The History of the Sock Monkey

Anyone who has a baby will tell you about a dozen teddy bears you receive! But, it's always great to receive something a little different and unique and Sock Monkeys fit the bill.

Both children and adults love soft stuffed animal toys. There are an unlimited amount of soft plush toys to choose from, such as stuffed teddy bears, plush cats, plush dogs, plush elephants, plush giraffes, and many other plush animals. The plush monkey is a favorite, but in recent years, the sock monkey has started to become more fashionable than the traditional, brown-furred stuffed monkey.

Why? Well, they’re simply so much more charming!

A sock monkey is a stuffed toy made from grey socks in the shape of a monkey. Socks come in an unlimited array of colors and styles, and so sock monkeys can take on any color scheme they like. They have remained popular throughout history. Sock monkeys have become an icon for many young children due to a series of comic books and children’s books by American cartoonist Tony Millionaire.

History Of The Sock Monkey

The sock monkeys emerged in 1932, the year the Nelson Knitting Company of Rockford, Illinois. These socks are knitted seamless socks in grey and white with the red heal that makes the mouth on a sock monkey.

Several methods for dating sock monkeys have been debated by collectors, including the shape of the red heel, the tightness of the weave, sock seams, the style of clothing worn, and other features. The term "vintage" red-heel sock monkeys are typically assigned to sock monkeys made from red-heel socks knitted by the Nelson Knitting Company and from similar socks knitted with red-heels by other companies at the time. The term "modern" red-heel sock monkeys are normally relegated to sock monkey dolls created after Fox River Mills, Inc.(Osage, IA) acquired Nelson Knitting Company in 1992.

The love of sock monkeys has led them to become some of the best gifts of many special occasions— from birthdays, anniversaries, to graduations. Their images now are seen in photography, books, greeting cards, movies, and more.

Sock monkeys remain to be a popular toy to this day. Sock monkeys are still popular with children of all ages. Pennington Bear Co. offers sock monkeys in their collegiate and regular collections. Their come in a variety of sizes and styles! You can find a sock monkey backpack, sock monkey hat, or even a full-sized sock monkey. If you need a sock monkey for special occasions, Pennington Bear Co. can also create a custom sock monkey for you!

Get yours today!