Lopapeysa are hand-knitted sweaters made from Icelandic sheep's wool.
Today's Icelandic sheep descend from a breed of sheep brought to Iceland by the Vikings during their conquest of the islands at the end of the 9th century. Because they have been able to adapt optimally to the local climate over the past 1,000 years, Icelandic sheep, called "Lopi," are particularly robust animals.
The Lopi in Iceland spend most of their lives outdoors and, due to the country's harsh climate, develop a very special wool: the outer coat, called tog , consists of medium-thick hairs with a diameter of around 0.03 mm and is very robust and water-repellent. The undercoat ( Þel), on the other hand, consists of much finer fibers with a diameter of around 0.02 mm and is traditionally used for wool clothing that is worn directly on the skin - and therefore should not be so scratchy.
Icelandic Lopi wool is made from a blend of outer and undercoat, a very lightly twisted yarn made exclusively from the wool of Icelandic sheep. The unique blend of the Icelandic sheep's strong, water-repellent outer coat and soft, cozy undercoat gives Lopi wool its very special character.
In keeping with the natural colors of Icelandic sheep, classic Lopi wool is available in brown, black, gray, and white—although these days you can also buy it in relatively bright colors if you want.
By the way, the Lopapeysa (unlike the classic Norwegian sweaters) are traditionally knitted in one piece with a long, thick circular needle, so the pattern runs uniformly as a round neckline across the front and back and the sleeves of the sweater.
The sweaters are designed for serious cold, they keep you extremely warm and are often worn outside by Icelanders like jackets in winter – we also saw several Icelandic fathers with their thick lopapeysa at Brenna on the beach on New Year's Eve 2011.
Icelandic sweaters don't actually need to be washed often – with the thick, water- and dirt-repellent sheep's wool, it's usually enough to air them out sufficiently. If your lopapeysa is seriously soiled, however, you can wash it. However, you should only handwash it briefly with wool soap in lukewarm water (max. 30°C). Ideally, you shouldn't leave it in the water for longer than 10 minutes, and rinse it thoroughly. Don't wring it out or distort it in any other way, as this will cause the poor sweater to lose its shape. Then, place it neatly on a towel and let it dry.
Nowadays, tourists in Iceland can also buy simple T-shirts in the Lopapeysa look, for those who are less cold.
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