Pirin Hill

Pirin Hill is a family sock brand from Ruse, Bulgaria. Every pair is made from start to finish in the family's own factory in Ruse, from the choice of yarn to the final check. The socks are knitted on computerised Lonati machines from Italy, whose software lets the team control each stage of the knitting. The toes are then linked by hand, which leaves a smooth, flat seam that limits rubbing on the toes, and the socks are steamed to soften the fibres. Every pair goes through four quality checks: during knitting, on each sock after knitting, again after finishing and shaping, and on samples after packing. Pirin Hill buys its materials from European suppliers, such as Suedwolle in Germany for its fine merino wool. Its socks are made with cotton, including organic and mercerised cotton, as well as linen, merino wool and viscose. The patterns and colours take their cue from Bulgarian landscapes, with their mountains, lakes and wild flowers. Ruse has a long history of sock making. The Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry describes Fazan, a sock factory in the city founded in 1927, as the first hosiery factory in Bulgaria. In 2016, the textile, knitwear and clothing sector employed more than 10,000 people in Ruse, where more than 250 companies made clothing from underwear and socks to shirts. Brother and sister Vihren Yorgov and Iglika Yorgova founded the family company Jorg-2965 in Ruse in 1998, and they still run it. It started with a small production for the local market and grew by working with large international brands, among them brands in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. In 2011, production moved into a 5,000 m² building and the company began making designer and sport socks for more specialised brands; the same year, Vihren's children Dimitar and Liana joined the business. In 2016, the family drew on this experience to create the Pirin Hill brand.