Fox River Mills

During its first 60 years, Fox River manufactured socks, mittens and gloves primarily for hunters, fishermen and lumberjacks. In the early 1960s, Fox River extended its product line to include new and innovative styles and colors to keep pace with the expanding active sports market. Products such as their patented, award-winning, Wick Dry® socks, anatomical styles, a line of sport-specific socks designed to fit a woman’s foot, organic merino socks, products enhanced with all-natural bug repellents, and the latest socks made with the Ingeo™ a biodegradable, corn-based fiber, are examples of the many unique and creative products being developed for over a century by the Fox River team.

Their commitment to meet and exceed consumers’ expectations extends beyond their products and into the community in which they live, where Fox River’s dedication to environmental sustainability and community citizenship has made their knitting mill an international model for “green” companies. As part of a state-of-the-art environmental initiative in their hometown of Osage, Iowa, they have reduced energy costs more than 30%, and reduced their annual waste volume by more than 50% by recycling over half a million pounds of materials each year. Water-reclamation and heat recovery systems use water to heat or cool their facilities, and then reuse it in their industry-leading 100% biodegradable shrink-treating processes in the factory, saving both water and electricity without harming the environment. The company continues their proactive stance on energy conservation and environmental protection as they look toward the future not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it makes sense.

The growth and success of Fox River can be significantly credited to the efforts of the Lessard family. Joseph Lessard began working for Fox River in the 1940. Today, Joseph’s sons, John and Jeff, proudly manage the team of 300 talented, dedicated, long-term employees drawn from Osage and the surrounding communities who design, develop, produce and market their 800 products worldwide.

Fox River donates 1% of revenues on its eco-line of socks to 1% For The Planet, dedicated to minimizing our imprint on the earth. Fox River also donates 5% of sales on their women’s collection to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Fox River Mills began operations in 1900

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Fox River’s Good Earth collection made in styles to fit men and women feature new colors and designs and utilizes the company’s proprietary organic shrink process—which is so safe you could drink it.

In addition, Fox River has become a member of One Percent for the Planet, donating 1% of sales on its Good Earth collection to organizations dedicated to protecting the environment.

You can also purchase Fox River Mills directly from their website

Fox River was the first outdoor sock maker to make socks to truly fit a women's foot. The company blazed the trail in the industry with its innovative women-specific design.