The Icelandic Sheep Wool Blanket

This is the woolen throw blanket handcrafted from the fleece of Iceland’s renowned sheep that is shorn every September during the nation’s annual Réttir. This short-tailed European breed is regarded for a unique genetic makeup that has allowed it to flourish in harsh conditions since the first Scandinavian seafarers settled the island over 1,000 years ago. Bolstered by a diet of wild forbs, seaweed, heather, and birch spinney, each yields a dual-coated fleece: a longer, waterproof outer coat (tog) and a soft undercoat (þel), which provide the sheep optimal protection from a harsh, cold environment. Both layers are spun into lopi, a specialized yarn much softer than normal wool, which is knitted into this extraordinary blanket. Comfortably soft at 79"-long and 51"-wide with fringed ends. Dry clean only. (2 lbs.)