Norwegian Wool

Image: Ingunn Birkeland for Røros Tweed.

It’s your last chance to enter the competitions from our current issue (Issue 96: Nordic) which all celebrate companies producing woollen garments locally in Norway. Røros is often the coldest place in Norway, with temperatures down to minus 50°C, so it is no surprise the town’s weaving mill has specialised in the warmest and cosiest throws. Røros Tweed (who no longer produce any tweed) is known for weaving the softest throws from Norwegian lambswool. It can count the Japanese Emperor and Christian Dior as clients. As well as blankets, designers have been using fabric woven at Røros Tweed since the 1970s, for example Unn Søiland Dale and her company Lillunn produced heavy jackets and coats with bold animal patterns feature polar bears and reindeer. Since 2005, designer Elisabeth Stray Pedersen, with her own label ESP took over production of the Lillunn label and created her own fashion forward coats. And in 2012, the design duo L&J of Norway developed throws and ponchos with Røros Tweed for guests of the luxury hotel, The Thief. Bringing us right up to date, we’re pleased to have a throw designed by Ingunn Birkeland for Røros to give away. The designer, based in Oslo, has created a colourful and graphic collection consisting of four throws in pastel, mint, orange and aqua.

Image: Oleana, Soft May coat.

Oleana is a knitwear fashion label with local production facilities outside Bergen, on the site of one of Norway’s oldest standing factories. The company’s knitted cardigans in bold and intricate designs sell all around the world. They started out using Norwegian wool yarns, however today’s fine knitted products are in alpaca, merino and silk mixes. Last year Oleana launched a throw-coat with the bold flower design in Norwegian lambswool, spun at Rauma Woolen Mill, woven at Røros Tweed and at the Oleana factory. Combining bold colours and unisex design, Mona Jensen the creative director, highlights how they have been inspired by coastal nature and local architecture. We have a Soft May coat worth $735, for a reader to win.

Image: Dale of Norway

Since the 1956 Cortina Winter Olympics, Dale of Norway have outfitting the national Norwegian ski team for all Winter Olympic Games. The official sweaters, often named after the location of the event, remain popular for years afterward, making Dale of Norway well known worldwide. They are one of the very few textile companies with production in Norway. Recently, they have re-launched a collection of original Olympic designs. We have an Olympic sweater worth $230, for a reader to win.

To enter, visit our Competitions page. Competitions close midnight (GMT) 15 October.