The Story of a Sock

We are honored to have the support again this year of Warm Peet, a hiking sock company with a heart. And we're happy to announce that Warm Peet will be joining us at the festival again this year.

Recently, we talked with Chief Marketing Strategist Jess Warren about this extraordinary company that donates 100% of its profits to mental health and nature conservation nonprofits. (Like our festival!) 



What inspired you to get started in the sock business?

We are avid hikers, campers, and lovers of the outdoors. We understand the importance of a sock that won't let you down on the trail or wherever your adventures take you.

The two most important things when hiking are a happy mind and happy feet. We hope to help in both ways. First, by providing a high-quality Merino wool sock that provides maximum comfort. Secondly, we know there is a huge connection to being outdoors and good mental health. We hope our socks will encourage people to get outside and move.  

Can you tell us a little more about the name "Warm Peet"?

It all starts with a young boy who is very special to Rick Oxner, our owner and CEO. As little kids do, the boy would adorably mispronounce words. One of the things he would always say was, "My peet are told.” It always made Rick laugh then, and to this day, many years later, we still use that saying and we still laugh. Not too long ago, this boy (then a young man) took his life. Keeping our “peet” warm is a way to remember him while helping others in their journey towards  good mental and physical health.

Mental health affects us all and mental health care and resources should be available to all. However, we know that isn’t always the case. Therefore all of our profits are donated to organizations supporting mental health services/suicide prevention and outdoor recreation/nature preservation.  So far, we’ve donated $7000!

In addition to donating all your profits, your company is known for its commitment to sustainability. Can you tell us how that works into your business practices?

Rather than being shipped from another country around the world, our socks are manufactured here in the United States—in North Carolina, to be exact. We are also committed to reducing waste. We take every effort possible to be socially and environmentally conscious in the products we produce.

Our  packaging container can be reused again and again in so many ways—hiking, crafting, in the garage, as a planter, for my sons’ rock collections, for leftovers.... There are also no single-use plastics. Not even those tiny little plastic connectors you find on most pairs of socks.

Was the Round Hill A.T. Festival your debut event? 

Yes, it was! Our first socks were sold at the festival last year. 

Ever since then, we've gotten five-star reviews from every single customer! They tell us they love our socks. They wear them everywhere, not just on the trail.  When working out, when riding their bike, at work, or just sitting on the couch.

​Has the Warm Peet "family" hiked any of the A.T.? 

Rick hiked about 1,100 miles of the A.T. SOBO (south bound) in 2017. He was also my “guide” for my first A.T. section hike. We did 40 miles for my 40th birthday last year. I couldn’t imagine a better way to begin this new decade of my life—though I could do without all of the spiderwebs in the face!

Most of the time, I hike with my two boys (8 and 6 years) on trails in the Northern Virginia area—and there are so many available to us. 

Check out Warm Peet's socks at the festival on June 11th!

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