wrap up the side of your shoe just a little, to cup your foot and increase the barrier of warmth. They’re trimmable, but we recommend you try them in your shoes first to see how they feel.
What makes them great gifts is that you just need to know your giftee’s shoe size. If you’re looking for something for somebody who works outside, or lives somewhere where winter gets serious, these little insoles are the perfect thing.
Wild Wrist Warmers
Another little package that packs a punch, the Orkney Angora Wrist Warmers are something we bring up every time folks are looking for a good gift or a way to stay warm. We maybe are a little obsessed, but several Dreamers here have got them to give to someone as a gift then sheepishly had to get another pair because they fell in love with the dang things.
Angora is amazing. Orkney Angora also loves their rabbits and they personally check in to oversee the animals’ welfare to make sure they can provide cruelty-free socks and warmers. That wonderful fiber needs to be groomed for the rabbits’ health and your wrists reap the benefit of angora’s fluffy halo and hollow strands.
Like tiny thermoses for your wrists, these wrist warmers are particularly great if you work on a computer regularly, keeping the body warm and blood pumping easily. They look a little more professional and “neater” in appearance than arm warmers too, for folks who work in that particular kind of doubly frigid office.
Most of Orkney Angora’s styles are a blend of 50% angora and 50% Lambswool, combining softness and strength. Speaking of splits, let’s look at some of our favourite blended styles.
Beautiful Blends
Our two DreaM Stocking wool styles, the O Woolies and their little sibling the Midcalf Woolies, are perfect examples of the beauty of wool blends. Both 70% wool, 20% nylon and 10% spandex, they pack a heavy wool punch while offering a comfortable fit at a nice price.
On the left: Midcalf Woolies
On the right: O Woolies
They’re simple socks and good basics, with their classic flat knit and ribbed cuff. Plus, they have a good foot size (the O Woolies even come in two sizes!), making them great gifts.
When it comes to blends, acrylic and wool go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Well, better than that, really. Acrylic fiber acts a lot like wool in warmth and softness only it’s sturdier and cheaper, allowing for easier care and affordability.
Cronert has two wonderful wool socks that are wool/acrylic blends with a hefty 50% wool content. Their Ribbed Wool OTK is a winter favourite, with ribbing from toes to tops. They slouch nicely and stay up best with simple sock garters or when worn over tights for total coziness.
From left to right: Ribbed Wool OTK in Anthracite, Fawn and Red
The Rainbow Striped Wooly Socks are simply the best slipper socks. They’re colourful and wildy snuggly, thick wool socks that still fit in shoes. They come in a couple of sizes and colours that vary from year to year, which means you can kind of justify getting a new pair every year, just to make sure you don’t miss out on any of these jewel-striped beauties.
From left to right: Rainbow Striped Wooly Socks in Cobalt, Pink and Rust
Love Your Wool
Once you’ve picked out your wool socks, don’t forget to take care of them so they can take care of you. High-content wool blends last best when washed by hand and laid flat to dry (though always check the product page and any labels on the socks to see what their specific washing instructions are!). We’ve got some tips on the process in an older Sock Journal post, if you’re a little intimidated by the idea of washing socks by hand.
Whatever wool you wear, we hope you stay snug as a bug this winter!
♥ Brenna
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