WELLSBORO — Jennie Lusk wants your old, holey, worn-out socks, and she wants them by Sunday, April 24.
Lusk’s company, Wild Asaph Outfitters, is once again participating in Smartwool’s Second Cut project in honor of Earth Day, April 22.
“We decided to get involved because personally I’m trying to reduce my footprint on Earth,” Lusk said. “We are always trying to look for ways to recycle what we have and reduce our use of other materials, especially plastics.”
All socks of all brands, colors, sizes and materials are accepted. The only requirement is that the socks are clean.
Sock donors are asked to unroll/unpair the socks and remove any other materials before depositing the socks in the brown cardboard box with the sock cut-out next to the cash register at 71 Main Street.
This is the second year that Smartwool has organized the Second Cut Project and the second time that Wild Asaph has taken part. It’s important to build a circularity system to reduce landfill materials, Lusk said. For example, only 12% of clothing materials are recycled and socks are among the most discarded items of clothing.
“Whether you believe in global warming or not, we always know that our resources are limited and it is better to live in harmony with the world,” Lusk said.
In 2021, Wild Asaph collected 120 pounds of unwanted socks. In total, Smartwool recycled 7,514 pounds of socks from 280 donors for the 2021 fundraising contest. That’s 45,624 socks.
Lusk will send the collected socks to Smartwool where they will be ground up and used to create new materials, such as dog beds. Lusk is hoping to top last year’s total.
Fundraising for the Second Cut Project began on April 11 and will continue until Sunday, April 24. There is no cost to participate; Smartwool bears the shipping costs.
“This is not a program that only affects our customers. This is a program that affects everyone who wears socks,” she said. “Bring us your laundry orphans and we’ll recycle them.”
For more information, contact Wild Asaph Outfitters at 570-724-5155.