Durable and Breathable Low-Gauge Socks

Tell us about your company's history.

Our company was founded by my great-grandfather in 1927. We are soon approaching our 100th anniversary. However, we only incorporated in 2014, so that part is fairly recent. I became the president at the time of incorporation, and since then, our business has been steadily on track.

This area is known for its cotton production, and until the Edo period (1603-1868), industries like Yamato Momen and Yamato Kasuri were flourishing.

However, entering the Meiji era (1868-1912), cheaper imports started coming in from abroad, leading to the decline of those industries. In turn, the sock industry took root here.

My great-grandfather learned how to make socks somewhere while also working as a farmer. He started making socks in the barn as a side job. At that time, it was rare in Japan to use machines to make socks, but my great-grandfather was already using machines back then.

Nara is also famous as a sock-producing region. How many sock manufacturing companies are there in Koryo Town?

At its peak in the 1990s, Koryo Town, with a population of about 33,000, had around 200-300 sock factories. Now, that number has dwindled to about one-tenth, roughly 30 factories.

It is often called "the top sock town in Japan," but most of the socks distributed in Japan are made in China. Domestic production accounts for about 10%, and about 60% of that is manufactured in Nara Prefecture.

So most socks are made abroad. Are there differences in the socks produced by different companies?

Originally, sock manufacturing followed a division of labor system, producing items categorized into casual, ladies', men's, and business, each using different machines and materials.

However, circumstances have changed, and companies that initially produced tights have started making socks, and companies that specialized in sports socks are now handling casual ones as well. Although each company has areas they excel in, the distinctions are becoming increasingly blurred.

Please tell us about the socks your company manufactures.

Our company specializes in low-gauge socks. Low-gauge socks are characterized by their thick yarn and loose knitting pattern.

In the sock industry, gauge, which refers to the number of stitches in a given dimension in knitting, is not used. Since socks are tube-knitted, the number of needles per round, or "needle count," is used instead. The more needles, the higher the gauge; the fewer the needles, the lower the gauge.

Due to ease of production, the most commonly distributed socks are of medium gauge. Medium gauge needle counts are roughly between 130 to 160 needles per round.

How does the needle count affect the finished socks?

It affects breathability. Many people opt for thinner socks in the summer, but high-gauge socks have finer stitches and are more airtight, which reduces breathability.

In other words, thicker low-gauge socks are less likely to cause stuffiness. While the type of fiber also matters, loosely knit fabrics generally offer better breathability.

After joining the family business and starting to wear low-gauge socks, I found myself unconsciously wearing them every day. They are less stuffy in summer and warmer in winter. The thickness also makes them more durable, preventing holes. I realized that low-gauge socks are truly excellent products.

Does the difficulty of manufacturing change depending on the needle count?

Low-gauge socks are challenging to produce, but the difficulty doesn't vary significantly. However, the prevalence of medium and high-gauge socks is often due to differences in cost and production efficiency.

Using thick yarn in low gauge knitting results in a heavier product, while creating something lighter with thin yarn keeps costs down. Even when using the same yarn, the stitch count can change the retail price.

Additionally, the needles used in low gauge knitting are thick and made of iron, so they rarely break. If operated at high speed, the machine will chip or malfunction before the needles break.

Since the machinery must be operated slowly, if a factory using high-speed machines can produce 220 pairs of socks a day, in low gauge knitting, it can produce only about half that amount.

That said, the thick needles allow for both threading many thin yarns and using a single thick yarn. This means that socks can be crafted with original yarn by mixing different materials and textures.

While the market mostly uses high-speed machines, our company, being small, aims to tackle more niche challenges.

Is the twisting of the thread done by your company?

Yes, it is done in-house. We use a specialized apparatus, but the manufacturer of this machine no longer exists.

Mixing different threads can easily result in a striped pattern, so we use our company's added technology to knit and create a beautiful marled effect.

As long as the thread is thick enough for the machine, there are no specific material restrictions for combining threads. Each machine has a suitable yarn count (thread thickness), so we consider these points in-house when combining threads.

Does the appearance of the fabric change depending on the thread?

Socks have a certain limit to the thickness of the thread that can be used, so it's difficult to show much texture. Instead, patterns can be displayed.

The thinner the thread, the higher the technology required and costs are also higher. In the past, thinner threads were less common, so there were more low-gauge socks.

You mentioned that there is a suitable yarn count for each machine. How different is the thickness of the thread between high-gauge and low-gauge?

The yarn count used for high-gauge is typically a single strand of "30/1 (Sanmaru-tan)." For mid-gauge, it's usually two strands, and for general low-gauge, about 8 to 10 strands.

At our company, we use threads that are double the thickness as our mainstay, so we make low-gauge socks with threads that are approximately 20 times thicker than what's used for high-gauge.

It also depends on the characteristics of the fibers, but in general, the thicker the yarn, the more durable it is, so our low-gauge socks can be used for a long time.

How are socks made?

Socks need to be stretchy, so they are composed of both back and front yarns. The front yarn typically uses natural fibers like cotton or silk, while the back yarn uses stretchy fibers like polyurethane. These are knitted together using a method called "plating." Finally, the finished socks are set in molds, shaped, and pressed with steam to fix their form.

The back yarn usually has a predetermined thickness and does not come in many varieties. In contrast, there are many types of front yarns.

