When the Lindners began researching their family's history in making woollen socks, they soon discovered the long thread of tradition stretched back to 18th century Germany.

Key points: The Lindners have been manufacturing socks since 1730

The Lindners have been manufacturing socks since 1730 Lindner-made socks were worn by the West German soccer team at the 1974 World Cup

Lindner-made socks were worn by the West German soccer team at the 1974 World Cup In 1988 the Lindner Quality Sock factory was established at Goulburn in the southern tablelands of NSW

Through social media, Lucy Lindner focussed on the German village where she knew her husband Andrew's ancestors once owned a sock factory.

"Luckily one of the people I wrote to responded to say that Andrew's great grandfather and his great-great grandfather were brothers," Ms Lindner said.

Then came the 'mind-blowing' discovery.

"It turns out the Lindners, in a direct line from father to son, have actually been manufacturing socks for six generations," she said.

"And further to that in a maternal line, that's still unbroken, they have been family sock-makers all the way back to the origins of the hosiery industry of that town in 1730."

Andrew and his brother Matthias grew up helping out at the Lindner family's sock factory. ( Supplied. )

Weaving through adversity

The couple had previously thought their family's history in textiles began when Andrew's great grandparents, Max and his wife Meta, started a factory in Thalheim, Germany in 1925.

The family survived World War II and the business was eventually taken on by Max's son, Alfred.

Alfred and his family fled during the Soviet occupation of East Germany and continued manufacturing socks from the basement of his new home in Neumarkt.

Andrew and Lucy Lindner visited Thalheim in Germany to learn more about their family's history in sock-making. ( Supplied. )

The business continued to grow and Lindner-manufactured socks were even worn by the West Germany soccer team in a World Cup final win in 1974.

When Alfred died the next year, the business was passed on to his sons Reinheid and Wilfred.

In 1986, the brothers decided to divide the business.

Wilfred and his wife Gisela emigrated to Australia with their young sons Andreas (Andrew) and Matthias along with half of the factory's knitting machines.

Setting up shop in regional Australia

Ornate stained-glassed windows at the Thalheim Town Hall in Germany commemorate the region's long history in manufacturing socks and hosiery. ( Supplied. )

In 1988 the Lindner Quality Sock factory was established at Goulburn in the southern tablelands of New South Wales.

A decade later it was moved to the nearby town of Crookwell where it has operated ever since.

At one stage the business employed up to 20 people, but like all family enterprises it faced challenges.

In 2008, Andrew's parents separated and he took on joint-management of the business with his mother.

It was a huge responsibility for the then 26-year-old.

Wool knitting machinery originally brought from Germany over three decades ago still operates at the Lindner sock factory in Crookwell. ( ABC Central West: Luke Wong )

"At the end of the day you've got bills to pay and there's a bank there ready to say, 'righto if you can't sort of get your stuff together, we're going to shut you down'," he said.

"So when failure is not an option you just run one way and that is work very, very hard and learn along the way as you go."

When Andrew learned about his ancestors' extended history in textiles, it reinvigorated his sense of pride to carry on the family business.

"It brings on this emotional thing that there are actually connections that go a long way back," he said.

"This family business has gone across to the other side of the world and we are still manufacturing socks."

Building a wool sock brand

These days the sock factory has a become a tourist attraction with travelling visitors stopping by on their way through Crookwell.

"It's sort of become a bit of an institution," Lucy Lindner said.

"It sits in well with the wool industry which is pretty strong part of the local community."

The business pumps out 20,000 socks a year and still uses some of the ageing knitting machines Andrew's parents originally brought from Germany.

They even source some of their merino wool from nearby farms, juggling to meet changing consumer demands for a sustainable product at the right price.

The Lindner family wool sock factory in Crookwell employs three people on a full-time basis, along with three permanent part-time workers. ( ABC Central West: Luke Wong )

For Lucy Lindner, marrying into a family with a long tradition of the sock-making has been a steep learning curve.

"It's fantastic. I've said a number of times I never would have thought my life would get this 'socky,' but then I met Andy and look where we are," she said.

"I'm really passionate about it now, I want to know everything there is to know and I just wish I had more time to understand all of it."

The big question is will the couple's young daughter and son take on the sock-making profession one day?

"Who knows? We'll leave it entirely up to them, no pressure," Ms Lindner said.