Carolus von Linnaeus, the Father of Taxonomy, is credited
with classifying everything as an animal, vegetable or mineral. Although his
classifications were introduced over two centuries ago, they still hold true
today. When I heard about this I began thinking through the products I use in
the hopes that I could find something to prove this classification wrong; I
didn’t think that everything in the world could be classified so simply. As I
went through product after product, I finally admitted defeat and realized that
Linnaeus was right. In an effort to become more informed, I decided to trace my
favorite clothing item back to its roots.
I am crazy about socks! I am of the belief
that life is too short to wear boring socks and the more unique they are the
better. I love socks with vibrant colors, trendy designs, and good support. My
favorite brand is called Woven Pear.
Woven Pear was
founded in February 2015 in South Jordan, Utah in an effort to “create a brand
that will empower women to stand up and put their best foot forward" (2016). Their
socks are made with the highest quality fibers and each pair is hand-dyed and dipped.
The socks are given extra padding for comfort and support in the heel and toe
area. Two designers create patterns in-house and often feature words on the
bottom corresponding to the main design of the pair, such as: “shine bright”, “foxy
lady”, “ahoy matey” etc. Whenever I wear a pair, I often catch myself glancing
down at my feet and smiling; I truly feel empowered each time I put a pair on.
To connect back to Linnaeus’s classification, Woven Pear
socks would fit into the vegetable category, as the materials are grown and
woven together. Each pair is made up of 58% high-quality cotton, 22% nylon, 16%
polyester, and 4% spandex. The cotton, which is gathered from the seeds of the
cotton plant, makes the socks breathable and durable. Nylon, a synthetic fiber,
is used to add stretch and extra durability. Polyester, another synthetic
fiber, is water-repelling and helps keep socks from getting wet due to perspiration.
The last fiber component, which happens to be synthetic, is spandex which is
used for its elasticity and its ability to provide extra support in the arch
and ankle.
The cotton is planted in the spring and is ready to be
harvested in three months. Cotton can be grown on a small farm, but most of the
cotton today comes from large plantations in the southern states. Today cotton is harvested using
stripping machines. The cotton is then ginned by removing waste from the cotton
seed and later it picks out the fibers from the seeds. Cotton is then prepared
to be spun or woven and upon completion is now ready to be dyed.
I am so grateful for farmers who work hard to ensure quality
in their crops, such as cotton. Without them I wouldn’t have fallen in love
with socks and my life wouldn’t be complete. I am so happy to have found a
local company that is empowering confidence in women from head to toe. I’m
happy to report that Linnaeus was right after all; everything around us comes
from humble beginnings. Thanks again Woven Pear for always rocking my socks
off!
Works Cited;
"The Story of
Cotton- History of Cotton." The Story of Cotton- History of Cotton.
Web. 26 Jan. 2017.
"Carl
Linnaeus." Carl Linnaeus. Web. 26 Jan. 2017.
"Complete Sock
Guide and Explanation of Fiber and Material Content." The Sock
Drawer. Web. 26 Jan. 2017.
"Woven Pear
Women's Socks." Woven Pear. Web. 26 Jan. 2017.
No comments:
Post a Comment