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The Good Socks: Pairing quality products with positive social impact
By Roaa Abu Nada, Jordan News
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Who doesn’t appreciate a pair of socks that are both comfy
and heartwarming? Better yet are socks with designs that hum with life; quaint
yet modern. The Good Socks, a Jordanian social enterprise, produces socks that
do precisely that! They treat humanity and profit as if they were a pair of
socks: you have to have both, and they have to match.اضافة اعلان
The Good Socks was cofounded by Sinan Assaid and Amer Rawahneh to be a food-impact social enterprise in the area of lifestyle products i.e. socks. In early 2019, Rawahneh and Assaid — both university students at the time — came up with the idea and borrowed JD60 each from their parents to produce their first batch of socks.
(Photo: Souqfann’s website)
The concept of their initiative is quite simple: for each pair sold, a can of food is donated to the less fortunate and those who are in need. That idea has even inspired the design of their packaging, as the socks come in tins that resemble food cans rather than the traditional sachets. “If you open a can of socks, someone else will open a can of food and food will be served on their table,” Assaid said.
To minimize their carbon footprint and avoid dumping more waste to the environment, the can packaging is recycled from factory waste. Even after a customer unpacks their socks, the tins can be reused as plant pots or cup holders for stationery.
With such a clear social goal and high quality products, the entrepreneurs received a grant from the UN Development Program (UNDP). Yet their trajectory was not as smooth as it sounds.
(Photo: Souqfann’s website)
According to Assaid, planning was the easiest part, but the challengers begin when one has to begin implementation and dealing with vendors and dealers. A lack of free time was a major constraint as they were fulltime students, but between the two of them they were able to launch their operation with a small team of fulltime staff and volunteers.
The Good Socks products are made of natural and original cotton. “Even without the social aspect, a company must be able to support itself. If you count on people buying your product only out of compassion, the day will come when things will go wrong,” Assaid said, and stressed: “Sell a good product and use the profit to make an impact”.
(Photo: Souqfann’s website)
With every purchased pair of socks, customers receive a can of premium Jordanian socks, a small signed message, a clip to keep the socks from getting lost in the laundry, and the knowledge that a can of food will be given to someone in need.
The Good Socks’ “funky designs” are inspired by the Jordanian lifestyle; the daily joys and growing hardships in Jordan. Their first design was the “gas cylinder” which expresses the struggle of handling and installing gas, a metaphor printed on vibrant socks. The variety and pure curiosity behind the gas cylinder remained the backbone of what keeps people excited about The Good Socks’ products.
Special embroidered socks are knitted by refugees from the Jerash Camp, known locally as Gaza camp. This line of socks produced is in partnership with Saru Fashion, a Jordanian ethical handmade brand. Other Good Socks partnerships include UNICEF Jordan’s online winter crafts market and with the King Hussein Cancer Center, the latter of which donated JD2 to underprivileged cancer patients for each pair of “Hope” socks sold. The Good Socks joined Souq Fann, a creative marketplace that supports locally made products and displays them to shoppers worldwide.
(Photo: Souqfann’s website)
The company’s growth has already been set in motion. Currently, they are rebranding The Good Socks as “Lifestyle inc: Lifestyle for humanity” — a larger enterprise that offers several products and not just socks. You don’t have to start off big, Assaid said. “Just start with something small and make a difference, even a small one.”
The Good Socks aka Lifestyle inc’s wide selection of patterned styles can make not only your trainers pop but also put food one someone’s table. Humanity stashed away amid the socks and tin cans.
Read more Fashion
The Good Socks was cofounded by Sinan Assaid and Amer Rawahneh to be a food-impact social enterprise in the area of lifestyle products i.e. socks. In early 2019, Rawahneh and Assaid — both university students at the time — came up with the idea and borrowed JD60 each from their parents to produce their first batch of socks.
(Photo: Souqfann’s website)
The concept of their initiative is quite simple: for each pair sold, a can of food is donated to the less fortunate and those who are in need. That idea has even inspired the design of their packaging, as the socks come in tins that resemble food cans rather than the traditional sachets. “If you open a can of socks, someone else will open a can of food and food will be served on their table,” Assaid said.
To minimize their carbon footprint and avoid dumping more waste to the environment, the can packaging is recycled from factory waste. Even after a customer unpacks their socks, the tins can be reused as plant pots or cup holders for stationery.
With such a clear social goal and high quality products, the entrepreneurs received a grant from the UN Development Program (UNDP). Yet their trajectory was not as smooth as it sounds.
(Photo: Souqfann’s website)
According to Assaid, planning was the easiest part, but the challengers begin when one has to begin implementation and dealing with vendors and dealers. A lack of free time was a major constraint as they were fulltime students, but between the two of them they were able to launch their operation with a small team of fulltime staff and volunteers.
The Good Socks products are made of natural and original cotton. “Even without the social aspect, a company must be able to support itself. If you count on people buying your product only out of compassion, the day will come when things will go wrong,” Assaid said, and stressed: “Sell a good product and use the profit to make an impact”.
(Photo: Souqfann’s website)
With every purchased pair of socks, customers receive a can of premium Jordanian socks, a small signed message, a clip to keep the socks from getting lost in the laundry, and the knowledge that a can of food will be given to someone in need.
The Good Socks’ “funky designs” are inspired by the Jordanian lifestyle; the daily joys and growing hardships in Jordan. Their first design was the “gas cylinder” which expresses the struggle of handling and installing gas, a metaphor printed on vibrant socks. The variety and pure curiosity behind the gas cylinder remained the backbone of what keeps people excited about The Good Socks’ products.
Special embroidered socks are knitted by refugees from the Jerash Camp, known locally as Gaza camp. This line of socks produced is in partnership with Saru Fashion, a Jordanian ethical handmade brand. Other Good Socks partnerships include UNICEF Jordan’s online winter crafts market and with the King Hussein Cancer Center, the latter of which donated JD2 to underprivileged cancer patients for each pair of “Hope” socks sold. The Good Socks joined Souq Fann, a creative marketplace that supports locally made products and displays them to shoppers worldwide.
(Photo: Souqfann’s website)
The company’s growth has already been set in motion. Currently, they are rebranding The Good Socks as “Lifestyle inc: Lifestyle for humanity” — a larger enterprise that offers several products and not just socks. You don’t have to start off big, Assaid said. “Just start with something small and make a difference, even a small one.”
The Good Socks aka Lifestyle inc’s wide selection of patterned styles can make not only your trainers pop but also put food one someone’s table. Humanity stashed away amid the socks and tin cans.
Read more Fashion
