You’re folding what feels like the sixth load of laundry of the weekend and, thankfully, getting near the end. Tees, shorts, underwear and, finally, socks. You’ve got two socks left-and they don’t match. Or worse, you’ve got three socks, and none of them go with another. We’ve all been there. And we can help. Here are some quick tips to help you stop losing socks in the wash.

Prepare Ahead

Set yourself up for “sock”-cess (sorry, I had too!) and keep your socks together right after you’re done wearing them. It’s easy to kick them off, leave them on your bathroom floor, and then chuck them in the hamper. But, that’s a surefire way to separate them. Separate pairs become orphaned pairs, pushed down to the bottom of the hamper never to be seen.

Prepping your socks for the laundry is just as important as folding them for safe storage. Actually, it’s exactly the same.

We’ve all folded our socks over on themselves and used the elastic to secure them. It’s easy. It’s quick. And yes, it does keep your socks together. However, it can actually damage the elastic that helps to keep them up all day.

Instead, follow this method. Not only does it protect the elastic, but it keeps your socks together. And, rolling instead of knotting makes a neat little package and takes up less space in your hamper.

A final pro tip here- turn the socks inside out. This, like any garment, will keep the colors vibrant and prevent lint from adhering to the outward-facing portion of the socks.

Use a Sock Laundry Bag

Mesh bags are fantastic for protecting delicates, including dress socks. They keep smaller items in the same place, particularly if you’re doing larger loads and the area where you typically fold clothes (say, on top of your bed) is far away from the washing machine.

sock laundry bag filled with dress socks

Mesh bags prevent friction from heartier items like jeans or heavyweight tees from rubbing up against finer fibers in wool socks. This combats pilling-and extends the life of your socks, too!

Our sock laundry bags are, just like our socks, made in the USA. They measure roughly 14 x 13" and can easily hold six pairs of over-the-calf hosiery.


View Sock Laundry Bag


Use a Clothes Pin

Some might think clothespins have gone the way of the dodo with the advent of high-efficiency dryers-but some might have a few hanging around.

Ideally, you’d keep them by your hamper and then use the pin to secure your socks (and yes, you can get more than one pair) together. This keeps everything in place when you’re ready to wash.

Remove the pins before washing, though-even wood ones can knock around in your washing machine and potentially damage it. Simply keep them in a jar and bring them back to your pantry before the next round.

Admittedly, this is a little more time consuming than using a mesh bag. However, if you do wash more than eight or 10 pairs at a time, it would be worth considering. For more sock laundry tips, be sure to read our article on how to wash dress socks.

Hang Dry!

While many socks-ours included, are engineered to withstand the heat of repeated trips to the dryer, you can extend their lifespan by hang drying.

Sure, you could repurpose those clothespins. Or, a rack is fine too. But, we strongly recommend hang drying for proper sock tracking too.

The simple reason is so you can see them. Just like Noah’s Ark, hanging socks two by two allows you to pair them up, and track which one may need its brother.

Treat Your Socks Like An Investment

Perhaps the ethos of the Boardroom Memo is to shed light on the importance of the humble sock. We show you how to level up your style using socks to your advantage. Better-made not only look better, but they feel superior, too.

pair of burgundy merino wool over the calf dress socks

Boardroom’s socks are far from the priciest on the market, but they are an investment. They’ll last for years if properly cared for. So, approaching your socks as any fine article of clothing gets you in the mindset of protecting them.

Roll them early. Store them inside out, and use a mesh bag to stop friction and prevent pilling.

Hang dry. Slow down, and admire the little things. You’ll be glad you did.

Yours in Style,

Tony Gorga
Boardroom Socks


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Editorial Staff
Editorial Staff

Our editorial staff is comprised of menswear experts dedicated to providing you with helpful information. Sharing everything from style tips to sock care instructions, these gentlemen are a wealth of knowledge for both our customers and the Boardroom Socks team.



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