Latest research report from the NPD Group shows, socks have become shoppers’ top clothing purchase, replacing T- shirts over the last two years As per the report, one out of every five items of clothing bought in the US in 2020 and 2021 was a pair of socks.

The trend dovetails with people staying at home for longer periods, as nearly 70 per cent of American adults wear socks around the house. This figure is even higher for men, older folks, and people living in the Northeast,

While socks worn primarily for sleeping represent only 3 per ent of the socks market, it’s a subset that has mushroomed 21 per cent in the last four years. Sales for sleep socks, which tend to be extra plush and not as constrictive, have grown four times as fast as those for socks overall

The fast growth in socks may also owe something to the explosion in e-commerce too. Largely affordable, socks are easy to throw into a shopping cart when a customer is a few dollars shy of free shipping, NPD said.

But even socks offline has also become popular. As people return to physical shopping, there is more opportunities for buyers to indulge in for impulse purchases, says Maria Rugolo, Apparel Industry Analyst, NPD Group. Unplanned sock purchases increased by 10 per cent in 2021.

By Fashionating World