Based in St-Hubert, Dristex is a manufacturer of specialty socks designed for use in outdoor activities, sports, health applications and physically demanding professions. The socks are made of high-performance materials like mohair, alpaca and merino wools, and bamboo.
The company was founded in 1993 by Daniel Drisdelle, a third-generation textile technician. In the early 2000s, Dristex employed about 35 people and worked with Quebec brands like Louis Garneau and Kombi. Following the elimination of quotas in the apparel export sector and the massive relocation of textile factories to Asia, the company repositioned itself. Dristex invested heavily in new equipment and began to focus on more of a high-end niche market to preserve its local production.
As of 2018, Dristex employs around 10 employees. The factory produces socks in response to government calls for tender and focusses on its own brand, which is sold in some 30 stores across Canada. The world of textiles has welcomed a fourth generation of Drisdelles: Daniel Drisdelle’s son is now in charge of the company’s business development in Western Canada.
Sources
dristex.com External link
