Meet Catenya McHenry of SoleMate Sox

Today we’d like to introduce you to Catenya McHenry.

Hi Catenya, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
SoleMate Sox was born from pure frustration. As a single Mom of three children, who are now teenagers, I couldn’t understand the mystery of single and missing socks on laundry day. Nearly everyone I know that wears socks has lost them somewhere along the way and they can relate to the phenomenon of single socks. I thought it astonishing that the sock industry is a multi-billion dollar industry producing millions of pairs of socks every year but there’s nothing to keep them together? That fact blew me away, so I set out to find a solution. I searched the mall, online, and anywhere I could think of for some kind of gadget that kept socks together. I had even seen life hacks where some would use clothes pins and safety pins to keep them together but those ideas weren’t enough.

Early on, I didn’t know that person was me and I didn’t know that I could be the inventor- the thought had not crossed my mind until it did. What I did know was that I’m a problem-solver and I work on things until they are solved, sometimes to my own detriment but I knew this problem was something that scores of people experience, so like most entrepreneurs, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

I began with loss of research about various ways to keep socks together and asking a series of questions- was that a separate gadget or was there a way to build the solution into the product? I didn’t want to create extra steps for consumers. I wanted the product to be “the” solution. After 18 months of research and development, I created and invented the world’s first patent-pending magnetic sock solution for lost and single socks.

But I wanted to take it a step further and create a fantastic, engaging experience for our customers. I wanted our Sox lovers to be excited about pulling their socks out of the dryer for two reasons- excited because their SoleMate Sox were together and not lost and two, excited because our Sox are fun, joyful and a dream to wear. During the R&D phase, I spent a significant amount of time studying the sustainability and longevity of various threads and materials. After months of research, studying nature, thread sampling, product samples, and product testing, I fell in love with the super soft fibers and behaviors of bamboo and decided to knit nature’s best into our Sox. Bamboo is not only eco-friendly, it’s antimicrobial and anti-fungal. They are moisture-wicking, keeping your feet dry all day. Their antimicrobial nature kills bacteria that cause foot funk and they get softer each wash and wear. I wanted to take it a step further though to construct the best Sox on the market. Not only do our Sox stay together but they are also knitted with an extra-cushioned footbed, a reinforced heel and toe, arch-support, and a sag-free sock top so your pairs don’t slide down your legs. I wanted to think of everything I could and incorporate feedback from sock lovers around the globe about what makes the best pair of Sox.

I am now proud of the little black-owned Sox shop I created that also involves my children. They not only help with operations but they have also designed several of our pairs.

At SoleMate Sox, we believe in love. We believe in happiness. We believe in contagious joy. We believe in the sensational experience that love creates, and we believe in communicating that passion through vivacious and fun, colorful Sox.

Our core team is an all-woman team of hopeful romantics who believe it’s possible to find your life’s soulmate – when you know, you just know, there’s an instant connection. The same is true for SoleMate Sox, where every sock has a SoleMate.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road. The process of creating a product sounds easy but the real struggle is manufacturing and finding what you want and affordably in the U.S and funding your idea and invention. Many entrepreneurs use Kickstarter, Indiegogo or some other platform, and while I had ambition and what I thought was strong marketing, I didn’t reach my fundraising goal on Kickstarter so I didn’t receive the funds. Later, I tried Indiegogo and didn’t reach my goal there either. I did get some of the funds but it wasn’t enough so I ended up self-funding.

My first production went great but after the first run, my manufacturer stop returning messages and couldn’t produce the fun colorful socks that I envisioned. That stalled my company and I wasn’t prepared to start over but I was forced to.
Being forced to seek out another manufacturer was a painstaking process that took another year but it did lead me to something better. I found another U.S. manufacturer had a great five year run with them but just this past January, they sent me a message I wasn’t prepared for. As I was submitting my spring collection for production, they let me know that they wouldn’t be manufacturing my Sox any longer mainly because my small shop is too small and they are favoring other larger companies with larger minimum orders. It was devastating because I had not prepared for this snag but as a problem-solver, I had to figure out a way because I believe failure is not final

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
SoleMate Sox are magnetic socks that stay together in the laundry, eliminating lost and single socks. SoleMate Sox is now the world’s first patent-pending magnetic socks invention that stay together on laundry day! Each pair is designed and knitted with love from BAMBOO which makes each pair super soft, moisture-wicking, anti-fungal + anti-microbial, with an extra cushion footbed, arch support + reinforced heel + toe. What sets us apart from others is that SoleMate Sox is the only patent-pending sock solution on the market that keeps socks together and for that reason, I am very proud of what we’ve created. Millions can relate to the phenomenon and frustration of lost and single socks. Our pairs remove the frustration and put joy into sock sorting because you don’t have to if you wear SoleMate Sox. In our company, every sock has a solemate.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Working with us is easy. We love the art community and several times a year, we collaborate with an artist to create an exclusive limited collection. We love the way art and imagination can be expressed through garments and socks are no exception. We also welcome any collaboration with retail and wholesale customers. It’s as easy as sending us an email to love@solematesox.com.
We are passionate about giving back to our community as well. One of the facts we take to heart is that socks are one of the top three most requested items in homeless shelters and with our homeless friends. We donate hundreds of pairs each year to our friends living on the streets, homeless shelters and those charities serving homeless populations. Your purchase helps fund our efforts.

Pricing:

• $22- adults crew sox
• $12- adult ankle sox
• $7-$15- kids crew sox
• $7-$12- kids ankle sox

Contact Info:

• Email: love@solematesox.com
• Website: https://www.solematesox.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solemate_sox/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/solematesox
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/solematesox
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiBkYGADezsP_K-fgHBN9b4VD5bQD1i4e

Image Credits
SoleMate Sox