A short history of the Icelandic wool jumper

The Icelandic jumper is as much a part of popular fashion in Iceland as jeans and hiking shoes. It's known as lopapeysa, from the Icelandic “lopi” and “peysa” meaning “wool” and “jumper”. This iconic garment harks back to the yarn brought by the earliest days of settlement in Iceland when pioneers from Norway arrived in Iceland bringing their sheep with them.

The iconic pattern that we recognise as the classic Icelandic design is a comparatively recent development of Icelandic culture. The history of that Icelandic wool jumper is one of homegrown comfort and Scandinavian cultural exchange.

The first lopapeysa jumpers

Wool production has been a part of Icelandic culture ever since those first settlers; however, the iconic round-yoke jumper is a relatively new addition to Icelandic culture. Icelandic wool, known as lopi, is unique due to its exceptional warmth and weather-resistant properties. Icelandic wool only comes from Icelandic sheep, a unique “closed book” breed of sheep. Because no other sheep are allowed on Iceland the breed lines remain pure and due to the high number of sheep in Iceland the sheep remain pure and consistent, so that the wool they produce is always of the same unique high standard. 

Iceland sheep wool comprises of two layers tog and thel:

• The longer outer wool tog offers a strong water repellent barrier

• ·The soft inner wool thel offers soft outstanding insulation

(You can read more about the unique properties of Icelandic wool here.)

The two-layer wool gives Icelandic sheep outstanding natural protection from Iceland’s harshest weather including natural moisture and bacteria resistance. The production process used to turn the sheep’s wool into knitting yarn ensures the wool retains these protective properties.  Modern technology makes it possible to produce the Icelandic wool in a various thicknesses that in turn offer various yarn densities for creating knitted goods. Icelandic wool that was previously wasted from the process is now successfully used for Icelandic wool insulation filling.

The traditional lopapeysa and Scandinavian patterns

The iconic Icelandic jumper pattern actually came to Iceland from other areas of Scandinavia. The original round-yoke jumper pattern appeared in the 1932 knitting book Strikkeopskrifter by Norwegian designer Annichen Sibbern Bøhn. The design was called “Eskimo,” and drew inspiration from the national costume of Greenland’s women. The pattern was adopted by other Scandinavian countries and over the years they modified the colour schemes. Likely to have first appeared in Iceland in the December 1956 issue of Melkorka magazine with varied colours; the pattern was at this time called Grænlenzk peysa, meaning Greenlandic jumper.

An interesting fact is that Sweden and Denmark were calling the design “Icelandic jumpers”. Jumpers based on the similar designs were being called different things in different Scandinavian countries; Scandinavian knitwear is indicative of the cultural differences and similarities of Scandinavian countries and the shared culture and heritage.  

The Icelandic version stands out for being knitted with Icelandic wool and for the identical pattern front and back. The neutral colours serve to ensure that the traditional Icelandic jumper is a beautiful, practical signature piece as part of any cool-weather wardrobe. It’s a jumper that goes with any colour scheme. The traditional lopapeysa jumper is always knitted in Iceland using unspun Icelandic wool and knitted in the round. The best thing about owning a lopapeysa is that it’s the perfect choice regardless of whether you are projecting a vintage look or styling out a contemporary casual look. 

The Icelandic wool jumper is a nod to the longstanding craft of knitting, but also so much more. In Iceland it’s the combination of homegrown material and the culture behind the shared Scandinavian design together with the unique aspects of the lopapeysa that makes it a truly iconic Icelandic jumper. That’s why, if you want to buy a genuine Icelandic garment for your wardrobe, you’ll want to ensure that you select a jumper made from 100% Icelandic wool to an Icelandic design. Icewear’s knitwear selection includes classic jumpers made with 100% Icelandic wool, as well as a selection of Norwegian jumpers in various fibre combinations.

The distinctive design of the Icelandic jumper may stem from culture reaching beyond the island, but Icelandic added touches make the Icelandic jumper unique. Iceland’s own breed of sheep produces the wool that is warm and weather-resistant giving garments made with the wool additional protective functionality. Design and colour combinations add choices to increase the character and charm for a warm and resilient aesthetically pleasing garment.