A Shared History
Our History
2018 - The Beginning
Sockrates started with a high-end retail store in Toronto. After carrying countless brands, we noticed a gap
in the market: stylish, ethically sourced socks. That’s when we set out to find a manufacturing partner in Italy.
Finding Our Partners
Through a trusted contact, we met Livio and Lara in Italy.Together, we began designing socks with full control over
materials, quality, colors, and timelines - an eye-opening shift from retail to true product creation.
From Store Shelves to Growing Demand
Our designs sold out fast, giving us momentum to expand. As Sockrates grew, businesses started reaching out to put their branding on our socks, opening the door to a new opportunity.
The Shift to Custom
Demand for custom socks soon became the focus. Our Italian factory adapted its entire process to specialize in bespoke runs, setting the foundation for the custom sock company Sockrates is today.
2018 - The Beginning
Finding Our Partners
From Store Shelves to Growing Demand
The Shift to Custom
Meet Our Makers
Our factory in Italy is a multi generational labour of love.
Meet the great people who work tirelessly to turn your designs into reality
A Day In The Life At Our Factory
A Day In The Life
At Our Factory
to ensure flawless production
A Look at The Past…
Castel Goffredo has been a hosiery center since the 16th century when it supplied silk stockings to European aristocracy. Today it blends traditional craftsmanship with modern technology to produce high-quality tights, socks, and seamless garments for global markets.
…And to the Future
At Sockrates, we're stepping confidently into the future with our Italian factory by our side - committed to raising the bar on quality advancing sustainability efforts, and crafting every pair with purpose and passion.
Sockrates' Factory FAQs
What are the Benefits of Manufacturing in Italy?
Italy is the second-largest manufacturing country in Europe and is particularly strong in the manufacturing of machinery and fashion items. Fun fact, all of the machines we use to create our socks are also manufactured in Italy! They also are an industry leader in both environmental and workplace safety, making our partnership a no-brainer.
How do you ensure the Italian Factory is maintaining a high code of ethics?
On top of regular visits to our Factory in Italy, we also employ third party audits to ensure that our factory maintains the highest standards of both ethics and sustainability. This is in addition to the very strict employment and environmental laws that exist in Italy and the EU, which was one of our main factors in partnering with an Italian company.
What are the sustainability measures your factory employs?
Italian manufacturing is a particularly virtuous example of environmental performance.
The emissions intensity of the manufacturing sector dropped by 17.1% between 2014 and 2023 and is 5.1% lower than the EU average and among the lowest in Europe.
What are the measures you take to reduce your carbon footprint?
We are very committed to reducing our impact on the planet. When we first started our custom sock exploration, it was one of the main reasons we chose to make our socks in Italy. The environmental standards in Italy are well documented as well as their ethical standards for workers. You can also read more about how we collect all of our wasted threads in order to make new products, preventing tons of waste from landing up in landfills.
What role does sustainability play in guiding product design?
All of our custom socks are made with sustainability in mind, and we are committed to making sure any new products we offer meet, or excel those standards. Our most recent example is our Eco-Luxe Socks which are made from GRS recycled wool.
Don't see your question? Email our Socktologists and we'll get back to you shortly.
.gif)
