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Icelandic Wool Insulated Clothing

You’re about to re-discover the performance power of wool. Not all winter coats are created equal. Synthetic insulation has dominated outdoor gear for decades, but Icewear redefined what a winter coat, insulated vest, or wool poncho can do. It started years ago. Since 2021, Icewear has been integrating Icelandic wool-based insulation into a growing line of products, raising the bar for winter gear performance. Icewear is the first brand in the world to create wool-insulated coats and other winter outerwear using Icelandic wool as the primary filling, offering superior thermoregulation, breathability, anti-bacterial qualities, fire retardance and water resistance—all the natural benefits of Icelandic wool. Icelandic wool has long been used in base and mid-layers, but it wasn’t tough enough for the role of a winter coat. That’s why Icewear’s wool insulation innovation is such a big deal: using excess natural wool from yarn production, Icewear created a way to use that wool as insulation. Wool insulation is a naturally superior performance fiber, and it’s far more sustainable to make. It’s also completely reusable. Icelandic wool insulation is a game-changer in the industry and an ecological statement for wearers. The production process Wool-based filling was made possible due to a groundbreaking new process in wool production. The innovation by Icewear combined, for the first time, the natural benefits of Icelandic wool with the tough shells and water and windproof treatments associated with the best outerwear. By combining Icelandic wool (80%) with bio-polyester (20%), Icewear turned to nature’s first performance fiber as the answer for superior winterwear. Everyday wear that uses wool insulation was then developed when Icewear refined the production process to allow for multiple insulation thickness options. By sourcing wool locally in Iceland for its insulation, Icewear made its priority of sustainability clear. Icewear believes so strongly in this material that whole new collections were built around it, like the Black Sheep Collection below. Icelandic wool blend coats and outerwear Wool socks and sweaters have kept us warm for centuries, and now Icewear’s wool-filled outerwear takes warmth and performance to a whole new level. Icelandic wool sweaters earned their centuries-old reputation thanks to their performance (not just their craftsmanship). And now, Icewear’s wool-filled jackets are the version 2.0 of those traditional Icelandic sweaters, offering all the same natural benefits. FAQ Will wool insulation clump when washing? No, and wool insulated clothing rarely needs washing anyway. When you do wash a wool-filled article, treat it like a wool sweater: wash with a wool-safe soap, then lay it flat to dry. Get more wash and care instructions on the website. Is wool insulation warm enough for me? Icelandic wool insulation in some cases is similar to other types of insulation, and in other cases it’s warmer. Read more about the warmest materials and how well they retain heat. To make sure you find the best suited product for you, Icewear’s collection of wool insulated clothing has various levels of insulation that offer different levels of warmth. The lightest-weight layers are made into wool sheets of three different thicknesses: 60gr/m2 100gr/m2 200gr/m2 Then, there are also products where the wool insulation material is blown directly into jackets, making for puffier and even warmer filling. Different products use different insulation thickness to meet every wearer’s requirements. Insulation is blown into the shell, similar to how down feather coats are made. The result? You have a range of products of varying thickness available to you. Whatever your preference or environment, you can find the perfect product. Learn more about layering for changing weather on the website. What is the OEKO-TEX® standard, exactly? The OEKO-TEX® standard certifies that each element of a piece of clothing has been tested for harmful materials according to strict international regulations. The analysis is performed by an independent company. Read more about OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100. How are these products both sustainable and environmentally-friendly? These products use renewable and bio-degradable materials, making the collection a springboard of sustainable choices in a market saturated with synthetic insulation. Wool-insulated products by Icewear are also produced without the use of harmful chemicals. And, happily for Icelandic sheep farmers, Icewear’s unique production process uses much more of the wool than yarn or fleece manufacturing, meaning far less wool goes to waste during production. This is definitely a movement you want to be a part of.

Christmas sweaters and gifts 2026

When searching for Christmas gift ideas, the right starting point can make the difference between a quickly-completed shopping list and a tedious search you’re never quite satisfied with. You can count on these festive gift ideas from Icewear, because with 13 Santas and a Christmas cat, Icelanders have tons of Christmas traditions to inspire you. Start with wool Christmas sweaters, then move onto other jovial winter clothes and accessories. You’ll cover all your gift needs in a flash.

