Nathan, President of Boardroom Socks, recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Jess Doutrich at The Sock Review. We have shared some excerpts of the interview below; to read the full article, visit The Sock Review. In addition to sharing our story with The Sock Review, we are humbled to be able to participate in their sock drive, which will be donating socks to the Williamsburg House of Mercy in Williamsburg, VA.
The Sock Review: What’s different or unique about Boardroom Socks?
Nathan: I think about this a lot, as I always want to make sure that customers feel they get a unique experience with us. Over the past 5 or so years, there has been a lot of buzz around companies that are “disrupting” an industry or “reinventing” the buying experience within a category.
I bring this up to draw a clear distinction with our mission here at Boardroom Socks. We’re not here to “disrupt” an industry; we simply want to provide our customers with a high quality, American made product and phenomenal customer service. I also believe that we are unique in the sense that we are a true family business. If you send us an email or call us, it will be one of our family members who replies.
From a product perspective, I believe one of the primary differences in our socks is our deep understanding of yarn and hosiery. My family has been involved in the North Carolina textile industry tracing back to 1837 when our first fabric mill was opened. Since then, each consecutive generation has worked in the industry. My father, who along with my mother started Boardroom Socks, has over forty years of experience in sourcing yarns from all around the world. This expertise helps us to secure the finest yarns at the best prices while also providing significant technical insight into hosiery design and manufacturing.
The Sock Review: How do you want your customers to feel when they wear the brand?
Nathan: We want our customers to feel like they are getting great value when purchasing from us. We offer a quality product made with premium materials at a great price. If purchasing American made goods or supporting family businesses are not things that motivate you as a consumer, I still want you to see incredible value in what we offer. For those consumers who are motivated to support local American brands, I hope these elements of Boardroom Socks are the “cherry on top.”
The Sock Review: Which designs are your favorite? Any unique stories about how they came about?
Nathan: Carol, my mother, is really the one that has a knack for designing socks. I’ve stopped getting as involved in the design process because the designs that I come up with never sell as well as the designs that she creates. It’s funny because some of her designs that I was most skeptical about have turned into our best-sellers. It is clearly best for me to step back in the design department!
My personal favorites are our merino wool over the calf dress socks. If I had to pick just one, I would opt for our charcoal color, which has a beautiful heathered tone. That sock is extremely versatile and will go with just about any trouser and shoe combination in a man’s wardrobe. As far as our patterned socks go, my favorite would be our American flag dress socks. (I may be a little biased because this is one of the styles that I designed!) From our pima cotton collection, my favorite would be our purple over the calf socks. These are a gorgeous, deep rich purple color that very tastefully can add a pop of color to a man’s wardrobe.
To read the full interview and learn more about The Sock Review, be sure to visit their website here. All photos featured here are courtesy of The Sock Review.
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Nathan James
Author
President, Boardroom Socks