It’s the biggest household mystery out there.
Why do socks go missing?
Sock Geeks recently commissioned* research that showed that 1 in 3 of us have four or more odd socks in our sock drawer. Why so many?
Previous research** has also shown that the average Brit loses 15 socks per year. That’s over a billion socks that go missing in the UK each year.
Even scientists have tried to solve this mystery. It resulted in the creation of possibly the most important formula since E=MC^2. The Sock Loss Index...
SLI = (L+C)-(P x A)
This was created by psychologist Dr Simon Moore and statistician Geoff Ellis. Where L equals laundry size, C equals washing complexity, P equals the positivity towards doing laundry and A equals how much attention you pay while doing the washing.
But there could be more than mathematical equations at play. Let's consider the unsung heroes of our household routines: the washing machine and the laundry room.
Your trusty washing machine, that remarkable appliance we depend on, might inadvertently play a role. Especially in front-loading machines, the elusive rubber gasket has a knack for seizing smaller items like socks during the spin cycle, leaving you with unmatched pairs. The drain pump, another unsuspecting culprit, could very well swallow up a sock and take it on an unplanned adventure.
However, it's not just the machines; it's the environment too. The laundry room, often a bustling zone, might contribute to the mystery. While folding laundry, it's easy for smaller items like socks to escape our attention and end up as orphaned socks. The static cling phenomenon adds another layer of complexity, with socks sometimes clinging to larger clothing items or even the machine's interior.
And then there's the lint trap, a common hideout for stray items. Socks can become entangled in its mesh during the washing process, leading to a mismatched pair or the search for a missing sock.
In a world where small items like socks often seem to have a mind of their own, we invite you to explore the endless possibilities and embrace the uniqueness of every pair.
Not that we'd ever advocate fake news... but our personal opinions is that there's actually a sock fairy (a cousin of the tooth fairy... one of the few breeds of fairy where they're actually celebrated for theft).
Nonetheless, in honour of Lost Sock Memorial Day 2023 we’re offering 20% off all Sock Geeks subscriptions. Simply use code LOSTSOCKS at checkout
Try our free Sock Personality quiz here and decide what socks are best for you.
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