Best High-Grade, OTC, Hand-Linked Socks Internationally? Please help.

[cmadaras]

I am looking for a collection of the companies offering the highest-grade OTC socks who ship internationally, to either the US or the EU/UK. They must offer socks that are:

- Majority Natural Fiber
- Hand-Linked
- Under $40 per pair for Merino Wool and Mercerized Cotton (before shipping & tax)
- OTC
- Sheer Thin, or close-but-inexpensive (i.e. Boardroom)
- Come from a Sock Manufacturer, not a retailer that outsources or white-labels.

My current list includes:
- Il Regalo (These seem exceptionally unique. Is there any other company doing what these guys are doing?)
- Tabio
- Corgi
- Pantherella
- Boardroom (Only patterned are Hand-Linked it seems)
- Bresciani
- Pedemia (Are these Hand-Linked?)
- Falke Luxury Line (Overpriced? It seems like they have become more of a Designer brand?)
- Visconti di Angera (Does anyone have experience with these? Hand-Linked OTC for 10 Euros?)

-------------------------------------------------------
Some further context:

I have reviewed the old sock threads on SF, which have been very helpful, but still am struggling with a few questions.

One is material. My understanding is 20-30% Polyamide (Nylon, Elastane, etc.) is acceptable, if not wanted, in a high-grade sock for the much-needed stretch in the collar and possibly heel and toe. Most companies show this, though some companies like Pedemia and Bresciani show 100% Natural Fiber. Is that actually correct? Or are they just omitting that there is Polyamide? If it is correct, for those who have these socks, can you tell? Does it affect the grip? Is there any real advantage here to being 100% Natural Fiber?

The second is Hand-Linking. Oddly enough, it seems that many of these companies will go lengths to say anything they can except for Hand-Linking. That is totally fine, though I am having trouble distinguishing between what is actually Hand-Linked, and what is a gimmick. For example, Pantherella says they have "the famous Pantherella 'seamless' toe". Is this actually something novel, or simply dressed-up marketing for Hand-Linking? Similarly, Boardroom shows their Solid-Color socks as "Flat-Toe Seam" and their patterned as "Luxurious Linked Toe". Interestingly enough, I have there socks and despite their patterned socks only being $1 more, their Solid-Color socks are indeed not Hand-Linked, and have a ridge of fabric.

To further obfuscate things, Corgi has a video on their website stating that their socks are Hand-Linked, yet the store pages of their socks sometimes say "Hand-Linked", sometimes "Smooth Toe", and sometimes don't make any mention at all, which I can't tell if that means it is Machine-Linked, or is simply an omission error.

The lack of continuity is just making it a bit tricky to gauge the actual quality of the product. I have emailed some of these companies to get clarity (awaiting response), though I wanted to check with you guys to see what insight you have. Any thoughts?

And are there any brands you know of that I have not listed here?

 

[max b]

I am looking for a collection of the companies offering the highest-grade OTC socks who ship internationally, to either the US or the EU/UK. They must offer socks that are:

- Majority Natural Fiber
- Hand-Linked
- Under $40 per pair for Merino Wool and Mercerized Cotton (before shipping & tax)
- OTC
- Sheer Thin, or close-but-inexpensive (i.e. Boardroom)
- Come from a Sock Manufacturer, not a retailer that outsources or white-labels.

My current list includes:
- Il Regalo (These seem exceptionally unique. Is there any other company doing what these guys are doing?)
- Tabio
- Corgi
- Pantherella
- Boardroom (Only patterned are Hand-Linked it seems)
- Bresciani
- Pedemia (Are these Hand-Linked?)
- Falke Luxury Line (Overpriced? It seems like they have become more of a Designer brand?)
- Visconti di Angera (Does anyone have experience with these? Hand-Linked OTC for 10 Euros?)

-------------------------------------------------------
Some further context:

I have reviewed the old sock threads on SF, which have been very helpful, but still am struggling with a few questions.

