Made of MORE

More thread, more ingenuity, more heart: CW discovers how Bridgedale turn two miles of yarn into the pride of Newtownards.

THERE ARE TWO miles of yarn – and up to 17 different types – in every Bridgedale sock. And from the finding of the first thread’s end to the final taping-up of a new box of 72 pairs, every part of the process takes place in this densely packed, yet light and airy Northern Irish factory. Every sock passes through half a dozen pairs of human hands, each adding their layer of skill and attention to the soon-to-be finished item. It’s a dizzyingly detailed process, and in a hall filled with scores of knitting machines it’s a noisy environment. But it’s one in which the staff move about with a kind of purposeful serenity, afforded them by the decades of experience most of them have, and the humane oversight of Operations Manager Ronnie Hoy, himself a veteran of three decades – and many millions of socks.

From this factory every pair of Bridgedales destined for 46 countries emerges – the result of a blizzard of dancing needles, cleverly hacked machines and the endless care of people who love socks even more than you do. Behold, the making of Britain’s best-selling, and best-loved walking socks. There’s more to it than you think.

Above: Your socks have been on quite an adventure even before they leave the factory. Right: The factory where every Bridgedale you’ve ever touched was made – a storehouse of sock wisdom.