Ístex

Continuing Iceland’s wool industry

Ístex was established to continue a wool industry that began in Mosfellsbær in 1896. The company buys directly from Icelandic farmers and describes farmers as majority owners of the business. Its operations include wool scouring in Blönduós and a spinning factory in Mosfellsbær.

This provides a concrete link between local wool and the finished yarns. The company also publishes pattern books featuring Icelandic designs, helping makers connect the material with both traditional and contemporary knitting.

Different forms of Lopi

The Lopi collection spans a range of thicknesses, so a shared name does not make two yarns interchangeable. Léttlopi and Álafosslopi need to be considered at their own gauges. Plötulopi’s unspun form introduces another difference: its construction should be part of the comparison, not reduced to a yarn-weight category.

Ístex states that its knitting yarns are pure wool apart from Hosuband. That exception matters for projects such as socks, where a blend may serve a different purpose from a pure-wool garment yarn.

When choosing an alternative to Lopi, think about the particular fabric you want to preserve. Match the original yarn’s composition and structure alongside gauge and length. For an Icelandic-style colourwork sweater, the colour contrast and texture of the washed sample help establish whether the substitute supports the design. Comfort against the skin is individual, so test the material where you intend to wear it rather than assuming all wool feels alike.