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Six Japanese Sock Brands to Know

Sock it to us, we've got six brands of soft footwear hailing from Japan. Learn all about Anonymous Ism, Chup, RoToTo and more in our roundup.

Albert Muzquiz and James Smith

Heddels readers often follow a certain trajectory in their high-end shopping lives. It all starts with raw denim and then progresses to leather goods: belts, jackets, and boots. After you’ve blown most of your savings on these staples, you start to appreciate the smaller, finer items. Loopwheeled tees become a go-to, fancy beanies are suddenly a must-have, and then we turn our heads to the simplest piece of all — the humble sock.

Of all our high-end, hand-made purchases; socks are often the hardest purchase to justify. Sure you used to buy a million socks in a bag from Target, but you did the same thing with t-shirts before you discovered Merz B. Schwanen and Whitesville.

And as with most of our favorite clothing items, the frontrunners in the sock game are all Japanese brands, many of whom apply the meticulous and hard-wearing manufacturing principles we love in our big-ticket items to socks.

Nishiguchi Kutsushita

A great place to start your Japanese sock Journey is Nishiguchi Kutsushita, with prices starting at $22.

Nishiguchi Kutsushita is a distinguished sock brand that has been producing socks in Japan since 1950. The brand was founded by Katsuji Nishiguchi who started by operating just one single hand-knitting machine in Katsuragi, Nara prefecture, Japan. Nishiguchi Kutsushita grew as the decades went by and is now a sock-making powerhouse with over 130 knitting machines. The Nishiuchi workforce has generations of expertise and is headed up by third-generation Nishiguchi, Isato-San.

Guided by the motto “hakuhito omoi,” which roughly translates to “thinking of the person who will be wearing our products”, Nishiguchi Kutsushita creates premium socks by combining quality natural fibers with traditional and modern construction machines.

Available at Redcast Heritage.

Anonymous Ism

If texture and color are what you want, Anonymous Ism is the Japanese sock label for you. Socks from this brand cost range from $19 to about $40, making them simultaneously our most and least expensive brand. Their typically simple, tasteful in design and affordability have made them popular with Western retailers, so it’s quite possible you can check them out in a brick and mortar store.

The brand is known for its Color Mix and Light Slub Crew socks (pictured above), both of which add a nice pop of color and texture to your outfit, especially if you cuff your pants.

The only caveat here is that Anonymous Ism socks come in only one size, so if your foot is larger (or significantly smaller) than a size 10, you may be out of luck. Tubular-knit construction makes them slightly narrow too, so wider feet might have issues with them.

Available at Clutch Cafe.

Chup Socks

Another great option for stepping up your sock-game is Chup Socks. Chup socks run about $36-$40 across the board, but the slight uptick in price means more exciting patterns! Chup’s design pulls alternately from Scandinavian and Native American design motifs, making for visually engaging accents that really pop.

Chup socks are made on a vintage stocking frame machine that can only produce between 20 and 25 pairs a day. Each sock is then hand-linked and inspected by Chup’s trained artisans. The slower pace means that the company can effectively churn out these complex weaves and ensure a high-quality product reaches the consumer.

Available at:

• Clutch Cafe

• Sun House

• Franklin & Poe

RoToTo

For simpler designs, there’s another option: RoToTo. RoToTo, like Chup, uses only the highest-quality weaving machines – none of which are automated. With a pair of RoToTos, you know that every step of the construction was supervised by trained craftspeople. RoToTo arguably offers the widest range of socks on this list, from simple crew socks at around $24 per pair to tie-dye and slub socks that can fetch up to $38.

Available at:

• Redcast Heritage

• TENDREL

• Clutch Cafe

• Sun House

• HAVEN

Stevenson Overall Co.

Like with everything from Stevenson Overall Company, these socks are more than meets the eye. While the other socks on this list have stuck with cotton for their socks, Stevenson designer Atsu has upped the ante with a signature blend. (Cotton:41% / Acrylic:40% / Polyester:10% / Nylon:8% / Polyurethane:1%) This blend allows for some moisture wicking and as the tag brags, keeps these socks up all day.

Although known for their denim and workwear, Stevenson has a long track record of applying their fanatical attention to detail to simpler pieces: tees, underwear, and in this case, socks. So if you pick up a pair of the brand’s La Jolla jeans, maybe toss a pair of socks in the shopping cart too.

Available for $26 from Redcast Heritage.

Kapital

Another Japanese brand associated with socks is Kapital. The zany label has used its long history of left-field craftsmanship to tackle socks in its own way. Kapital socks are woven with thick cotton slub yarns and often finished with te brand’s iconic smiley face on the heel. The chunky, low-tension weave should keep these socks breathable in the warmer months and their ~$40 price tag makes them an easy way to buy into the Kapital brand without putting a major dent in your savings account.

Available at Blue in Green.

The Hunt for Japanese Socks Continues…

The further you descend into the world of Japanese socks, the more frustrated you’ll become. There are amazing brands like Koromo that are very difficult to track down online. Even if you do find them, you’ll have to ship directly from Japan.

The fact of the matter is that like all our fast-fashion basics, there are better options. As is so frequently the case, Japan is one of the countries at the forefront of this field. While the price tag (though much smaller than that for a pair of new raw denim jeans) may seem daunting when compared to your Hanes socks you wear now, the quality will leave you wanting more. Think back to your first good pair of boots, or first great pair of jeans; a good pair of socks could change your life in just the same way.