Washington, D.C. — Buy as many dirty socks as you can— bro’s smelly socks might be the next big inflation story.

In a bizarre twist of politics-meets-footwear, President Trump’s proposed tariffs on imported goods have stumbled into a surprising battleground: used socks. A federal judge has temporarily slammed the brakes on the tariffs, but insiders say the fight isn’t over.

Why socks? Because a huge chunk of the world’s socks are churned out in overseas factories across China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. If tariffs eventually take hold, the cost of new pairs could spike—and that trickles down to the used sock market: the booming trade of pre-worn socks.

On niche marketplaces like MaleThingsWorn, men are already hawking their stinky socks for an average of $30 a pair, with the top listings climbing as high as $65 per pair. That’s more than some people pay for dress shoes!

For buyers, it’s not about cotton quality—it’s about authenticity of smell. For sellers, it’s side hustle gold. But if tariffs send fresh socks soaring in price, most men who resell socks tend to buy higher quality, premium fitting socks, that are form fitting to the feet. However, this could suddenly become… an investment piece.

“Look, if new pairs rise above $15 or $25, the used market is gonna follow,” one seller posted on a fetish forum. “Buyers will pay more because everyone’s costs are going up. Supply and demand, baby.”

The Judge’s Pause

For now, buyers and sellers can breathe easy. The judge’s decision to stall Trump’s tariffs means sock prices are safe—for now. But if the legal battle tilts the other way, your next pack of socks at Nike—or your next special delivery from a seller online—could cost a whole lot more.