Tender’s rib wool socks are knitted and hand linked in England natural unbleached woollen yarn, with nylon for durability, then dyed with natural dyes.
Traditional hosiery (like these socks) is knitted as a long continuous tube of many socks, which are then cut apart into individual socks. These are then linked, which means that the open sock has the two sides knitted together, leaving a flat, seamless, join at the toe. Linking requires the operator to loop every corresponding stitch of the top and bottom of the sock, by hand, onto a knitting machine.
Tender’s socks are made with a loop-back, or terry, double knit sole. This makes them especially comfortable, and appropriate to wear with lighter shoes or heavy boots.
These are dyed using Cochineal a dye is extracted from the shells of the scale insect dactylopius coccus. Cochineal was prized in Central America in the 15th Century, and was tithed by the Aztec and Mayan rulers. The red of British Red Coats was dyed with cochineal, as were hunting pinks worn while riding.
As with all natural colors, red cochineal is less predictable than modern synthetic dyes and any colour transfer inconsistency, irregularity or fading is a desirable characteristic.
Please note that the colour in natural dyed socks may transfer for the first few wears- we recommend washing cool, with similar colours, and not wearing with light coloured shoes until the socks have been washed.
- Tender Wool Rib Socks Cochineal Dyed
- One size fits most
- 100% Wool
- Red Cochineal dyed
- Made in England
