Are HoC Glenmore socks not meant for the full-time wearer?

[auteurusa]

I suspect your hose may be wearing more quickly due to the way in which they are washed.

I used a concentrated liquid laundry detergent (specifically, Arm and Hammer brand) free of both perfume and dyes. I pulled new jeans that were less than a few weeks old out of the machine to discover holes in the fabric. I took the pants back to the retailer with my receipt for an even exchange believing the cotton to be substandard. Following one washing of the new pants and holes in the same area I exchanged this second pair with the patient retailer. The third new pair were washed with an older pair of jeans (by a different manufacture) and holes were found in the same areas along the outside of the pocket, which is not a high stress wear area. From this comparison of old and new with holes in the exact spots respectively it was determined the concentrated chemical had acted upon the oils and proteins left by my hands on the material. Though I had used the concentrate at the suggested dilution it had dissolved the fabric. Needless to say I switched detergent and have had no problem since.

I suggest switching to a lesser concentrated detergent, or washing hose by hand the way one would with a woolen or kilt. In fact, I hand wash my kilt hose in shampoo since wool is hair, and they have lasted for years. Anyway, wool or not try switching detergent.

[tundramanq]

You may have hit the nail. I use Cheer Free HE for everything but wool with no issues. For wool I use Woolite and the hand wash cycle and hang dry. Think of wool as hair, it is weakened when wet and easily damaged by detergents that will strip it of it's lanolin. Once stripped of this oil it becomes brittle.