Toe socks are widely used in Japan, but they are not "traditional Japanese socks". They were first machine-made in Spain in the 1970s, but knitting instructions for five-toe socks can be found as early as the 1950s. In Japan, they were still unknown at that time.

Takahiro Idobata founded the first Japanese company to exclusively produce toe socks in 1981 and established them as a normal item of clothing in Japanese closets. Today, 8% of socks sold in Japan are toe socks - in comparison: in Germany it is less than 1%.

The so-called tabi socks, in which only the big toe is separated, are traditionally Japanese. They are still part of the traditional festive attire and are worn with traditional wooden sandals, known as geta. They are also part of the workwear of Japanese carpenters, who traditionally wear black tabi shoes. They are now also widely used in martial arts.

They are also called split toe socks and are often worn with flip-flops.

Each of our socks is machine-prefabricated on knitting machines developed by Knitido and then finished manually. This requires a lot of patience, manual work and experience, but it is the only way we can guarantee our high quality standard.

Normal socks are usually made in a circular knitting machine like a tube. You start at the top of the waistband and knit down to the toe area. The socks are then ejected from the machine and sewn together at the front.

At Knitido we start knitting with the individual toe pockets and knit all the way to the cuff. This allows us to completely go without seams and linking. Open threads that arise from the knitting process are pulled by hand into the inside of the sock.

Mostly, the toes are squeezed together in "baggy socks" and too tight footwear. Their individual freedom of movement is restricted, their sensory system limited. As a result, the musculature of the toes is not very pronounced compared to "free toes", and blood circulation is restricted.

Toe socks give the individual toes space again and improve their sense of touch. Stimulated by this, your toes move more, feel more and participate in the walking process again. In addition, they keep the spaces between the toes dry, so the feet do not cool down so quickly.

Toe socks activate the individual toes and integrate them back into the walking process. This improves the blood circulation in the feet and legs. As a result, their heat balance also improves.

Yes, toe socks help against sweaty feet.

In "normal baggy socks" that enclose the whole foot, moisture collects between the toes. The sweat cannot evaporate but remains in place on the skin.

Toe socks can help with sweaty feet by first absorbing the moisture in the fabric and then wicking it away from the skin. Since they now have a porous fabric between the toes, air can flow in and the moisture can evaporate.

Yes, toe socks basically provide a better heat and moisture regulation.

As the feet remain dry, especially in the toe area, less sweat accumulates. And only in a humid climate can bacteria and fungi develop, which ultimately lead to the bad smell.

Yes, you can counteract this problem to varying degrees with our products to support malpositioned toes:

By widening the position of your toes. That's what Knitido toe socks do anyway, by placing two strips of fabric between your toes like little wedges.

By compressing the metatarsus with a slight compression. The joint affected by the bunion is directed outwards, into its original position, and relieved.

By moving your toes more, they strengthen the muscles of the foot.

All of this already leads to a relief of the pain for many of those affected - however, we do not promise you a cure, there are too many causes for this disease.

Regardless of this, we recommend that you do more good for your feet: get advice from a podiatrist, go on a running training course and get to know your feet in a new way. You'll be amazed at how much your quality of life will improve.

No, 100% cotton makes no sense for toe socks.

The reason for this is that the sock itself and the toe pockets need a certain amount of stretch and shape retention. This is because everyone's feet and toes are different.

That's why we knit a thin elastane thread together with the cotton threads. This ensures that the sock pulls back into the right shape after stretching. To ensure the shape retention and durability of the sock, we need a certain amount of nylon.

But: like you, we believe that toe socks for everyday wear should primarily be made of cotton or natural fibers or wool. Beyond that, we only use synthetic materials if they have to fulfill a function, e.g. for sports.

All models in the "Cotton and Merino" range are made from New Zealand merino wool. Mulesing is not necessary in New Zealand. The remaining models with merino wool are made from Australian merino wool. For these products we cannot guarantee that no mulesing has been applied.

No, we have to pass, we don't have toe tights. At the moment, we are reaching the limits of what is technically feasible for us - and it doesn't seem very practical to us either.

If you choose the right sock size, toe socks have a very good durability.

The use of high-quality materials and over 40 years of experience in manufacturing toe socks form the basis for this.

However, individual foot characteristics and care have a major influence on durability. Hard footwear, rough heels, long toenails, excessive wear or punctual strain when walking, for example, can cause holes to appear prematurely. To ensure a long life for our toe socks, please follow our care instructions.

When washing your toe socks, you should make sure that you pull the socks off the heel first and then "pluck off" the individual toes. This prevents the toe niches from twisting into each other and ensures that they get really clean during washing.

You can wash the toe socks in the washing machine as normal, please follow the washing instructions. After washing, you can simply hang your socks on the line to dry.

To protect delicate materials such as wool, we recommend using a laundry bag.

When wearing toe socks regularly, the toes return to their original, slightly open position. This is a good thing. If you have been wearing shoes that are too tight and have squeezed your toes together, it is possible that after a few months you will naturally choose the next shoe size or slightly wider shoes. Rest assured - you are doing the right thing.

For many people, shoes that are too tight over the years lead to deformities such as overlapping toes, stunted toes, hammer toes or Bunion. Toe socks help you to prevent this from happening in the first place. They strengthen your feet and toes - as a side effect.

Yes, definitely.

Both tabi socks and toe socks are an ideal addition in barefoot shoes, for a healthy, gentle gait.

Five finger shoes can be worn barefoot, but in some cases they feel better in socks.

Choose thin toe socks for this, e.g. from the Track & Trail line.