Few can say they’ve been in the sock manufacturing business for nearly 30 years, but Kelly Nester, the visionary behind Farm to Feet, has been sewing and slinging socks since 1996.
Born and bred in North Carolina, a state deeply rooted in the textile industry with mills dotting the landscape since the 1800s, Kelly found himself floundering as a young classical guitar major while studying at UNC Greensboro.
At 24 years old and 30 credits shy of completing his degree, Kelly went to work for his uncle Marty, who had recently established Nester Hosiery, a sock manufacturing business in Mount Airy, NC.
“I decided to join the cause for socks,” Kelly laughed. And in his playful words, he has been “counting socks” ever since.
In its early years, Nester Hosiery remained busy making unfinished, cotton crew socks on first-generation, belt-driven machinery. But before long, the brand expanded their production by adding more sophisticated knitting machines which increased their capabilities to craft all types of socks, including those made with merino wool.
After successfully supplying socks to big name retailers for nearly two decades, Farm to Feet joined the Nester family in 2013. “We wanted to have something really special from a quality standpoint,” Kelly said of the brand. “But we wanted even more than that.”
The recipe for Farm to Feet was simple. From materials, to manufacturing, to packaging, to point of sale, the brand draws entirely from American suppliers.
Like the farm-to-table movement, Farm to Feet is a model in sustainability through its controlled and visible supply chain. It’s this story and transparency in manufacturing that resonates with its customers, Kelly said.
Farm to Feet’s high performance socks start with its American-made merino wool, sourced from the American Sheep Industry’s 100,000 ranchers sprinkled across the American West.
“The attributes of U.S. wool are ideal,” Kelly explained. “It has more crimp and springiness than others, and makes for wonderful socks.”
Thanks to those natural crimps, merino wool is top in its class for regulating temperature. The wavy fibers trap heat to provide insulation in cold weather, while at the same time wick moisture to keep feet cool and dry in warm conditions.
Once the muck, grease, and vegetable matter is washed away, the “wool tops” are sent to yarn spinners in South Carolina who meticulously spin the wool into thicknesses unique to sock making. After spinning and later dying the fiber, it makes its way back to Farm to Feet’s Mount Airy headquarters for knitting, packaging, and finally distribution.
The sock’s seamless toe closure applies an advanced knitting technique creating a totally flat connection in the toe box, reducing bunching and eliminating blister-causing friction. The deep heel pockets add to its durability and the targeted cushioning adds comfort in all the right places.
Vetted by notable thru-hikers like brand ambassador Jennifer Pharr Davis, the quality of Farm to Feet’s merino-made socks are second to none.
“Be it on the trail, in the snow or for tactile use, you’re not gonna get anything better than merino,” Kelly said.
Five days a week, three shifts a day, the knitting machines adorned with colorful spindles are actively spinning. The scene is striking, Kelly said. “How fast everything is going around, how technically advanced the machinery is, how dialed in it has to be, it’s definitely impressive.”
With 200 team members, including three of Kelly’s own brothers, Nester Hosiery remains a family-owned firm even today. “We strongly believe we make the most durable and most comfortable wool sock for hiking, while having as little impact on the environment as possible. It’s a competitive market space, and I take pride in that we’ve maintained that for 12 years.”
Originally from Alaska, Maria currently resides in Montana with her husband, two young daughters and chocolate lab named Echo. When she’s not chasing her kids or that next running goal, you can find her weekend-warrioring in the mountains or thinking about her next cup of coffee.