One is material. My understanding is 20-30% Polyamide (Nylon, Elastane, etc.) is acceptable, if not wanted, in a high-grade sock for the much-needed stretch in the collar and possibly heel and toe. Most companies show this, though some companies like Pedemia and Bresciani show 100% Natural Fiber. Is that actually correct? Or are they just omitting that there is Polyamide? If it is correct, for those who have these socks, can you tell? Does it affect the grip? Is there any real advantage here to being 100% Natural Fiber?

The second is Hand-Linking. Oddly enough, it seems that many of these companies will go lengths to say anything they can except for Hand-Linking. That is totally fine, though I am having trouble distinguishing between what is actually Hand-Linked, and what is a gimmick. For example, Pantherella says they have "the famous Pantherella 'seamless' toe". Is this actually something novel, or simply dressed-up marketing for Hand-Linking? Similarly, Boardroom shows their Solid-Color socks as "Flat-Toe Seam" and their patterned as "Luxurious Linked Toe". Interestingly enough, I have there socks and despite their patterned socks only being $1 more, their Solid-Color socks are indeed not Hand-Linked, and have a ridge of fabric.

To further obfuscate things, Corgi has a video on their website stating that their socks are Hand-Linked, yet the store pages of their socks sometimes say "Hand-Linked", sometimes "Smooth Toe", and sometimes don't make any mention at all, which I can't tell if that means it is Machine-Linked, or is simply an omission error.

The lack of continuity is just making it a bit tricky to gauge the actual quality of the product. I have emailed some of these companies to get clarity (awaiting response), though I wanted to check with you guys to see what insight you have. Any thoughts?

And are there any brands you know of that I have not listed here?

just my personal opionion, because there is not a standard : 100% natural is good for transpiration of the skin and for comfort, adding nylon or elastan is giving extra strength and fitting.
So it is actually very personal. somebody like natural, somebody blended with nylon. There is not a real rule about that.
About linking, socks are tubolar, they are coming out of the machine (the old generation) open toe. You can close them cutting and sewing (more fast so less cost) but is not flat. You can "link" the hole with the same kind of thread of the body of the sock, with a special machine, point by point. This will be exactly "re - knitted" (rimaglio in Italian) and it is asbolutely flat. This is more long, complicate and espansive. But the new generation of machines are able to close the toe during the production and the result is exactly the same of "Human" hand linking. Beside of that there are not other ways to close the toe of the socks. So words can change, but the process is only one : machine linking or hand linking (which is in any case made by a machine, but used manually by skilled people). if about natural or blended is my personal opinion, about linking is just a fact. The process is that way.

 

[cmadaras]

just my personal opionion, because there is not a standard : 100% natural is good for transpiration of the skin and for comfort, adding nylon or elastan is giving extra strength and fitting.
So it is actually very personal. somebody like natural, somebody blended with nylon. There is not a real rule about that.
About linking, socks are tubolar, they are coming out of the machine (the old generation) open toe. You can close them cutting and sewing (more fast so less cost) but is not flat. You can "link" the hole with the same kind of thread of the body of the sock, with a special machine, point by point. This will be exactly "re - knitted" (rimaglio in Italian) and it is asbolutely flat. This is more long, complicate and espansive. But the new generation of machines are able to close the toe during the production and the result is exactly the same of "Human" hand linking. Beside of that there are not other ways to close the toe of the socks. So words can change, but the process is only one : machine linking or hand linking (which is in any case made by a machine, but used manually by skilled people). if about natural or blended is my personal opinion, about linking is just a fact. The process is that way.

Thank you! This is extremely helpful. A couple questions, if you don't mind -

1) Would it be accurate to say that with 100% Natural Fiber socks, the customer should be more careful about sizing, because it will be easier for the fit to be 'off' due to lower elasticity?

2) The machines you refer to that can do a seamless toe without Hand-Linking - are you referring to Lonati machines?

