Grab More Market Share: How to Wrangle Business Away from Lazy Competitors

Quality Socks Rock

Cabot Hosiery Mills, located in Northfield, Vermont, overcame its own unique challenge during the recession: a sock crisis. For 30 years, Cabot Hosiery had been a wholesale sock manufacturer providing private label athletic socks to retail chain stores like L.L. Bean, Bass, and Orvis, as well as to many of the big-box retailers. But in 2008, the economic slowdown meant deep cuts in every market, including the athletic socks niche.

However, to its great credit, Cabot was prepared. In the early 2000s, the company had made a survival move that would prove invaluable during the recession.

Rather than staying in the shadow of the private label lane, company CEO Ric Cabot and his team created a high-quality brand of their own, called “Darn Tough Vermont,” which were knit from 100 percent merino wool, Lycra, nylon, and elastic. Cabot says that the cushioning and material make these socks a perfect solution for skiers, snowboarders, bikers, hikers, hunters, runners, and everyone who wants a light, comfortable, warm, sock that wicks away moisture and wears like iron. Want even more from your sock? Okay, Darn Tough Vermont socks also come with a lifetime, money-back guarantee. Cabot says the fan mail has been staggering: “People say they've tried good socks before, but these are at a different level.”

As the world was trying to cut back and save money, third-generation sock man Cabot stuck to a contrarian approach. His opinion was that quality mattered even more in tough ...