A story about pile-knit socks made with great care
I never thought I'd be so troubled by socks.
Affordable socks that don't compromise on quality.
It took a year and a half to finally complete them.
I don't often speak passionately about my creations, but I've poured so much time and effort into these that I'd like to share a little.
Every time I went to America, I'd buy a 6-pack of RAILROAD SOCKS. They had just the right thickness and looseness. Although they'd wear out quickly after washing, I'd been wearing these white ribbed RAILROAD socks every day for the past few years.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. It became difficult to travel abroad, and my stock was running low. That's when I thought, "Why don't I make them myself?" That was the catalyst, and from there, I began development with Tamai Shoten, a company in Nara Prefecture that has been in business since the Meiji era.
At first, I was determined to create a pair that compromised neither on raw materials nor manufacturing methods. My goal was to create an updated version of the RAILROAD sock: soft yet durable, with just the right thickness. I wanted to use undyed organic cotton and avoid using polyester yarn for the Marlon yarn needed for kickback. I aimed for socks that wouldn't lose their shape, just by adjusting the gauge and density.
But this proved difficult.
The yarn was too soft and would lose its shape when tumble dried, and it was hard to adjust the shrinkage rate. I immediately hit a wall.
*Prototype of socks made with undyed organic cotton
I tried adjusting them several times by changing the gauge and count of the yarn, and by devising different knitting methods, but it didn't turn out as expected.
After about a month of being stuck, I decided to change direction and re-evaluate the raw materials. I switched from organic yarn to combed yarn, which has less fluff, to achieve a cleaner look while still retaining the essence of the RAILROAD sock. While this deviates a bit from the natural route, I also added urethane yarn to aim for a firm feel when worn. It was at this point that I finally completed socks that wouldn't wear out even when put in a dryer.
*First sample of socks completed using combed yarn
What impressed me most when they were finished was the softness of the pile knitting on the foot. By switching to combed yarn, which is finer and firmer than organic yarn, the pile knitting gained resilience, resulting in a fine and elastic texture. This was an accidental discovery, but it might be the greatest pleasure of crafting.
*Bulky pile knit on the foot
After wearing and testing them myself for about two weeks, I felt confident that "these probably won't wear out even after six months." Rather than "socks that choose the wearer," I aimed for "socks that everyone wants to wear," and thus, "socks you want to wear every day" were born.
I was also able to keep the price affordable, so I think you can try them out without hesitation. Please give them a try (and buy many pairs!).
The products introduced this time can be found here
Affordable socks that don't compromise on quality.
It took a year and a half to finally complete them.
I don't often speak passionately about my creations, but I've poured so much time and effort into these that I'd like to share a little.
Every time I went to America, I'd buy a 6-pack of RAILROAD SOCKS. They had just the right thickness and looseness. Although they'd wear out quickly after washing, I'd been wearing these white ribbed RAILROAD socks every day for the past few years.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. It became difficult to travel abroad, and my stock was running low. That's when I thought, "Why don't I make them myself?" That was the catalyst, and from there, I began development with Tamai Shoten, a company in Nara Prefecture that has been in business since the Meiji era.
At first, I was determined to create a pair that compromised neither on raw materials nor manufacturing methods. My goal was to create an updated version of the RAILROAD sock: soft yet durable, with just the right thickness. I wanted to use undyed organic cotton and avoid using polyester yarn for the Marlon yarn needed for kickback. I aimed for socks that wouldn't lose their shape, just by adjusting the gauge and density.
But this proved difficult.
The yarn was too soft and would lose its shape when tumble dried, and it was hard to adjust the shrinkage rate. I immediately hit a wall.
*Prototype of socks made with undyed organic cotton
I tried adjusting them several times by changing the gauge and count of the yarn, and by devising different knitting methods, but it didn't turn out as expected.
After about a month of being stuck, I decided to change direction and re-evaluate the raw materials. I switched from organic yarn to combed yarn, which has less fluff, to achieve a cleaner look while still retaining the essence of the RAILROAD sock. While this deviates a bit from the natural route, I also added urethane yarn to aim for a firm feel when worn. It was at this point that I finally completed socks that wouldn't wear out even when put in a dryer.
*First sample of socks completed using combed yarn
What impressed me most when they were finished was the softness of the pile knitting on the foot. By switching to combed yarn, which is finer and firmer than organic yarn, the pile knitting gained resilience, resulting in a fine and elastic texture. This was an accidental discovery, but it might be the greatest pleasure of crafting.
*Bulky pile knit on the foot
After wearing and testing them myself for about two weeks, I felt confident that "these probably won't wear out even after six months." Rather than "socks that choose the wearer," I aimed for "socks that everyone wants to wear," and thus, "socks you want to wear every day" were born.
I was also able to keep the price affordable, so I think you can try them out without hesitation. Please give them a try (and buy many pairs!).
The products introduced this time can be found here
