Wu Fu Yang Sock Story Museum Introduction
Wu Fuyang Knitting was established in 1936 during the Japanese colonial period, focusing on sock weaving for 85 years. Unlike the typical division of labor model for sock production, Wu Fuyang controls every aspect from raw materials, design, weaving, to sales, ensuring a consistent commitment to quality. To date, the number of socks woven by Wu Fuyang has exceeded 100 million pairs, enough to circle the Earth if connected end-to-end. In the 1930s, there were no professional sock weaving factories in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation. The first chairman, Wu Nai-yang, recognized the business opportunity and imported the most advanced manual sock knitting machines from abroad, enlisting skilled craftsmen from Shanghai to teach the production of high-quality seamless stockings, marking the beginning of the Wu family's relationship with socks. Wu Nai-yang named the company "Wu Fuyang" by combining a character from both his name and his father's name, Wu Futang, to honor his ancestors and acknowledge his roots. From the manual sock knitting machines, the industry has evolved through semi-automatic and fully automated high-capacity production, to advancements in eco-friendly and functional materials, as well as branding. Wu Fuyang Knitting has been part of the development history of Taiwan's sock industry. The third-generation operator, Wu Hong-chou, hopes to establish a sock museum to preserve the development of Taiwan's sock industry and the history of Wu Fuyang. "While our competitors have moved to China, we remain committed to keeping our roots in Taiwan. We hope to encourage public participation by opening up the sock weaving process, providing a blended environment of entertainment and education in industry, aiming to offer tourists a rich experiential journey and contribute to the Taiwanese sock industry."