3) Is there a formal name for the collar of the sock? The 1-2 inch part at the top that grips the top of your calf?

 

[max b]

Thank you! This is extremely helpful. A couple questions, if you don't mind -

1) Would it be accurate to say that with 100% Natural Fiber socks, the customer should be more careful about sizing, because it will be easier for the fit to be 'off' due to lower elasticity?

2) The machines you refer to that can do a seamless toe without Hand-Linking - are you referring to Lonati machines?

3) Is there a formal name for the collar of the sock? The 1-2 inch part at the top that grips the top of your calf?

1 sizes of socks are traditionally in inches. Size 11 sock is 11 inches from the heel to the toe, 11 1/2 is 11 1/2 inches from the heel to the toe. So different between sizes is 1/2 inch. Consequentially you have plenty of sizes (usually for man from size 9 to 13 it means from European shoe size 38 to 47) and you can select the best one for you. Without syntetic you don't have the "stretch" fit, so you need to carefully select the size (and I would say the length of the leg).

2 not only. Busi (my personal opionion) is the best. Then you have Lonati, Matec..

3 in the over the calf the part between the elastic band and the sock is called "cuff". In the mid calf you don't have the calf, so it is usually called "elastic" part.

 

[philosophe]

Can't go wrong with Bresciani, and many styles come in a range of sizes.

 

[bengal-stripe]

For those who haven't seen it before, here is a video showing the process of hand linking (by machine):


At one time hearing "hand-linking" I did imagine little old ladies with crochet hooks doing the connection of the toe seam literally by hand. Unfortunately the truth is more prosaic, the only "handwork" is hanging the knitted loops over the hooks, aligning the seam to be machine linked.

You would expect premium priced socks to have always hand linked seam, but sometimes they don't. Most Bresciani socks have hand linked seam, but my Bresciani linen socks (which I love for summer) do not. Whether the linen knit produces loops which are not suitable to be fastened over the hooks at speed or the company is penny-piching, I would't know. Maybe @max b will know. (Looking at his avatar, he can't be 100 miles removed from that company.)

@cmadaras I'm not sure whether you want to buy socks for your own needs or, as a retailer, you want a supplier for own lable stock. In the first case, have a look at

https://meschaussettesrouges.com/
They have the widest selection of socks and all available at OTC length.

 

[max b]

For those who haven't seen it before, here is a video showing the process of hand linking (by machine):


At one time hearing "hand-linking" I did imagine little old ladies with crochet hooks doing the connection of the toe seam literally by hand. Unfortunately the truth is more prosaic, the only "handwork" is hanging the knitted loops over the hooks, aligning the seam to be machine linked.

You would expect premium priced socks to have always hand linked seam, but sometimes they don't. Most Bresciani socks have hand linked seam, but my Bresciani linen socks (which I love for summer) do not. Whether the linen knit produces loops which are not suitable to be fastened over the hooks at speed or the company is penny-piching, I would't know. Maybe @max b will know. (Looking at his avatar, he can't be 100 miles removed from that company.)

@cmadaras I'm not sure whether you want to buy socks for your own needs or, as a retailer, you want a supplier for own lable stock. In the first case, have a look at

https://meschaussettesrouges.com/
They have the widest selection of socks and all available at OTC length.

The "only" handwork is quite reductive. This job is quite complicate as you don't have to miss one single point and matching the knitting it is quite complicate. That's why there is a lack (in Europe) of people who want to learn this job and the Companies are now buying machine with seamless toe. It is not a matter about saving cost, but it is a matter of urgency due to the lack of workers.
In any case the seamless machines are doing exactly the same job as hand linking.
About the linen, because of it's peculiarity, it is quite impossible to reach a decent quality doing linking by hand. Luckly the linen sock is quite casual, so you can feel less the linking by machine. In this case link by hand could lead to missing points or little holes.