Rototo want to change people’s lives from the ground up, with one small, good thing: great socks that are made with pride and made to last. They believe that if you find a small happiness in your daily life then your life will be enriched.
Rototo’s socks are made in Japan’s largest sock producing region, Nara Prefecture. The area has been known for its quality textiles since around the 17th century. Industrial sock production was first introduced to the area in 1910, when a man from Umami village (now known as Koryocho) brought a sock weaving machine to his hometown from the USA. As textile weaving declined and lifestyles changed with time, sock production was gradually developed in the area as a new industry. With such a background, the local people in the region still call sock knitting ‘sock weaving.’
The sock production in the north-western part of Nara Prefecture comes from the area’s centuries-long tradition of weaving industry. Rototo believe in working closely with the factory craftsmen who preserve this tradition and history. They start their sock making by selecting the right yarns for a design from a huge number of options, and then develop a new material made of a blend of selected yarns with help of the craftsmen.
After that, they choose a knitting machine to use according to the type of material and the usage of the product. Their options include rare machines for specialty use, old-style non-computerized knitters and latest hi-tech machines. To make an ideal pair of socks, working closely with skilled craftsmen is just as important as using the right machine for a product.
Rototo’s socks are made from a combination of the right material, the right machine and craftsmanship. Their aim is to preserve the tradition inherited from their ancestors, whilst also looking to the future.
The fabric band wrapping a pair of Rototo socks is designed from fabric waste generated during the toe-knitting process. With the band, you can easily tell the size of a product because each size comes with a different colour band. It also replaces a plastic sock hanger for display.
Rototo celebrate heritage, quality, and innovation. From the ground up.
