Is Icelandic Wool Scratchy?

If you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to pick up an Icelandic wool sweater or at least some Icelandic wool accessories during your visit to Iceland and might be wondering what the texture is like.

In short, Icelandic wool is very scratchy and is scratchier than wool from sheep in warmer climates. However, with that said, don’t let the scratchiness of the wool scare you away from great products with an even better story. 

The Icelandic wool accessories that we bought on our trip are some of my favorite accessories I have ever bought.

Once you learn a little about what makes Icelandic wool so itchy, you’ll start to appreciate it more.

You’ll find that sweaters and accessories that are made out of Icelandic wool are not just another piece of clothing.

They have a story and tradition to tell that goes back centuries.

Here is why I think it’s worth plopping down your hard-earned cash on something cozy made from cute Icelandic sheep wool even if it is a little scratchier than other wool.

What is Special about Icelandic Wool?

Icelandic wool isn’t the typical wool that is produced in the rest of the world. The wool in Iceland dates back to the 9th century AD when the first settlers came here from Norway.

These early settlers brought the original sheep with them as a source of wool, fur, and also food.

Today, the sheep you find roaming all around Iceland (often cited at around 500,000, though numbers vary from year to year) can tie their family heritage back to these original sheep that came in the 9th century AD.

The coolest part is that since Iceland is an island, the sheep have been largely isolated from other breeds of sheep from around the world for centuries.

Because of this, the sheep’s wool has developed over time to be extremely durable, warm, and water-resistant, which allows them to thrive in such an extreme sub-arctic landscape.

Icelandic Wool’s Characteristics

What makes Icelandic wool so distinct is that it has a distinctive combination of inner and outer fibers that sets it apart from most other wools.

It keeps the sheep dry and warm even in the worst conditions and can do the same for humans if they wear clothing made from the wool.

The outer fibers of the wool, which are called tog in Icelandic, are tough, long, fleecy, and glossy, and they are the layer of the wool that is also water-resistant.

This is the layer of the wool that is mostly responsible for the scratchy feel against your skin.

Then, you have the inner layers of the wool, which are called þel in Icelandic. This layer is soft and warm and is the part of the wool which provides insulation against the harsh, cold conditions.

Put these two characteristics together and you have perfect protection from mother nature in Iceland.

It’s no wonder why the Icelandic people have been using the sheep’s wool for so long and why the sheep in Iceland can remain outside even in the worst conditions.

The Journey from Sheep to Sweater

Every May in Iceland, thousands of lambs are born into the harsh environment that they will call home.

Then in June, the newly born lamb with the rest of the sheep are sent out to roam and graze the vast landscape, mountains, and hills, and feast on the yummy green grass that has just sprouted.

At the same time, the farmers are out collecting hay, which will be fed to the sheep during wintertime as fresh grass is not accessible.

If you get to visit Iceland in the summer, you’ll get to see these bales of hay spread throughout the many different plots of farmland.

Then when the fall season rolls around, the farmers begin to go out by horseback to round up their sheep!

Once the sheep are all rounded up, they are sorted and the unfortunate ones who are destined for the slaughterhouse are removed from the herd.

The herd is then sheared (timing varies by farm) and the sheared-off fleece is ready to be turned into knitting wool.

The crazy thing is that this is just the start of the journey from sheep to a sweater that you will find in a store.

By the rough estimates we found when researching this article, about 1,000 tons of wool were sheared each year.

Out of that, roughly 750 tons were usable after washing, and only around 400 tons of the best material went on to become knitting wool for sweaters and other clothing items. Exact figures vary from year to year.

Now that we’ve gone over briefly the entire wool life cycle, let’s just take a second to appreciate how much time it takes to turn the sheep’s fleece into a wearable product.

It’s a journey, and with the journey comes a great story and tradition which has been passed on for centuries.

How to Keep Icelandic Wool from Being Scratchy?

Even though the scratchiness of Icelandic wool isn’t necessarily a bad thing, there is still a chance that you will think it’s too scratchy to wear after buying it.

Have no fear, there are still a couple of things you can do to soften your Icelandic wool. Here are some tips that I was able to find in my research about softening Icelandic wool:

• Don’t Do Anything –  it’s reported that Icelandic wool actually gets softer as your body heat warms it up and over time through normal use, so just give it some time.
• Soak it with Hair Conditioner – if you don’t have the patience to wait for it to soften over time, you can try soaking the wool. Many people said they were able to soften their wool by soaking the wool twice. The first time in lukewarm water and the second time with a high-quality hair conditioner. Results vary, so treat this as an anecdotal tip rather than a guaranteed fix.
• Wear Something Underneath – for some Icelandic wool products like sweaters, the easiest solution might just be to wear something underneath. Anyways, when it’s cold enough to wear Icelandic wool, you’ll probably be wearing layers anyways.

Before you do anything to your wool product, remember that each clothing manufacturer has different recommendations on how to care for it, so check the care label first.

Also, if you do end up soaking it, make sure not to wring or rub it. Then lay it flat on a towel to dry because if you hang it, the weight of the wet wool will stretch it out.

Where to Buy Icelandic Wool Products

There are a bunch of places in Iceland that you can find traditionally made Icelandic wool products.

If you’re looking for a made in Iceland product, the one thing to be careful about is the stores that design their products in Iceland, but manufacture their goods overseas.

These products don’t use Icelandic wool, are cheaper, and are mostly targeted towards tourists who want a good deal.

One of our favorite shops to look for sweaters and other accessories made out of Icelandic wool was the Handknitting Association of Iceland located in Reykjavik.

The association was founded in 1977 by a group of mostly women who wanted to make income by knitting and selling sweaters and other accessories made from the wool in their country.

When we visited, the products in this shop were all handmade by members of the association, and each item even had a tag with the name of the person who made it! The association’s current website still describes its pieces as handknitted locally from 100% Icelandic wool.

The staff was extremely friendly and helpful, and this is where we ended up buying a few items.

The one downside is that the look of the garments in this store is more on the traditional side, so if you’re looking for something with a more modern twist, you should check out Farmers and Friends.

As said by the company’s co-founder Bergthora Gudnadottir, “The company places themselves at a junction. A place where heritage meets modernity, the national meets international, and the countryside meets the city. We find this an exciting place to explore.” 

If this sounds like you, then Farmers and Friends is your place to go.

There were so many pieces we wanted to buy from here, but we had already spent our budget at the Handknitting Association of Iceland, so decided to hold off until our next visit.

A note on Farmers and Friends: A reader who visited in 2023 shared in the comments below that the store they visited had only a handful of locally made sweaters, with much of the rest labeled “designed in Iceland” and made elsewhere. We haven’t been back to check since our trip, so if a made-in-Iceland, Icelandic wool piece is what you’re after, check the label or ask the staff before you buy.

Conclusion

Icelandic wool is more scratchy than wool from sheep that live in warmer climates, but as you can see, the scratchiness isn’t all that bad and is this way for a reason.

Yes, when I wear my hat, I have to scratch my head more than I’d like to, but trust me when I say that it is my favorite and warmest hat that I wear when it gets cold outside.

Now, if you live in a warmer climate, investing in gear made out of Icelandic wool might not be the best idea.

However, if it gets cold where you live, there is nothing else better to keep you nice and cozy in the dead of winter than Icelandic wool.

Plus, as I mentioned before, the story and tradition of the Icelandic wool is something special and unique.

Each time I put my hat on, I’m reminded of my time adventuring through the country, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same each time you put on your Icelandic wool garment too.