Provenance is important in everything that we do, which includes the yarns that we source from around the world. From Cashmere to Sea Island Cotton, each yarn selected for a Pantherella sock has been meticulously sourced from the most respected yarn suppliers in the world.
For our Fil d'Ecosse socks (also called Cotton Lisle socks), Pantherella use the finest Italian sourced, extra-long staple Egyptian grown cotton.
The extra-long staple determines the highest quality of cotton, as it uses uniform lengths of fibres of over 33 mm. This yarn is composed of two strands that are twisted together with an extra twist per inch than lesser quality cottons, creating one single, strong thread.
Once spun, the cotton goes through a process of Mercerisation (devised in 1844 by John Mercer of Great Harwood, Lancashire, England) whereby it is passed through a flame at high speed, to eliminate any stray surface fibres.
The result is a shiny, shrink & pill resistant yarn that absorbs dye brilliantly while maintaining its silky lustre.
Pantherella's Organic cotton has been grown to organic principles that maintain solid health without the use of toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, caring for our planet.
Organic cotton requires 71% less water than its non-organic counterpart and uses 62% less energy as it doesn't require any fertilisers.
We all wish that we could wear our favourite cotton tee, pair of jeans, or socks forever. Sadly over time, stitching comes apart and holes appear. Intead of throwing these otems of clothing away for them to pile up in landfill sites we can now re-use the fibres to make new yarns and fabrics.
Pantherella's Eco Range uses a yarn made using recycled cotton waste from various cotton garments including denim jeans.
The waste fibres are sorted by colour and then run through a machine that shreds the fabric into fibres. It is then detangled and spun onto soft, new yarn. By using recycled cotton compared to regular virgin cotton we are reducing energy use, CO2 emissions and water, and giving new life to those recycled cotton
We use Giza 86 Long Staple Egyptian cotton, which is grown in the Nile delta in Egypt and spun and dyed in Italy.
The long staple determines a high quality of cotton, as it uses uniform lengths of fibres of around 33 mm and from 4.3 to 4.9 micronaire. Multi-ended twists are used to achieve a thread count suitable for our thicker leisure weight socks which also enhances the strength, durability and superbly soft handle.
Genuine West Indian Sea Island cotton is cultivated only in the perfect conditions of the British West Indies and rigorously certified by the WISICA (West Indian Sea Island Cotton Association).
This rare and expensive raw material has the longest and finest cotton staple available which gives is its characteristic durability and silky, shiny look. Strong as silk, as durable as wool and as soft as cashmere, they are an unsurpassed summer sock.
Our innovative cotton linen blend combines ‘zero’ spun cotton, with natural ecru linen. ‘Zero’ spun cotton is a rounded, clean yarn which uses technical advances in spinning to eliminate every trace of bobbling in the fibre resulting in longer wear and superior comfort.
Linen is derived from the flax plant and is 100% natural, and one of the oldest fibres in the world, with a history dating back thousands of years. it is a very strong, absorbent fibre, with a faster drying rate than its cellulosic relative: cotton. Another popular feature of linen is that it is cool to the touch. t is also naturally anti-bacterial and non-fungal.
So, as you can see, these characteristics make it a desirable fibre to be worn during the summer months, or in hotter climates. The fibre is very absorbent and garments made of linen are valued for their exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather.
When combined, these yarns give a unique two-colour mouline effect which is knitted into the perfect mid-weight leisure socks for the warmer Spring/Summer months.
The coat of the Merino breed of sheep is synonymous with the production of fine, soft wool with excellent body temperature regulating properties.
Merino wool provides warmth, without overheating the wearer and also draws moisture away from the skin. All the Merino wool used by Pantherella is worsted spun which ensures strength and the long fibres help to give our socks their characteristic soft surface handle.
Standard Merino wool has a fibre diameter around 25 microns. Here at Pantherella we use a 19.5 micron yarn which is classed as ‘superfine’ and is exclusively spun with 10% nylon which gives it extra durability for everyday wear. Our 100% pure ‘Superfine 100s’ is the ultimate in superfine merino wool with a fibre diameter finer than 18.5 microns.
This finer wool is capable of being spun into finer "yarn counts", which in turn can be knitted into thinner socks with a supremely soft handle, or feel.
Exclusively spun in Italy for Pantherella to a special count for knitting into socks, Pantherella's Merino Royale Ultrafine 120s wool is sourced from the fleece of Tasmanian merino sheep.
The Merino Royale fibre is naturally curly, like a coiled spring, which means that air is trapped between each strand providing greater bounce and insulation than ‘standard’ sheep’s wool. This natural flexible characteristic results in a warm, durable and extremely soft yarn with a natural elasticity which affords a superb comfort and fit.
Ulltra fine, refined and exquisitely warm and comfortable, they are the ultimate dress sock.
The ultimate in luxury hosiery, Cashmere socks are exquisitely soft and approximately three times warmer than socks made from sheep’s wool. Due to its unrivalled softness, warmth and comfort, Cashmere is considered to be one of the most desirable fibres in the world.
Cashmere is one of the finest natural fibres in the world and is obtained from the hair of Cashmere goats whose coat is made up of two distinct layers – the outer layer (guard hair) and the undercoat (cashmere). The guard hair is coarse and waterproof, which serves to protect the goat (and the undercoat).
The undercoat is ultrafine, soft and an excellent insulator, to protect the goat from the extreme cold.
Only the soft, ultrafine undercoat is used to produce cashmere. In spring, as the goats moult for summer, they are combed by hand to remove their ultrafine undercoat, while leaving the guard hair intact. These combings are then washed and sorted to remove any stray guard hairs. What is left is pure cashmere.
This laborious process results in a fibre that is exceptionally exquisite and rare. We source our cashmere from the finest Scottish mills and our leisure weight yarn is woollen spun using the finest grade of cashmere knitted with nylon to give our socks extra durability and stretch.
Our recycled cashmere blend is made using a combination of GRS certified regenerated cashmere fibres and a super extra fine merino wool. This fusion of fibres gives a lovely soft hand-feel with all the durability benefits of wool.
The GRS (Global Registrar of Systems) certification guarantees that all processes and fibres used meet the required standards for accredition. Just like our non-recycled cashmere socks, the beautiful, recycled cashmere blend yarn is also sourced from one of the world's finest Scottish mills
Silk is a naturally strong and lustrous fibre harvested in China from the continuous filament cocoon of the Mulberry silkworm.
Pantherella use Swiss ‘Tram’ silk which is a yarn formed by twisting 2 to 3 strands together to produce a thread with luxurious shimmering appearance, excellent wearability and good moisture absorption.
Even in warm conditions, our ultra-sheer silk socks remain cool and comfortable to wear, making them an exquisite evening dress sock.