Swaggr Eco-Friendly Clothing – Helping the Earth One Sock at a Time

Read time:  4 minutes

Since a successful November 2018 Indiegogo fundraising campaign, David and Katy Katz are realizing a dream of positive environmental impact while building a better sock.

The Katz’s say their product, swaggr socks, are made almost entirely from recycled materials. As stated on the swaggr website, each pair of socks “contains two plastic bottles that may have ended up in our oceans.”

We interviewed the Katz’s to discover how a couple from the north-central United States has come to champion the ocean.

KCHD:  Did the places where you and Katy spent the majority of your life, Wisconsin and Minnesota, have any influence on what you are doing now, in terms of your environmental concerns?

David: Yes and no. My dad is and has always been in the waste management industry. Growing up, recycling was always something he made sure we did. However, the focus was never on plastic bottles, nor was it discussed much as to why recycling is important, just that it was something we did.

Katy: My parents raised me to have a caring of people and the environment. My parents were both in social work type roles and spent their time helping others. We grew up in times when recycling was becoming more and more important.

David: Katy and I have always been aware that plastic was harmful to the environment and the ocean, but it wasn’t until we started down the road with swaggr that we took a much deeper dive into the effects. It was at that time when we knew this was a cause we needed to get behind.

KCHD: Who were the Katz’s – professionally – before swaggr?

David: Before swaggr we were people who wanted to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We both have had the fortune of good careers, but regardless of our successes, there was always something missing. We both want to change the world, and we finally feel that we have a platform through swaggr that we can grow and leverage to drive change and awareness of the devastating effects of plastic in the ocean and surrounding environment.

KCHD: Was there a turning point in your lives – something you saw or encountered – that ignited the idea for swaggr?

David: Katy and I have always been active people. First and foremost, we were sick of wearing socks that would not last and were not comfortable. We decided, why not make our own? Once we came to that conclusion, besides comfort and durability, we wanted them to benefit the environment.

About a year ago I went to North Carolina for some training on the manufacturing of athletic socks and came across a yarn made from recycled plastic bottles. It was at that moment that Katy and I started to immerse ourselves in the plastics crisis. (What we discovered) was appalling to say the least. We are so excited to get swaggr out to the public. Until swaggr, never have we come across a sock that is this comfortable and can actually do good for the environment.

KCHD: The swaggr socks campaign on Indiegogo was fully funded in November and all backers received their socks by April. Swaggr is up and running – congratulations!

David: Thanks! We have been getting amazing feedback from everyone, which is so exciting.  The campaign was a ton of work but totally worth it. We raised what we needed to get things started, and we learned a lot about how we will need to grow the business.

KCHD: Did you and Katy know how to launch a business before swaggr?

David: Katy and I are both very entrepreneurial. We have always had a good understanding of what it would take to launch a business. However, it is so much more. You really do not know what it takes until you are truly in it.

KCHD: How did you know where to start?

David: That is a great question. We knew that we needed to have a quality product above all else. So, that was our main focus and starting point. Katy’s career has been in marketing, and mine in finance, so the combination of our skillsets has really helped us get organized. The business went through many iterations before we narrowed it down to what it is today. Along the way, I came across the Manufacturing Solutions Center. (It) has been such an amazing partner. They have helped guide us through the world of manufacturing.

KCHD: Are swaggr socks manufactured in the USA?

David: Yes. Manufactured in North Carolina.

KCHD: Is the material made in the USA?

David: Yes. Made in North Carolina.

KCHD: Why did you choose to go the crowd-funding route instead of looking for an investor?

David: We thought the crowd funding route would not only allow us to raise the capital we needed, but that it would help to prove the concept.

KCHD: What kind of skus are being offered?

David: We have single pairs, 3-packs, 6-packs, and 12-packs in both white and grey.

KCHD: Where are swaggr socks available for purchase?

David: On our website – swaggr.com. We’re also very actively selling at farmers markets in and around Houston.

KCHD: Is your packaging eco-friendly?

David: Yes, the packaging is eco-friendly. Everything about our brand is focused on sustainability.

KCHD: What’s it like to create and run this brand as a married couple?

David: We love it! Katy and I are best friends. It sounds cheesy, but we have always wanted to start a business together. Who wouldn’t want to spend more time with their best friend?