An aspect of adopting a vegan diet that I’ve left largely unaddressed is the inedible animal products, like leather, wool, and silk. I’m still fairly new to all this, and because I’m not one to blindly follow an ideology, I need for things to make sense to me before I implement a change. I have some clothes made from these materials that predate my dietary switch, and as yet I see no reason to disrespect the sacrifice of the animals they’re derived from by throwing these clothes away. I will say that I can easily do without some items, and perhaps eventually I’ll replace worn out clothes with non-animal versions.

One item of clothing that I’ve had a hard time imagining a replacement for is the wool trekking sock. It’s far superior to cotton, because it cushions well, it doesn’t bunch up in the shoe, and it wicks moisture away from the feet–all very important features if you’re given to long hikes in rough terrain. I have several very good socks like this, and I’ve been in no mood to contemplate discarding them or replacing them with any other fiber I know–until now.

I don’t recall how I wound up there, but not long ago I was perusing a website called organicathlete.org, featuring vegan-friendly athletic gear, when I came upon an intriguing item: athletic socks made from coconut fiber. I was skeptical, but I went ahead and ordered a pair. They came, and on first inspection seemed way too thin to be anywhere near as effective as my wool trekking socks. I put off trying them because the last thing a hiker/trailrunner wants is to be miles from home wearing athletic socks that turn out to be painfully bogus.

But yesterday I was going for a quick run up the mountain behind my house, and I figured it was time I found out if these things were going to make the cut. They were very comfortable, and in spite of being much thinner than my wool sock, there was no lack of cushioning that I could detect. They did everything I want a sock to do, and none of the things I hate for socks to do. And they’re 100% organic coconut husk fiber, a byproduct of the food industry that would otherwise be discarded. Plus, buying them supports an organization of vegan athletes who apparently do a lot to promote plant-based living. I love a win-win thing, and in this arrangement, animals, the environment, these cool people, and my feet all benefited (that’s win-win-win-win!). Check them out, if you run, hike, or just want to wear some socks with a bright orange logo.