Festival

Icewear FESTIVAL á Þjóðhátíð í Eyjum Icewear has designed special FESTIVAL merchandise for Þjóðhátíð in the Westman Islands 2025, called Þjóðhátíð, as Icewear is one of the main sponsors of the festival. The festival products will be available in limited quantities and sold in selected stores both in the capital area and the countryside, as well as online. The products will also be sold during Þjóðhátíð at the Icewear store in the Westman Islands and in a pop-up Icewear shop in the valley.

Warm winter wear for Nordic climates

The Icewear team has the winter experience to know what keeps you warm. Here, you’ll find everything you need for cold weather, from high-performance parkas to base layers and accessories, all designed for lasting warmth. Snowsuits, snowpants and other gear Iceland isn’t the biggest ski destination, but locals and tourists do take to the slopes in areas close to Reykjavik and for example Akureyri in the north. Beyond the resorts, Icelanders and tourists alike explore glaciers and other icy terrains. These conditions all demand clothing made to perform. Enter: Icewear’s warm winter clothing. Experience the level of quality you feel, even when ice, rain, or the coldest wind sweeps across the tundra. Base layers for optimal warmth Merino wool base layers—including tops, long johns, and undergarments—are the secret ingredient to regulating body temperature in the winter. Layering keeps you warm without overheating because the ultra-fine and soft Merino fibers wick moisture and keep you warm, even when wet. Base layers are how you make the difference between “I’m fine” and feeling truly comfortable. Learn more about layering on the Icewear blog. Wool ski sweaters: the heart of winter warmth Winterwear comes full circle with Icewear’s traditional wool sweaters. For over a thousand years, Icelanders have trusted the unique dual-fiber warmth of Icelandic wool, and with these traditional Scandinavian sweater designs, you can carry a piece of Icelandic heritage with you on every winter adventure. Warm winter accessories Even the toughest winter coat can’t do the job alone. The right winter accessories offer total comfort, not to mention convenience and safety. Icewear’s wool hats stay warm even when they’re wet, and waterproof ski gloves are insulated for maximum protection. Hiking gear includes crampons and headlines for every imaginable landscape. Winter accessories are the small but crucial details that make the difference in winterwear. Parkas and insulated winter coats A well-made parka balances insulation, wind resistance and breathability. Icewear has engineered a full range of high-quality parkas with different insulation weights and fill options, including Icewear’s own innovative Icelandic wool insulation. Discover the parka that meets your winter head-on. Does it snow in Iceland? Iceland’s winters include snow-covered landscapes, cozy cabins, and breathtaking views of the Northern Lights. But the climate is moderated by ocean currents that keep it milder than you might think. Traveling to Iceland in the winter does mean you’ll face the cold, but with the right winterwear you can take it all in.

Black Sheep collection

Icewear's OEKO-TEX® Certified Outdoor Line Icewear presents Black Sheep Collection with a new environmentally friendly OEKO-TEX 100 quality certified outdoor line. The product line is unique globally with its unique wool blend where the line's clothing is filled with 60gr of Icelandic wool. The garments are therefore light and warm, thanks to the unique qualities of the Icelandic wool. The design is timeless and environmentally friendly, but only high quality materials are used in the line where every detail is well thought out. Designed for Movement The OEKO-TEX 100 STANDARD certified outdoor collection is especially designed for outdoor activities in different weather conditions. The unique qualities of Icelandic wool provide maximum insulation, excellent durability, breathability and exceptional warmth regulation qualities. The exterior of the line is made from recycled materials which ensures agility while being water resistant. The Black Sheep Collection is therefore a revolution for outdoor enthusiasts who want more eco-friendly options and good functionality in different conditions. Environmentally Friendly Icewear’s Black Sheep Collection takes sustainability further with timeless design and durable, high-quality materials. The outdoor line is 100% OEKO-TEX certified, meaning every component—from fabrics to threads—has been tested for up to 350 harmful substances. The outer shell and lining are made from 100% recycled nylon. Since its founding in 1972, wool has been central to Icewear’s design and production. The Black Sheep Collection uses an 80% Icelandic wool / 20% recycled PET-bio polyester insulation, a modern solution that repurposes leftover wool once unsuitable for knitting. OEKO-TEX-100 The collection’s OEKO-TEX 100 certification guarantees that every material—fabrics, threads, elastics, zippers, snaps—has been independently tested and confirmed safe from harmful chemicals. Each garment includes a QR code linking directly to its certification for full transparency. Read more about OEKO-TEX quality certification Icelandic Wool-Fill The Icelandic wool insulation in the Black Sheep Collection is OEKO-TEX 100 certified and globally unique. Icelandic wool has protected locals for centuries, thanks to its dual-layer structure: a coarse inner layer that traps warmth, and longer outer hairs that naturally repel water—keeping wearers warm and dry in changing conditions. Icewear from Iceland since 1972 Founded in the early 1970s as a small wool-knitting factory, Icewear built expertise in Scandinavian yarn traditions and tested its designs in Iceland’s demanding climate. Today, that heritage continues to shape outdoor clothing crafted for durability, comfort, and cold-weather performance.

