Ergee
KiK · Germany
Ergee is a German hosiery and clothing brand founded in 1901 in Gelenau, Saxony, best known for socks and stockings. Since 2009 it has been owned by the discount retailer KiK and is sold as one of its private labels.
| Founded | 1901, Gelenau, Saxony |
|---|---|
| Founder | Edwin Rössler |
| Owner | KiK (since 2009) |
| Core products | Socks and stockings |
| Website | ergee.de |
What is Ergee?
Ergee is a German hosiery brand with roots in the Saxon textile industry. Originally a maker of stockings and socks, it later broadened into gloves, hats, scarves and children's fashion. Today it is a private label of the discount retailer KiK.
History
Edwin Rössler founded the company in 1901 in Gelenau, Saxony. By 1938 it had become a world leader in children's socks. After the Second World War, Emil and Werner Rössler refounded the business in Neustadt in Hesse in 1949, and it went on to expand across Germany, Austria, France, Malaysia and Switzerland, employing around 5,300 people in the 1990s.
The group headquarters moved to Schrems in Austria in 1994. The Vatter group bought the company in 2001, production was moved to the Czech Republic in 2008, and the company filed for insolvency in November 2008. In 2009 KiK acquired the brand and finished goods inventory and turned Ergee into a private label.
Products and positioning
The brand's heritage lies in children's socks, women's stockings and men's socks made with its Ergolan fibre. Under KiK it sits in the value segment of the German market, and speed skater Anni Friesinger became a brand ambassador in 2015.
Why it matters
Ergee illustrates how a long established German manufacturing brand can survive as a retailer's private label after the original company has ceased production.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Ergee?
The German discount retailer KiK has owned the Ergee brand since 2009 and sells it as a private label.
When was Ergee founded?
Ergee was founded in 1901 by Edwin Rössler in Gelenau, Saxony.