DeFeet touts sustainability and domestic manufacturing as it looks to increase IBD reach

A version of this article ran in the December issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.

HILDEBRAN, N.C. (BRAIN) — DeFeet founder Shane Cooper fondly remembers when the brand’s socks were “the currency of the trade shows” in the 1990s as industry types would trade them among themselves.

It was in the days before China was able to produce sock brands with lower prices. Cooper insisted on producing domestically. However, many in the industry didn’t get it. Cooper had a vision to build a microsockery true to his fundamental principles of sustainability and performance.

DeFeet’s 30th anniversary celebration in November saw it remain the same. The company sources all its poly, nylon and lycra from within an 80 mile radius of its headquarters. DeFeet uses Repreve, a recycled performance fiber. Cooper told BRAIN in October that DeFeet will soon announce that it had received Responsible Wool Standard certification. This voluntary label addresses issues such as the welfare and land use of the sheep. DeFeet’s wool comes from Shaniko Farms, Oregon.

The wool then travels to South Carolina where it is washed and dried. It then goes on to Valdese in North Carolina for dyeing and finally back to South Carolina to be spun into yarn. RWS will certify our entire wool supply chain from the ranch up to the end consumer. This certification is a first in the industry.

DeFeet purchased wool from New Zealand fifteen years ago and sent it to China for washing, dyeing, then to Canada where it was spun.

DeFeet continues to set the industry standard in sustainability. However, DeFeet is also determined to create a performance socks and offers small-batch customization options for customers and their brands with logos.

Cooper stated that “domestic manufacturing was what we loved about it” from his Asheville, North Carolina office.

Aireator was born

Cooper explained that DeFeet was the one who created the Aireator. He switched the nylon to its outside side for strength and durability, but kept the CoolMax soft fibers on the bottom. “The inside of the shoe was soft, allowing for foot sweat. We also created the Aireator mesh weaving to let the vapor escape, which mimicked the look of a cycling shoe. This would allow your foot to sweat and vapor would escape through these tiny vents. It was our secret recipe, and everyone loved it.

DeFeet manufactures nearly all of its products at its 100,000-square foot factory. This includes shoe covers and base layers as well as arm and knee warmers. The brand’s most distinctive product was its sock. Johan Museeuw, from Belgium, won the 1996 road world championship in DeFeet socks. This was a notable accomplishment during the initial years.
Cooper explained, “We were on Team Quickstep. We were in Tour de France.” The pinnacle was a hub of activity. Our products were tested by athletes. All of a sudden the yarn companies fell in love with us. We were agile and small, and could test their yarns on athletes. It was an amazing thing to have our manufacturing in the United States and be instantly respected.

Cooper indicated that DeFeet is also involved in other activities, such as golf and motorcycle riding. “They are active people, and they need socks that will perform.”

QBP and HLC, both DeFeet distributors, also make socks for approximately 50 private-label businesses. However, the company also offers a portal that allows dealers to access their products directly, without minimums. Cooper has been pushing for the expansion of its IBD network to 300 members. Custom orders from small events or teams account for about half the business of Cooper.

And it’s much more than just a custom socks. The custom socks are made with our technology. I’m confident that IBDs can get it. It’s as tiny as possible. It’s also responsible. It’s responsible. If I work in a bike shop, and I place socks close to my shoes and tell people to either try on new socks or to leave socks at the counter to get new shoes, they will be amazed. This product is going to give me between 50-60% of the profit.

Like a lot of the industry, DeFeet has had to raise prices — 20% last year — partly in response to supplier costs increasing and raising pay during the pandemic to retain its workforce, which numbers 35, Cooper said. Cooper said that the brand’s production was halted due to lower third-quarter demand. DeFeet’s consumer site was “a lifesaver” and accounted for 25% of all direct sales.

“We have to ensure that our bike shops survive and prosper, and given the consolidation taking place, it would be nice to see an individual man rise up. “We are a small company, just like them.”

DeFeet’s sales increased by 12% during the pandemic and dropped by 2% in 2021. DeFeet had announced that Trek Factory Racing would be its multi-year partner to outfit their cyclocross, cross-country and other teams in September.

Cooper smiled and said that “the great thing about cycling socks is even when you don’t have the money to buy a bicycle, you can still buy new handlebar tape, new socks and go riding.”

Brands can also be transformed by a new machine. Cooper bought a direct to-garment printer in 2019. This allows for greater customization and detail than knitting. DeFeet was able to develop the PrintMySock portal that allows customers to design one pair of DeFeet socks.

Cooper explained, “The knitting tech is unbelievable but this printing technology it is space age.”

Performance is what you chase

DeFeet doesn’t just care about technology, but also sustainability. Cooper still chases the carrot of proven performance. DeFeet thought it was over sponsoring the Tour de France team and World Cup in 2018 when a different company purchased its 20-plus year Quickstep partnership. Lotto-Soudal then called 2020, stating that it had successfully tested the DeFeet aireator socks in a London wind tunnel. They wanted to continue working with the brand.

DeFeet had previously been able to show in its wind tunnel testing with Quickstep that it’s sock saves 8 watts. That is four watts higher than the cut and sewn socks popular in England.

Cooper explained that “Suddenly there was a Dutch firm that claimed they could save 12 Watts using their socks.” I had to dial BS because their wind tunnel testing was done using a mannequin and didn’t include yaw. (Yaw refers to the Z-axis vertical, which places the rider in opposition to the direction the wind blows. Eight watts were achieved using a real rider. So now we are back in the wind tunnel. We are using what we learnt from 2018, and what Lotto-Soudal has learned, and are working again to create the fastest socks. We hope that we can do it again in the Tour de France.

Cooper looks back over 30 years with a smile and states that he is satisfied with DeFeet achievements, including sustainability and performance improvements, as well as the fact that DeFeet was able to survive a devastating fire in 2001, which halted production for nine month.

Cooper stated, “Hope is my financial wizard wife.” “Don’t give me money — I can make it, but she knows how to save it — and luckily 30 years later, we’re still in business.”