SmartWool was born with comfort in mind. It's founders were New England ski instructors struggling to keep their feet warm. After trying a variety of materials, they rediscovered an age-old classic: wool. But while these socks may have been warm, they were itchy and shrank easily. So they worked on a process to make them soft and easy care. SmartWool was born on a simple belief: keeping feet comfortable on the hills and slopes. Fueling this is the company’s commitment to using only the finest wool in the world: New Zealand merino, which produce the softest, strongest and whitest wool on the planet. The company has built intimate, long-standing relationships with its growers, who are in tune with their land and sheep and have become great partners in growing the best wool possible.