What Big rope does

Grote Strickerei (Grote GmbH) is a family-owned German knitwear manufacturer founded in 1973 by Monika and Paul Grote, headquartered in Deutsch Evern in the Lüneburger Heide region of Lower Saxony. The company operates a 1,500+ m² production facility equipped with modern knitting machines of varying fineness levels, on which it produces Troyers (wool pullovers), hats and beanies, scarves, capes, and ponchos. All production steps — from knitting through detailed sewing and finishing — are executed domestically, with raw materials and yarns sourced exclusively from Germany and neighboring European countries. The site is partially powered by an in-house photovoltaic installation, and the company holds GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification for its Grote Organic sub-brand. Approximately 50 employees work at the single-site facility.

The company distributes through three channels: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce shop (grote-shop.de) for individual buyers, a separate B2B portal (b2b.grote-shop.de) for registered retail dealers, and seasonal in-person warehouse clearance sales held from October through February with discounts of up to 50%. Product is positioned under the Grote Strickerei / Strickerei Grote brand, supplemented by the Grote Organic line and the newer Grote Maritime Collection, the latter offering short-term delivery availability. Distribution extends across Europe, with Germany as the primary market. Grote Strickerei is privately held, with Michael Grote as managing director since 2002 and Jana Grote as co-managing director; the firm carries no disclosed external funding and operates as a continuous family business.

Name

Big rope

Legal name

Grote GmbH

Website

https://strickerei-grote.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Grote Strickerei (Grote GmbH) is a family-owned German knitwear manufacturer founded in 1973 in Deutsch Evern, producing Troyers, hats, scarves, capes, and ponchos in-house for European consumers and B2B retailers via D2C, dealer, and seasonal warehouse sales channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Knitwear Manufacturing

NAICS

Apparel Knitting Mills (3151)

SIC

Knit Outerwear Mills (2253), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Knitwear & Sweaters Manufacturers (CRAAAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scarves/Shawls/Winter Neckwear Manufacturing (IMAOAFAD)

Keywords

• Knitwear manufacturing
• Woolen clothing production
• Knitted accessories
• Organic textile products
• Made-in-germany apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Deutsch Evern

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Knitwear Product Sales: Sale of high-quality knitwear accessories including Troyers (knit sweaters), hats, scarves, capes, ponchos, and sets. Products are sold directly to consumers via online shop and at seasonal warehouse sales, and to dealers via B2B shop. All products manufactured in-house at the German facility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Grote GmbH (operating as Strickerei Grote / "Big rope") is a family-owned German knitting mill founded in 1973 that manufactures high-quality knitwear entirely in-house at its Deutsch Evern facility. The portfolio centers on Troyer pullovers, knit hats/beanies, scarves, and accessories such as capes and ponchos in wool, cotton, and blended yarns, including GOTS-certified organic lines and a Maritime Collection. Products are sold directly to consumers via the grote-shop.de online store and seasonal warehouse sales, and to retailers via a registration-based B2B dealer shop.

Product overview

Grote GmbH (Grote Strickerei) is a family-owned German knitting manufactory established in 1973, producing high-quality knitwear exclusively in-house at their facility in Deutsch Evern. The company operates on a 1500+ m² production area with approximately 50 employees using modern knitting machines. Their core product portfolio consists of Troyer pullovers (wind and weather resistant wool knitwear), knitted hats/beanies (including Parkermütze and Pudelmütze), scarves, and accessories such as capes and ponchos. Products are sold through two distinct sales channels: a consumer-facing online shop (grote-shop.de) and a B2B dealer shop (b2b.grote-shop.de) requiring registration. The company also offers specialized product lines including a Maritime Collection, GOTS-certified organic products, and classic cotton sets. Seasonal warehouse sales occur October through February offering items at up to 50% below retail prices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grote Organic: Organic certified product line featuring GOTS-standard knitwear made from controlled organic fibers
• Grote Maritime Collection

Products and services

• Troyer (Pullover) High-quality wool pullovers that are wind and weather resistant, manufactured in-house at the Grote Strickerei facility in the Lüneburger Heide region. Sold to consumers via grote-shop.de and to retailers via the B2B dealer shop.
• Knit Hats and Beanies (Strickmützen) Knitted hats and beanies in various yarn qualities, including signature Parkermütze and Pudelmütze styles. Authentic products from fair, in-house German production sold to consumers and B2B dealers.
• Knit Scarves (Strickschals) High-quality knitted scarves in various yarn qualities with a colorful palette, produced in-house and offered to consumers and B2B retail partners.
• Accessories (Capes and Ponchos) Knitted accessories including capes and ponchos, offered alongside scarves and hats. Produced in-house and sold to both end consumers and retail dealers.
• Maritime Collection (Maritime Kollektion) A thematic collection of maritime-themed knitwear articles that are available short-term, marketed through a downloadable PDF catalog for consumers and dealers.
• GOTS-Certified Organic Products (Grote Organic) Certified knitwear products made from controlled organic fibers, responsibly produced in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Offered via the Grote Organic sub-brand site for sustainability-focused buyers.
• Classic Cotton Sets (Baumwollsets) Classic cotton sets in many qualities with a colorful palette, providing fresh variety within the Grote knitwear assortment for consumers and B2B dealers.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Schiesser: Long-established German apparel manufacturer of underwear, knitwear, and basics with multi-channel European distribution. Comparable as a heritage German textile producer with a similar Made-in-Germany quality story and broad knit-based product range.
• Falke: German family-driven hosiery and knitwear manufacturer producing premium socks, scarves, and knit accessories across Europe. Directly comparable as a German legacy textile manufacturer selling B2B and DTC with similar premium-quality positioning and knitted-craft heritage.
• Roeckl: German accessories manufacturer specializing in knitted hats, scarves, gloves, and small leather goods. Comparable as a German accessories specialist with B2B and DTC channels across Europe, serving similar lifestyle and outdoor-leaning customer segments.
• Johnstons of Elgin: Scottish cashmere and fine-knitwear manufacturer producing scarves, sweaters, and woven accessories. Comparable as a European heritage knitwear producer with vertical in-house production, premium-sustainability positioning, and a similar high-end retailer and direct-customer distribution model.
• Eisbär: Austrian family-owned manufacturer of knitted hats, scarves, balaclavas, and winter accessories. Directly comparable product overlap on hats and scarves, similar European DACH-region customer base, and a comparable premium-sustainability brand positioning.
• William Lockie: Scottish knitwear manufacturer producing cashmere and wool sweaters, scarves, and accessories from its own mill. Comparable as a traditional European maker of premium knitwear focused on quality craftsmanship, in-house production, and a similar wholesale/dealer plus DTC business model.
• Eribé Knitwear: Scottish design-driven knitwear brand producing hand-finished knit garments and accessories in Europe. Comparable as a small-to-mid-sized European knitwear specialist combining contemporary design with sustainability credentials and multi-channel B2B/wholesale plus DTC distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/grote.strick
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/strickerei-grote

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big rope