Garantie en conformiteit

You will see stores advertise a guarantee measured in a fixed number of years. In the Netherlands that framing is misleading, because it suggests your rights start and stop on a fixed date. They do not. The test is conformity — conformiteit — and it is measured against what is reasonable for the specific product you bought.

For a pair of 8 denier sheer tights, reasonable expectation is measured in wears. For a 70 denier opaque pair it is measured in seasons. Neither of those is two years, and pretending both are would help nobody.

The distinction that matters is whether the fabric did something it should not have, or whether something was done to the fabric.

A ladder from catching the fabric is wear, not a fault. A seam coming apart on first wear is a fault.

This is wear, not a fault

• A ladder that starts where the fabric caught on a ring, a nail, a zip, a rough seat or a shoe.
• Thinning at the ball of the foot or the heel after repeated wear inside a shoe.
• A fine knit becoming looser at the knee over a long day. Every knitted leg does this to some degree.
• Reduced elasticity after many washes, particularly if fabric softener has been used — it coats elastane.

This is a fault

• A seam coming apart on the first wear.
• A ladder appearing on the first wear with no snag point, on a pair that was pulled on normally.
• A gusset seam that is stitched closed on one side, or a toe seam that is doubled over.
• A composition that does not match the label, or a denier that is materially different from the one stated.
• A silicone band that separates from the welt on first wear.
• Colour transferring onto skin or clothing under normal conditions.

If you are not sure which side of the line something falls on, send us a photograph. We would rather look than have you guess.

Where a fault appears within one year of delivery, it is presumed to have been present at delivery. It is for us to show that it was not, rather than for you to show that it was.

After that first year the presumption falls away, but your rights do not. You may then need to show that the fault existed at delivery — which is exactly why a photograph taken early is useful.

Where goods are not in conformity you can require repair or replacement, free of charge, within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience. For hosiery, replacement is almost always the practical remedy.

Where repair or replacement is impossible or disproportionate, or where we fail to do it within a reasonable time, you can require a proportionate price reduction or rescind the contract — unless the lack of conformity is only minor.

A remedy under conformity is separate from the 14-day right of withdrawal. The withdrawal right is for changing your mind. This page is for something being wrong.

The sealed-hosiery exception does not apply here. If a sealed pair is faulty, opening the seal does not cost you your rights.

We do not currently offer a separate commercial guarantee on top of your statutory rights. If we ever do, it will be stated on the product page, it will say plainly what it adds, and it will be in addition to the rights described here and never a substitute for them.

1. Email support@harcosocks.pics with your order reference, or call +31 13 5340553.
2. Send a photograph of the problem, and one of the composition label if you still have it.
3. We answer within two working days with either a decision or a request for the item back at our cost.
4. Where a claim is upheld we replace the item, or refund it if we cannot replace it. Return postage on an upheld claim is ours.

If we disagree with you, we will say so in writing and explain why. Consumer protection in the Netherlands is enforced by the Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM), which also publishes consumer guidance through ConsuWijzer. The Dutch civil courts are competent for disputes we cannot resolve between us.

None of this is a condition of your rights. It is what actually makes a pair last longer.

• Hand wash at 30 °C, or use a mesh bag on a delicate cycle.
• No fabric softener. It coats elastane and the leg stops recovering its shape.
• Dry flat, away from radiators and direct sun.
• Take rings off before pulling a fine knit on. Most first-wear ladders start there.
• Gather the leg and roll it on from the toe rather than pulling from the waistband.