A few weeks ago I exhibited at The Gentlemen's Expo in Toronto. For those of you who missed it, the expo focused on the modern man. Exhibits included menswear products, exotic cars, food and alcohol tastings, architecture and a number of discussions series focused on men's issues. As I perused the floor, I came across Cole & Parker, a Canadian sock brand with plans to expand into the states. Their exhibit caught my eye because of their very colorful sock selection. I purchased two pair, one called The Corporate Ladder and the other called The Philanthropist.

Listed online for $24 per pair, Cole & Parker's prices are twice as expensive as U.S. competitors Happy Socks and Mack Weldon. The materials are virtually identical across the brands and the styling is very similar. So what sets Cole & Parker apart? Their mission is to help entrepreneurs globally:

Cole and Parker was founded based on a vision to create an intelligent, sustainable business that clothes the entrepreneur while using our passions of giving to support entrepreneurs worldwide. We partnered with Kiva, a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of micro finance institutions, Kiva has successfully facilitated over 400 million dollars of loans with a 99% repayment rate. Proceeds from each purchase of our socks is loaned to support entrepreneurs in poverty. So literally, purchasing a few pairs of socks can start multiple start ups around the world. And that is how our socks start businesses, thus the one for many business model.

If you're in the market for some new socks you should definitely check out Cole & Parker. Buy an attractive pair of socks and help support global entrepreneurs!