Golf Apparel

Icewear offers excellent outdoor products that are particularly well-suited for golf. The products are designed for those who want to combine mobility, comfort, and protection against Icelandic weather. The garments are made from lightweight and durable materials that provide great stretch, breathability, and water-repellent protection. Whether you’re on the tee in the morning chill or finishing the course in the rain, Icewear keeps you dry and warm for all 18 holes.

From Pálína’s sheep to your sweater

Icelandic wool comes from sheep raised in isolation and shaped by centuries of harsh weather. And, as Icelandic sheep do not naturally shed their wool, they must be sheared regularly as part of proper care. The wool collected during shearing is then transformed into garments rooted in a tradition that dates back to the 9th-century Viking settlement. Every year, on a remote farm in Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur, Pálína Njarðvík, Instagram’s most popular sheep farmer, and her family carry out the timeless ritual of shearing. The wool gathered from this tradition has been used to create two exclusive, limited-edition Icewear sweaters, Elís and Fagradalsfjall. Each piece lets you wear wool that has endured Iceland’s harsh, sub-zero winters, sourced from some of the country’s most beloved and Instagram-famous sheep. Icelandic wool at its peak Icelandic wool is a premium natural fiber from Icelandic sheep, known for its unique dual structure. The soft inner layer, called Þel, provides exceptional warmth and insulation, while the long outer layer, called Tog, is naturally water-resistant and durable. This dual structure makes Icelandic wool lightweight, cozy, and perfectly suited to Iceland’s wet and cold climate. You can read more about what makes Icelandic wool special on the Icewear blog. Each year, shearing takes place in late November on Pálína’s farm, when the sheep are brought indoors for winter. This timing ensures the wool is at its peak quality due to the wool’s harvest at the time when the Þel is at its densest for winter protection, but before the fibers have had a chance to become matted or damaged by a full winter of wear. The limited-edition Icewear sweaters feature wool sheared during the November season, resulting in a "cleaner" separation of fibers during processing, which is why the sweaters feel softer. Why shearing matters for Icelandic sheep Shearing, the seasonal "haircut" is an act of care as for Icelandic sheep, because wool that grows without intervention eventually becomes a heavy, stifling burden. By skilfully removing the wool before new growth begins, farmers prevent "double fleecing," a condition that can compromise an animal's health. This careful work ensures that every sheep remains light, agile, and comfortable throughout the year. Shearing at Pálína's farm is a masterclass in calm, well-organized precision. The sheep are guided individually to the shearing floor, where an experienced team works with practiced efficiency and a gentle touch. Because this is a familiar part of the yearly rhythm, the sheep wait in line with a quiet patience. The manual sorting process for natural color purity Immediately after shearing, the wool is manually sorted by shade to preserve its natural character. The process begins with white wool and concludes with darker tones to prevent color mixing. This meticulous separation allows the Elís and Fagradalsfjall sweaters to showcase the authentic, vibrant Earth tones of the Icelandic sheep and ensures that the best wool continues its journey toward becoming yarn and eventually, it could become your sweater.

