All of our toques are made from new or used hockey socks and the collection and transformation of the sock to our toque is how we have sustained production since day one. In 2019 we had an average of 4-8 socks per person that donated, and a record of over 30 socks from one amazing donor. We really focused our energy on collecting as many socks as possible with the goal of donating as many as we could. We are committed to seizing this opportunity and making a sustainable way for new toques to be given to the over 35,000 Canadians in need. Every toque that you purchase helps us get one step closer to this goal.
The idea for our hockey sock toque all started when Matt played hockey back when he was a kid. After a game, he was putting his equipment away when he put a hockey sock on his head as a joke and wore it around the house. This gave him the idea to turn it into a toque, and with a mom who was an avid sewer, she made everything happen. As he also wanted to own his own business in the future, he held onto the idea but didn’t know what to do with it.
Fast forward to high school in one of his business classes, he had to make a business plan and deliver a presentation about a unique idea. The original concept was to exchange a person’s socks for a hockey sock style toque that they could take home that used to be their own. This idea transferred to what is now the social aspect of the business, taking in used hockey socks and giving them a new purpose.
That was about as far as the idea would develop until his second year of university at McMaster. During the summer while taking some summer classes with his friend Casey, they discussed starting a business together and they brainstormed all the ideas they have ever come up with. When Matt mentioned the reusing of the hockey sock and turning it into a toque, they built off of it and Toques From The Heart was born.
From there they decided to have two separate lines of toques, the ones that they sell, and ones that they give. The two different toques are essential to our operations as we can keep the sustainable practice of re-using and transforming of used hockey socks to connect the hockey community to homeless Canadians in need while also ensuring a consistent product for the customers. (check out our how it's made page to see what the differences are!).
Do you still accept hockey sock donations?