Airport Carpet-Inspired Socks Are Now a Thing

Of all the memorable things you might see at an airport, from ping pong tables to sleeping pods, the carpet probably isn’t one that will stay lodged in your mind — unless you’re Jeremy Dunn, co-founder of The Athletic Community, a sports boutique and online retailer based in Portland, Oregon.

After noticing that many travelers were taking photos of the carpet at Portland International Airport (PDX), Dunn felt inspired. "We thought it would be funny, as cyclists, to make a whole cycling outfit with the carpet pattern, lay down on the floor, and take camouflage-type photos,” Dunn told Condé Nast Traveler. When an entire carpet-patterned outfit proved too costly to create, Dunn and his partners created just the socks — and a lucrative business idea was born.

That was back in 2013 and the socks were an immediate hit. In the years since, The Athletic Community has added socks and other products inspired by Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS) to their lineup, though technically the Boston and JFK socks are the same. “I was flying through Boston and JFK and noticed they had the same carpet,” Dunn recalled. “I thought it was funny since there is such a rivalry there, so it made sense to make socks for them.”

Prices start at $15 per pair. If you’re looking for more travel-loving style for your feet, take a look at TPG’s very own 747-inspired Jetsetter Sock, which you can purchase for $9 through Hue.

H/T: Condé Nast Traveler