The Legacy Continues
Red Lion was the athletic sock brand of Standard Merchandising Co., a family business founded in 1922. All Red Lion knit products — socks, headbands, wristbands, leg sleeves — were manufactured at SMCo's own knitting mill in Reading, Pennsylvania. No outside contractors. Made in the USA was on every catalog, every package, every page of the website.
The Tarnoff family ran Standard Merchandising for three generations. Jeff and Lee Tarnoff led the company for over 40 years, building the Reading facility to seven times its original size. In 2015, SMCo was brought into the Fox River family of brands. In 2025, Nester Hosiery acquired Fox River's assets.
Today, the Standard Merchandising brands are part of Nester Hosiery in Mount Airy, North Carolina. While Red Lion products are no longer in production, the commitment to American-made quality lives on across the Nester Hosiery family of brands.
Looking for Athletic Socks?
Running Socks Collection
If you loved Red Lion, you'll feel right at home with Fox River. They've been making performance socks in the USA since 1900 — even longer than Red Lion — and their running collection carries the same DNA: lightweight construction, moisture management, and durability that holds up through training and race day alike.
Shop All Running Socks →
Looking for Headbands & Bandanas?
Headbands & Bandanas Collection
Red Lion knit headbands and wristbands from the very beginning — it's literally how the Reading mill got started in 1978. If you're looking for that kind of product now, Pistil Designs out of Hood River, Oregon is making some of the best headbands and bandanas going. Different style than Red Lion, but the same commitment to quality and design.
Shop All Headbands & Bandanas →