Icewear Gift Card

The Icewear Gift Card is a convenient and simple way to give a gift suitable for any occasion. Icewear offers both a traditional gift card and an electronic gift card, both valid in stores and online. Icewear’s corporate service provides tailored solutions for businesses of all sizes. For inquiries, please contact sala@icewear.is.

Greenland Inspired Knitting

Looking at a map, something immediately stands out: Iceland is surprisingly green, while Greenland is largely blanketed by ice, yet their names suggest the opposite. Despite being only about 300 kilometres apart, these two lands share the challenges of life in the freezing North. Design Shaped by the North Iceland and Greenland both face the harsh conditions of the Nordic North, but their climates are very different. Greenland, farther north and mostly covered in ice, is much colder than Iceland. Still, both places need clothing that can handle cold, wind, and isolation. These shared challenges led to strong textile traditions and practical, iconic Nordic garments such as the Lopapeysa. Greenlandic Influence on the Lopapeysa Though it feels like a timeless artifact, the Lopapeysa is actually a product of 20th-century innovation. Its iconic circular yoke, rather than being an ancient Icelandic invention, emerged through mid-century cultural exchange, inspired by the Greenlandic women’s national costume, particularly the nuilarmiut, a vivid beaded collar draped over the shoulders. This visual form was first translated into a knitting pattern by Norwegian designer Annichen Sibbern Bøhn in her 1932 book Strikkeopskrifter, where her “Eskimo” pattern captured the geometric beauty of the Greenlandic collar and introduced the circular yoke to a wider Scandinavian audience. Iceland’s Adaptation and Innovation By the 1950s, the Greenland-style pattern had reached Iceland and appeared in the December 1956 issue of Melkorka magazine as a Grænlenzk peysa or Greenlandic sweater. Icelanders soon adapted the design using lopi, an unspun wool roving that preserves the dual-fibre qualities of Icelandic sheep, creating a garment that was lightweight, exceptionally warm, and weather resistant. Interestingly, while Icelanders first called them "Greenlandic sweaters," neighbours in Sweden and Denmark soon called them "Icelandic sweaters," showing how quickly the design became a symbol of Icelandic identity. For the full story behind the story of the Lopapeysa, check out the Icewear blog. Greenland-Inspired Collaboration Greenland-inspired knitwear continues today through contemporary designs, including Icewear Garn’s collaboration with designer Lisa Sólrun, whose patterns reflect her Greenlandic, Danish, and Faroese heritage. Drawing on the Greenlandic national costume, she reinterprets its traditional patterns and colors, where shades carry deep meaning by region, age, and occasion. From pink in youth to red in maturity and finally to darker tones of red and blue. About the Designer Lísa Sólrun is one of the few knitting designers in Greenland creating patterns. Alongside her creative work, she is a trained occupational therapist, works as an advisor at the Ministry of Health in Greenland, and has an Icelandic partner and five grown children. She learned to knit at just five years old from her grandmother and mother and has been knitting ever since. Encouraged by family and friends, Lisa Sólrun began designing her own patterns in 2021, naming each one after her children and grandchildren and giving every design a deeply personal meaning. Her patterns can be found in the knitting patterns section of the Icewear website, though not all patterns are available in English.

Icewear X Iceland Fashion Week

Iceland Fashion Week took place on September 5–6, 2025, at Askja, the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Reykjavík. The festival was conceived as a creative platform where international designers, artists, models, and other creative forces came together to showcase innovation in fashion and art. Among the Icelandic brands represented, Icewear stood out with its unique approach to combining tradition and modernity. The company presented its revolutionary Icelandic wool insulation clothing, designed to merge sustainability, functionality, and style. Alongside this innovation, Icewear also showcased a range of outdoor clothing that highlighted the brand’s commitment to creating apparel suitable for both Iceland’s rugged landscapes and urban lifestyles. The event marked an important step in establishing Iceland Fashion Week as a recurring international meeting point for creativity, fashion technology, and cultural exchange. Photographs taken by the photographer Narun Nevader.