TESCO is launching colourful Warrington-based Stand Out Socks at selected stores across the UK this October, to coincide with Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
The vibrant and meaningful F&F brand Stand Out Socks range will be available in over 200 large Tesco stores that have F&F clothing, presented on dedicated displays that will showcase the brand’s signature designs.
Stand Out Socks, a Warrington-based business co-founded by brothers Christian and Ross Laing, is committed to providing meaningful, paid employment for people with learning disabilities, creating opportunities for personal growth, independence, and community impact. As orders for Stand Out Socks grow, the company can continue its commitment to employing more people in roles across its business.
Previous figures showed that a proportion of just 4.8% of adults (aged 18-64) with a learning disability were in paid employment in England. At Stand Out Socks, with co-founder Ross and four other colleagues with Down Syndrome designing and packing the socks, they hope to help change that statistic. Stand Out Socks aims to be a catalyst for change, showing what is possible when individuals with a learning disability are given real opportunities in paid employment.
Tesco are a proud Disability Confident Leader (Level 3), and offer activities to get the right people for their business with programmes in place to attract, develop and retain disabled talent.
The socks will be priced from £5 for two pairs of Men’s and Women’s socks and £6 for three pairs of kids’ socks, and will be available in the following sizes:
• Women UK4-6 and UK6-10
• Men UK6-8 and UK9-12
• Kids UK12-3, UK4-5, UK6-8, UK9-12
The socks are designed to spark conversations about disability inclusion and raise awareness of Down Syndrome. Their bright, funky designs encourage dialogue, turning the wearer into an advocate. The initial 12 vibrant and colourful designs that will be available will include: sausage dogs, bows, cherries, eggs, sunflowers, planets and sushi.
F&F exclusively for Tesco partnering with Stand Out Socks is a celebration of diversity and inclusion, and reinforces its support for all its customers, colleagues and communities. The Tesco Disability Network is the colleague voice, ensuring that every decision made considers those with a disability. Listening to colleagues and supporting them with adjustments is at the heart of the Tesco network, working closely with teams to guide and help.
Alice Duggan, Tesco’s Head of Buying at F&F Clothing, said: “We are incredibly proud to introduce Stand Out Socks to our customers. Discovering the brand and its mission was important to colleagues across F&F. We believe in the power of businesses that really make a difference, and Stand Out Socks does just that – creating opportunities and celebrating diversity.”
Christian Laing, Co-Founder & Director at Stand Out Socks, said: “Launching into Tesco during Down Syndrome Awareness Month is a really special moment for us. Our goal has always been to create meaningful, paid work for people with Down Syndrome, and now thousands of customers across the UK will see and celebrate our socks. Every pair sold helps spark conversations about inclusion and shows what’s possible when people with learning disabilities are given real opportunities.”
The brand received recognition and investment in the business following their appearance on BBC Dragon’s Den in 2024, receiving offers from four of the five Dragons, finally partnering with Steven Bartlett and Peter Jones.
Steven Bartlett – Stand Out Socks Investor, said: “Congratulations to Ross, Natalie, Christian and the team at Stand Out Socks on securing their Tesco retail partnership. They are now stocked in the UK’s biggest supermarket! Stand Out Socks are a special company. Ross was the first entrepreneur with Down syndrome to secure investment on Dragons’ Den and the company now directly employs five individuals with Down syndrome in paid roles. Since launching, they’ve raised over £30,000 for local and national charities and they are breaking down barriers, championing inclusion, and creating opportunities for people with Down syndrome – this is what it’s all about!”
