Calgary Sock Venture Celebrates One Million Donated Pairs A local sock startup and its founders detail their journey from basement beginnings to a one‑million‑pair donation milestone, emphasizing the company's commitment to social impact through charitable giving. A Calgary‑based social enterprise is marking a remarkable milestone: it has donated its first million pairs of socks to Canadian charity partners. Sock Rocket, which launched in 2016, was founded by brothers Tommy and Joey Zizian with a clear dual‑purpose aim - to run a profitable business while actively serving the community. The brothers note that the concept was simple: design and sell playful, high‑quality socks, and for every pair sold, provide three matching pairs to Canadian organisations that reach populations in need. Over the past decade the firm has partnered with a variety of agencies. The list on their website includes women's emergency shelters, Kids Cancer Care, crisis nurseries, refugee support groups and other organisations that provide clothing to the less fortunate.From Basement To Business Growth"Anything where the client base is in need of clothing - we're there to support that," Tommy says. "The goal is to show that you can derive profit and meaning from the same endeavour. " Like many small businesses, Sock Rocket was born out of a humble setting. In the early days the company operated out of Tommy's basement before moving to a rented storage locker.The siblings describe the evolution to a full‑staff operation as "quite wild" but inspirational. Today they employ designers, salespeople, marketing specialists and logistics personnel who work together to keep production lines moving and to deliver socks to those in the most pressing need.Corporate Sales Fund Social Mission"The people on the ground deliver the real social impact," Joey explains. Beyond their core mission of charitable socks, Sock Rocket now offers custom sock designs for corporate clients of all sizes. Businesses can commission sets that feature brand logos, tags or themed designs, turning footwear into a conversation starter and a unique marketing tool. The revenue generated from these contracts helps sustain the company's donation program and fuels further expansion.One of Sock Rocket's earliest long‑term partners is the Calgary‑based charity Be The Change YYC, founded by Chaz Smith. Smith recalls the early relationship, describing how the baby‑step outreach began when sock deliveries were carried in wagons around downtown to meet the charity's visitors. As the charity grew, so did the demand for socks.Chaz Smith On Dignity And Socks"When you're experiencing homelessness, you're often walking all day and all night, or working, and unable to shower consistently or do laundry. It is a dignity issue to be able to put on a clean fresh pair of socks," Smith says. The organisation's receipt of thousands of socks has allowed them to help many in the community to feel better grounded and cared for. The milestone fits neatly into the brothers' larger vision.Their current focus is to double the figure, with a target of two million donated pairs by 2030. Tommy and Joey see the project as a testament to social entrepreneurship - a business model that demonstrates simultaneously how to do well financially and do good socially. They are grateful to CTV News for covering their progress and excited to keep pushing for another million pairs of socks to make a tangible difference in the lives of residents across Canada.