Based in Östersund in northern Sweden, only 400km from the uncompromising weather systems of the Arctic Circle, Woolpower knows a thing or two about the need for technical, high-performing outdoor layers. And now the Swedish brand, which has an admirable approach to ethics, people and place, has set its sights on conquering the UK’s hillwalking market.
Founded in 1969, the brand’s humble beginnings involved manufacturing nylon tights, but a partnership with the Swedish army in the early 1970s led to a big breakthrough. Woolpower invented a wondrous new fabric, fusing the highest quality merino wool with elastane, polyamide and polyester.
They called it Ullfrotté and the material became an instant hit with the armed forces, beloved for being warm yet fast-wicking, soft yet strong and comfortable yet odourless.
Responsibly made in Sweden
Half a century later and Woolpower is still trading off that initial innovation, manufacturing a wide range of Ullfrotté garments including socks, hats, gloves, baselayers, long johns, underwear and midlayers. But, despite its commercial success, the brand still retains a real sense of heart and heritage to everything it does.
Surprisingly for a textiles manufacturer, nothing has been outsourced to China or Southeast Asia. Instead, the entire production process, from stitching and knitting to packaging and shipping, takes place at the brand’s own factory in Östersund.
This is a big financial commitment from the brand. Woolpower could save mountains of cash if they outsourced production to somewhere like Cambodia, where a seamstress costs approximately 3% of the annual salary of a Swedish seamstress.
But, according to Woolpower’s owners, the brothers Daniel and Adam Brånby**,** it’s a price worth paying for ensuring far higher levels of craftsmanship, sustainability and excellence for its customers. Woolpower prioritises quality over pure profit, it would appear.
“Responsibly made in Sweden” is the brand’s tagline, and nowhere is this ethos more noticeable than in the brand’s workforce. Many of the Swedish seamstresses have decades of experience at Woolpower – and they’re so proud of their handiwork, they even sew their names into every garment they make.
It’s a lovely little personal touch, a quirky idea, but reflective of the whole family-oriented culture at Woolpower.
Eco-friendly and sustainable
Woolpower is the antithesis of wasteful fast fashion. The brand’s products are not throwaway items that need to be replaced year in, year out. Instead they're designed to the highest standards, with long-term durability built-in.
A Woolpower baselayer or midlayer will last for many years, according to the brand, leaving you free to enjoy the adventures rather than worrying about buying kit.
Woolpower proudly says: “Sustainability is the core of our business model. It is deeply rooted in our values as part of our company’s DNA.” From developing recycled yarns to pioneering the use of algae for textile dyeing, Woolpower is always striving to have a lighter impact on the planet.
But its strongest asset is quite simple – making long-lasting products. “The best garments are those that can be used again and again, for many years”, as the brand puts it.
Ullfrotté original
Ullfrotté is Woolpower’s original fabric – a perfect blend of fine merino and one-third synthetics for the best of both worlds. The brand’s yarn boffins can get incredibly geeky about all of the technical specifications of this miracle material.
The merino wool in Ullfrotté Original is 22 thousandths of a millimetre thick, 80% of the fabric consists of air and the design features “fluffy terry loops combined with wool’s crinkly fibres to create a tricot that that traps a lot of air” – but, all we know, is that the end product is something practical and high-performing, with a fine balance between warmth, weight, comfort, sweat-wicking and durability.
Available in four different grades – Ullfrotté 200, 400, 600 and 800 – Ullfrotté garments are better suited to colder weather activities. Ullfrotté 200 is commonly used in baselayers, while 400-600 is often seen in midlayers. Ullfrotté 800 is only for the most extreme of environments.
Woolpower Lite
Alternatively, for milder conditions in spring and summer, Woolpower Lite is the brand’s fabric of choice. Developed to complement Ullfrotté Original, Woolpower Lite is suitable for those who naturally run warm or need a thinner baselayer for more high-intensity activities.
It might sound counter-intuitive, but although Woolpower Lite is made of 80% merino wool, it’s often described as the brand’s “coolest material”.
Why? It’s all to do with the knitting style. Unlike Ullfrotté’s internal loops, which trap air, Woolpower Lite’s rib-knit style sits closer to the skin, creating more contact points to dissipate your body heat.
3 of the best: Woolpower’s bestselling garments
1. Woolpower Zip Turtle Neck 200 – £120
Made from Ullfrotté Original 200, Woolpower’s thinnest type of Ullfrotté, this baselayer’s wool-polyamide fabric is durable, comfortable and traps loads of heat-insulating air.
The long-sleeve garment features a short zipper for ventilation, an extended back length for added coverage and knitted-in wrist cuffs.
View the Zip Turtleneck 200 - Woolpower UK here.
2. Woolpower Full Zip Jacket 400 - £185
This technical midlayer has a high, double-thick collar, as well as cuffs with thumb holes. The back is longer to prevent cold gaps and the collar has the Woolpower logo knitted in.
Made from Ullfrotté Original 400 gram (70% merino wool, 28% polyamide, 2% elastane) this mid-layer can be used in colder conditions or during less intense activities, and can be paired perfectly with a Woolpower Lite or Ullfrotté 200 baselayer.
View the Full Zip Jacket 400 - Woolpower UK here.
3. Woolpower Crewneck Lite - £95
Woolpower’s expert seamstresses have delivered optimal comfort in this baselayer, by using raglan seams to prevent rub when carrying a backpack and placing lengthwise seams away from awkward areas.
Made from Woolpower Lite (80% merino, 20% polyamide), Woolpower’s thinnest fabric, this crewneck features a tighter 1.1-rib knitwear material, which works best worn directly against the body as a baselayer. Even if the weather is a little warmer, the wool helps to cool down the body.
View the Crewneck LITE - Woolpower UK here.