Nester Hosiery shared plans to spur growth in its Farm to Feet brand and expand its private label business through an investment made by Aiglon Capital Management and Merit Capital Partners.
“The team at Aiglon values the strength of our domestic manufacturing and sees great potential in Farm to Feet,” said Kelly Nester, Nester Hosiery chief executive officer. “This investment gives us the resources to expand our capabilities and build on our private label and branded businesses.”
Founded in 1993 and based in Mt. Airy, NC, Nester Hosiery is a leading domestic manufacturer of premium performance outdoor wool socks driven by technology and sustainability. The company produces private label, licensed, and branded socks under its Ballston and Farm to Feet brands.
“We are excited to be working with the Nester family to continue growing the business and facilitating its expansion,” noted Richard Griffin, managing partner at Aiglon. “This is our first investment from our North Carolina value fund, and we could not be happier to be partnering with a very impressive management team.”
Following the recapitalization, which closed on June 9, the Nester family retained a major stake in the company. Additionally, several Nester Hosiery senior managers joined the company’s ownership group.
Nester Hosiery currently produces socks for over two dozen leading brands and retailers, and holds the sock license for both the Woolrich brand and Rocky Brands’ divisions of Rocky Outdoor, Georgia Boot and Durango.
In 2013 they launched Farm to Feet, which is committed to the single, simple goal of creating the world’s best socks by exclusively using an all-American recipe: US materials, US manufacturing, and US workers. The brand quickly gained market share and has become a leader in the outdoor market due to its mastery of the full craft of sock-making; unsurpassed comfort, perfect fit, guaranteed durability, innovative design, and a significant range of construction types.
Photo courtesy Farm To Feet
