The Iconic Icelandic Wool Sweater: An Invented Cultural Statement | Craftsmanship Magazine
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On this Nordic island, marooned near the peak of the globe, the temperature can drop below -20 degrees. A sweater is a must. Toddlers, teens, and fishermen alike all wear the Icelandic wool sweater, a uniform that the nation of ice and snow embraces. They call it lopapeysa, a name that literally translates to “yarn…

Despite being a relatively new addition to Icelanders’ wardrobes, the lopapeysa has become a symbol of national identity and is now as Icelandic as skyr (a yogurt-type dairy product) or the sagas of the medieval settlers. In the words of Icelandic writer Árni Árnason, the lopapeysa “resembles the country’s rugged nature and reminds us of the history of farming and fishing when it provided its wearer with a vital shield from the disastrous weather one can encounter in the wild.” When Icelanders wear these sweaters, they’re drawing close the craftsmanship of their people, as well as old cultural ties to their sheep. Árnason thinks that lopapeysa “appeals greatly to the disillusioned and globalised 21st Century traveller.”