"Creating Value for Our Company through Experiences Only Possible at SOUKI"

Apart from OEM, you also produce products under your own brand. When did you start your brand?

We established our own brand division simultaneously with our incorporation in 2014. We initially launched three brands: "SOUKI SOCKS," "Re Loop," and "aiamn." Last year, we introduced a new brand called "SUNNY & SNOWY."

Since starting your brand, has your operational rate increased?

Yes, indeed. While our OEM sales have remained relatively unchanged for about 10 years, the sales ratio of our own brands has reached approximately 45%. Our gross margin is significantly higher.

Moreover, we've been challenging ourselves with new ventures like branding and website creation. Few sock factories invest in such areas, but since it's challenging to do these internally, we are collaborating with external parties, investing in these endeavors.

You're also hosting workshops where socks are knitted using the "Charicks," a machine that integrates a bicycle and a knitting machine. What inspired this idea?

We were pondering how to create awareness about our company and our manufacturing region to sell our internally planned and produced products. As our strength lies in manufacturing, we wanted to showcase it through demonstrations.

In this era abundant with products and information, we realized that to become a memorable brand – one that makes people want to buy again – we must engage in activities unique to our company.

That's precisely why we want you to experience our specialization in low-gauge sock making. Through "Charicks," we aim to convey the differences in comfort that arise from combining various threads, the differences in threads compared to typical socks, and the unique characteristics of low-gauge socks.

Can customers choose the yarns they use?

We have customers choose 3 colors out of 36 available. The yarns chosen are cotton yarns with colors, but we always incorporate one natural silk yarn and one washi yarn into the knitting process.

Since there's natural yarn included, even if customers pick three identical colors, the result won't be just one color but a mix. There are about 8,000 combinations in total, allowing each customer to have their unique socks.

In our factory, customers knit their socks by pedaling Charicks, but on "Charicks ONLINE," customers can select a staff member (President, CFO, Chairman, or Store Manager) to pedal Charicks for them.

The reason we offer this choice is to make the factory feel more accessible. Just like there are idols you can meet, we thought there could be craftsmen you can meet too.

It's a wonderful workshop filled with great ideas. What inspired you to use a bicycle?

Our company is characterized by using old and rare machines for manufacturing. We want to preserve and share these techniques. When thinking about how to convey this, we realized that seeing it is the best way.

However, the machines in the factory are quite large, making it difficult to bring them to places like department stores. Additionally, industrial machines typically require 200V power, which presents another challenge.

I found a machine that makes socks by turning a handle when I was looking for a small device that is easy to carry. Seeing it, I thought it was the same mechanism as a bicycle's rotation, which inspired me to create "Charicks."

Was there any hardship in realizing the idea?

My father, who has been into road biking and has a long history as a craftsman, suggested, "Why not connect it to a knitting machine through welding? It would be fun if we could do it," and things moved forward smoothly. We no longer had to turn the handle ourselves, and since no other companies were doing the same thing, it made for a good experience.

It was at a time when there was a lot of talk about shifting "from goods to experiences," so it was a great opportunity to offer something unique that only our company could provide.

How do customers who have actually experienced it react?

Many become repeat customers and some even say, "If you have three pairs of SOUKI socks, you don't need to buy any more socks for a year."

Additionally, many people appreciate that low-gauge socks absorb sweat, saying things like, "My shoes don't smell anymore." So, when you buy new shoes, please also consider getting low-gauge socks.

Utilizing the Technology We Have Cultivated

What do you think are the challenges facing Koryo Town?

Nara Prefecture has very high tourism demand, yet tourist spending is always at the bottom. This is because there are few places to stay, so even if people come to Nara, they quickly move on to Osaka or Kyoto.

Additionally, Imabari is known for its towels, and Kojima has its Jeans Street. Although Koryo Town is known for its socks, it hasn't had a similar attraction, which I find unfortunate.

However, students on school trips almost always visit Nara. This is a strong point, and we also have the title of "Japan's No. 1 Sock Producer." I want to leverage Koryo Town's sock industry to attract more visitors.

What challenges does the sock industry face?

The sock industry has also become more computerized, making it easier to produce a variety of products. Additionally, we have developed skills to handle planning and branding. However, looking at the industry as a whole, the aging of craftsmen and subcontractors is evident. There are also issues with a lack of successors, making it difficult to halt the industry's decline.

Cotton, linen, silk, and other raw materials are primarily sourced from overseas. Currently, even the machinery used in manufacturing is not Japanese, but foreign-made. Overseas companies are using more advanced machinery than those available in Japan.

We constantly ask ourselves, "What does 'Made in Japan' really mean?" and "What qualifies a product as Japanese-made?" as we create our products.

The low-gauge machines that our company uses are becoming very specialized. However, the fact that we continue to use these old machines is a unique strength that allows us to maintain this technology. Because of this, I believe there are some niche opportunities that only our company can seize.

Lastly, please tell us about your future prospects.

I want to expand our in-house brand more. Of course, it's not like we're going to stop OEM, but we also have to consider how to improve productivity, given the issues of lacking machines and craftsmen.

However, Koryo Town is said to be "a town with slightly lower living costs and easy for raising children," and its population is increasing. The elementary schools are running out of classes and are being expanded. With the young generation and children increasing, it seems strange that the industry is on the decline.

I hope that people in their prime working age can work locally, so we want to implement reforms to make people want to work here. While our factory isn't that big, we want to continue using our mobility and ideas as our strengths.