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Our newest designs, exclusively yours

First Edition socks won’t be available anywhere else for at least two months. Our subscription socks are made to order, just for you.

We’ll ship anywhere in the world

We’re shipping First Edition socks directly from our knitting mill, and we can send them to wherever you are.

You’re in control

Every month you’ll get an email from us. You can choose one pair, choose several, or choose none. No pressure, no games, just great socks. (And for every ten you buy, we’ll give you credit for a pair free.)

And, all First Edition socks are $22  plus $3 for US and $6 for international shipping. You won’t find these prices on our socks anywhere else!

How this works

First Editions Timeline Part 1
First Editions Timeline Part 2
First Editions Timeline Part 3

First Edition Socks for July Subscribers

Vive la France! We celebrate all things French, in time for Bastille Day with our revolutionary Fleur-de-lis design in colorways Paris, in black and neutral tones, and Versaille, sporting a lush, warm palette. In addition, we present a new Venetian Stripe in brilliant reds.

Subscribe for yourself

A different first edition design every month from XOAB.
You get to choose what you receive.

My subscription

Send a gift subscription

Just give us your recipient’s email address,
and we’ll take care of the details.

Gift Subscriptions

Production

A great deal of care goes into creating our socks; Mike owns the mill in Hickory, North Carolina hosting our knitting machines and fixing them, Martha runs first shift and does our quality control and packaging, James is the second-shift knitter. Dennis and Jan run the company upstairs that does our wet finishing. Neil creates our designs, and Rick manages our operations.

All XOAB First Edition socks are made to order. We start knitting on the 8th of each month and we’ll ship the socks to you in the last week of the month.

Each XOAB First Edition sock is marked with a unique knitted code guaranteeing provenance back to a specific, limited-production run, identifying the materials used and the knitting pattern.

We use US-grown, spun and custom-dyed extra-long-staple cotton and domestic 18.5 micron Merino wool and add American-made nylon yarn for durability and spandex to help our socks stay up and conform gently to your leg and foot.

First Edition Schedule

You can choose your First Edition socks for each month and make changes to your selections beginning on the 8th of the prior month up until the 7th day of the subscription month. For instance, July sock choices can be made starting on June 8 up until the end of July 7.

On day 8, we charge your credit card or debit your sock credits. After we charge your account, you won’t be able to make any more changes to that month’s selections.

Refunds

After we charge your credit card on the 8th of each month, your socks go into production. We are not obligated to make any refund after we charge your credit card or debit your sock credits.

When you give a gift subscription, refunds are not possible starting 24 hours before we send the recipient email notification of the gift.

Problems

If you have any problems with our site, the subscription process or your sock delivery, please get in touch with us by email, at rickandneil@xoab.us . We’ll do our best to help you and to make it right.

Packaging and Shipping

First Edition socks are wrapped in black tissue paper and packed in a teal blue shipping envelope. By not using our retail gift boxes we can keep the subscription price lower.

We’ll ship each pair of First Edition socks in its own envelope. For large orders, we may pack pairs together, in their envelopes, in a box, but mostly each pair of subscription socks will be mailed to you in a separate package.

We use the US Postal Service to ship your socks. US orders will usually arrive 2-3 days after we ship. International orders will take longer; unfortunately we can’t predict processing times through customs.

Our current shipping prices are $3 within the 50 US States, and $6 anywhere else in the world served by the USPS. The prices are an average of our actual costs, depending on the destination. We may adjust the prices we charge as our shipping rates change, but only for new purchases.

First Edition Credits

For each pair of socks you buy, whether for yourself or for a gift, we’ll give you one First Edition sock credit. Sock credits can be used to buy socks for yourself, for someone else, or to start a gift subscription. 10 sock credits can be redeemed for one free pair of socks. When you choose your monthly socks, you can opt to use your credits or pay with a credit card, or a combination of both.

You must have 10 credits to exchange for a pair of socks. You cannot use fewer than 10 credits to pay for a fraction of a pair of socks and pay for the remainder of the pair with a credit card.

Your credits will not expire. They’re good until you spend them. They are “transferable,” either by sending socks to someone else, or by sending a gift subscription.

First Edition credits are not redeemable for cash. For credits purchased as a gift subscription, we will not refund their purchase price.

First Edition credits include shipping charges. 10 credits get you a pair of socks anywhere in the world. (Read about gift subscriptions and paying for shipping, below.)

Our Guarantee

We guarantee our socks. If you have a problem with them, or are displeased for any reason, contact us at rickandneil@xoab.us , and we’ll do our best to make it right.

Gift Subscriptions

When you give a gift subscription, we put sock credits in your recipient’s XOAB account, 10 credits for each pair you buy for them. They can spend the credits in any way they choose; one pair per month, several pairs in a month, or skipping months if they don’t see socks they like. (They can also use the credits to send socks to someone else, or start a gift subscription. Try it!)

When you send a gift subscription, we will charge your credit card or debit your sock credits when you create the subscription. You may choose to have us send an email to the recipient of the subscription at a date after you create the subscription, but we will charge your card or debit your sock credits immediately.

Shipping is included in a gift subscription. When you set up the subscription and pay with a credit card, we’ll ask you whether the recipient is in the US or abroad, and charge you appropriately.

Automatic Delivery

In your subscription profile, you’ll find an option you can turn on to send you socks automatically, based on the color and size preferences you select. On the first of every month, we’ll send you a note reminding you that if you don’t do anything, a pair of socks will be sent to you. You can still sign in to your account before the 8th day of the month and remove the automatic pair, or choose others. Automatic delivery is turned OFF by default.

Sizing

Our Regular size will fit most people, from a US Women’s shoe size of 6 to a US Men’s 11. Our Large size overlaps that range, from US Men’s 10 to 14. If you’re taller, or want a slightly higher sock, the Large is also about an inch longer in the leg.

Care

XOAB socks can be machine-washed. Turn the socks inside-out, wash in cold water, and tumble dry on medium heat.

Thanks

If you’ve read this far, you’re either patient or really curious about our subscription program. Thank you for your time! If you have any questions or comments about our First Edition service or suggestions to make it better, drop us a note at rickandneil@xoab.us .