(105) David Katz: swaggr socks

David helped create more sustainable socks made from recyclable materials. Can what you put on your feet help make the world a better place? And more importantly, is that cool?

Get your own pair of swaggr socks here.

Listen to David’s idea from Episode 105 of How Cool Is This? and read a transcript of the full 5 minute podcast episode below:

BRIAN: Nick, you just heard an idea from David about socks made from recycled material. How cool was that?

NICK: I definitely love a good pair of socks and if a pair of socks can simultaneously make my feet feel comfortable and also help make the world a more comfortable place to live, I think that's pretty cool.

BRIAN: This is one of those ideas that seems like it was put into like a cool machine. It seems too cool to be true. We’re recycling. It's good for the earth. It's comfortable. It's one size fits all. It's cool socks. Everybody loves cool socks.

NICK: If someone were to listen to all of our past episodes and be like “What's an idea that I'm going to put on this podcast that I know Brian and Nick are going to think is cool?” It would be this.

What do you think about the idea of a one size fits all sock? That's one of those things that I hear and I'm like, yeah, that sounds nice, but there's no way that's true.

BRIAN: Yeah, I guess it's just a small sock that stretches out a lot. Which, you know, that's cool.

NICK: You know, it's not like my feet are, that big.

BRIAN: Oh, well, I'll tell you mine are.

NICK: I just don't know how comfortable it would be. Stretch out a sock that could also fit a child onto my foot. It’s something that I think I would have to try. And if you know, swaggr socks wants to send us a few pairs to test run. I think I'd be happy to do so.

BRIAN: Yeah, that might be a rebuttal episode waiting to happen.

NICK: What do you think about the name swaggr socks? I do think that if you have an idea this unimpeachably cool, having some confidence built into the name makes sense.

BRIAN: It sounds like you'd be associated with a product that thinks it's cool, but isn't, but this is a product that thinks it's cool. Knows it's cool.

NICK: Right. When I think of swagger or at least, self appointed swagger, it feels like more style than substance to me. So it is kind of an interesting contrast to have a name that's so rooted in flash, but be so focused on function.

BRIAN: And not just one function, but any function. Is it cool to have a sock that you could wear while working out or on the couch?

NICK: You know, right now I feel like I almost have too many pairs of socks because I need my workout socks. I need my fancy socks. I need my lounging around the house socks.

BRIAN: You know, it was Jobs who used to wear the same shirt every day to reduce decision fatigue, but you never did hear about his socks selection.

NICK: People talk a lot about, what genius is or what genius wears, but we really don't hear about their socks.

BRIAN: Yeah, we need to normalize talking about geniuses socks.

NICK: I'm not nearly having enough conversations about socks in my daily life.

BRIAN: As a consumer. I feel better when I purchase products that say they're good for the environment. So I would feel cool buying these off.

NICK: If you could make your customer feel cool about buying something from you? You’ve got a pretty cool product.

BRIAN: It’s cool to help other people feel cool.

Listen to a 5 minute episode of How Cool Is This? on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else you find podcasts.