Lopidesign
Lopidesign is a pattern collection designed especially for Lopi yarns from Ístex. Yearly Ístex publishes a pattern book with Icelandic designs to fulfill the demand for unique, traditional and creative design.
Our commitment with Lopidesign is to offer high-quality patterns that are innovative and easy to follow.
Védís Jónsdóttir is our in-house designer in charge of Lopi yarn colours and patterns. Furthermore, Ístex has a long history collaborating with creative minds.
We offer the famous Álafosslopi and other Lopi yarns for hand knitting such as Plötulopi, Bulkylopi, and Léttlopi around the world. Our products are made out of high-quality Icelandic wool.
Lopi
Plötulopi is an unspun yarn so it is ideal to knit a traditional Icelandic sweater. It is easy to control the thickness by knitting more than 1-ply.
Álafosslopi is a thick wool yarn, apart from Plötulopi that is unspun, the oldest wool yarn still in production in Iceland. It is excellent for knitting outdoors wear and super cozy garments.
Léttlopi is a highly versatile yarn. It is equivalent in thickness to half a Álafosslopi. Léttlopi garments are lovely to wear both indoors and outdoors.
Jöklalopi is almost twice as thick as Álafosslopi. Ideal for thick chunky knitwear, blankets or rugs. Because of its bulkiness, Jöklalopi is quickly knitted, the previous name was Bulkylopi.
Einband is a fine yarn, ideal for shawls, light garments and lace knitting. Einband can be knitted using more than one strand of yarn. It is also used to add strength to one-ply Plötulopi.
Lopi is easy to knit. Perfect for all loving knitters
Ístex
Ístex was established to carry on the Icelandic wool industry that started in Mosfellsbær in 1896. Ístex buys directly from farmers and processes about 99% of all Icelandic wool. Icelandic farmers own 80% of the company.
Our commitment with Lopi is to offer high quality products from Icelandic wool to customers that choose natural, sustainable and eco-friendly living. Our wool is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified.
Visit Ístex to know more about us and our Lopi products.
The Icelandic sheep
When Viking settlers first arrived in Iceland in the 9th century they brought with them animals that they depended on for survival. The Icelandic sheep is a unique breed, shaped by centuries of isolation and arctic weather.
There are about 400-500.000 sheep in Iceland – just a little bit more than the human population! A typical Icelandic sheep farm is family-owned with between 200-300 animals. Many farmers know their sheep by name.
During the summer months the sheep are free in the great Icelandic wilderness. However, during the harsh winter months the sheep are sheltered by the farmer.
The Icelandic Wool
The Icelandic wool has outstanding breathability and thermal insulation. Over 1,100 years in the sub-arctic climate and isolation has given the Icelandic wool a distinctive character.
The wool is dual-coated with a combination of inner and outer fibres. The inner fibres þel are fine, soft and highly insulating. The outer fibres tog are long, strong and weather resistant. Together they create a high-quality wool that is lightweight, water-repellent and highly breathable. When tog and þel are processed together we get the exclusive Lopi – where the name, Lopidesign, comes from.
The Icelandic wool keeps you warm and cosy while allowing moisture to pass through the fibres away from the skin.
Animal welfare
Iceland is clean and kind. The sheep welfare standards and surveillance are extremely strict in Iceland. Sheep are rarely exposed to antibiotics, hormones or chemical treatments. The usage of pesticides and herbicides is limited in sheep farming in Iceland, resulting in particularly pure goods. Furthermore, the sheep are not subjected to mulesing or unnecessary dehorning.
Shearing is an important part of animal welfare. The sheep do not naturally lose their fleece and need to be sheared. Shearing is usually done under the watchful eye of the farmers to ensure the wellbeing of their precious animals. Just after shearing the sheep are sheltered inside. They have grown a nice warm coat of wool before going back to the outdoors.
For further information about animal welfare visit MAST, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority.
