We’re excited to share that 2023 marks our fourth official (!!!) sock release in collaboration with the Canadian Down Syndrome Society. Hooray! This Fall, we’re introducing a brand new design in both adults and kids sizes, and we’re hoping to raise another $12,000 to support the CDSS in their mission.
Fun fact: our CDSS socks have raised over $28,000 since they were first released in 2021!
Have you ever wondered how these mismatched socks go from a vision to, well, an actual sock? If so, you’re in luck! Two of our talented designers, Tamara and Salma, are letting us into their heads to reveal just how they created our CDSS 2023 Down Syndrome Fundraiser Socks - and the steps they went through along the way!
Q: When you’re designing a new sock, where do you start?
Tamara: I always first think about the end user and what the intention of the sock is. In this case, we wanted something bold and bright that complimented our other CDSS designs but still stood out. Working with the Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS) was a natural collaboration for us, since mismatched socks are already worn in the community and it was something we wanted to support and bring attention to the best we can.
Salma: Similarly, I always start by thinking about who will be wearing the socks, and what vibe we want to give off. We wanted these socks to give off a bright and colourful vibe, and to make a connection to Down Syndrome with the 21 stripes for the 21 chromosomes. Overall, our goal was to create a pair of socks that were super fun and bright!
Q: How long does it take for a sock to go from an initial idea to a wearable item?
Tamara: It totally depends. With the CDSS socks we do all sizes (Men’s, Women’s and Kids) so it has to be able to translate to all the different sock sizes and still look good. Plus, our kids' socks come in 3’s instead of pairs, so we had to develop an additional design for that which was an extra challenge. .
Salma: It’s different every time- sometimes the design comes together really easily and sometimes it requires several iterations to get it just right. It’s a different situation every single time we create a new design, which makes it really fun!
Q: What changes did you make from the 2022 to the 2023 version of the CDSS sock, and why?
Salma: Instead of starting with the 2022 sock and making changes, we actually started completely from scratch. We used similar colours, but wanted to make a whole new design- something fresh!
Tamara: We kept the stripes and kept to a similar colour palette, but they’re put together in a whole new way. We like to totally reimagine the design so that every year it’s something new. This year, we added hearts into the sock design. This variety in design provides our customers with plenty of options!
Q: What’s your favourite thing about this new design?
Tamara: The use of hearts. I think this aspect is a very literal representation of love that really speaks to our intention to support CDSS and the Down Syndrome community in general!
Salma: The hearts are my favourite feature of this design too- they are such a cute addition!
100% of the proceeds go towards the Canadian Down Syndrome Society and their mission to further human rights, health, social participation, inclusive education, and employment for those with Down Syndrome.
There’s nothing better than supporting a great cause and having the coolest socks in the room!