Woolpower Socks – Warm and Dry Feet for Outdoor Activities

The success story of Woolpower socks began back in 1969, when the Swedish family company was founded in Östersund. The company was called Vinetta at first: it was initially a production facility and supplier for “Kooperativa Förbundet” and produced nylon tights.

In 1972 the company worked together with the Swedish military to develop Ullfrotté, a material that combines the best properties of wool and synthetic fibres. This material was ideal for making socks and warm clothing. Today Woolpower not only offers socks but also a wide range of thermal underwear, jackets and vests plus accessories such as head coverings and gloves. The company is owned by brothers Daniel and Adam Bråby and forms part of family firm Ekstigen AB.

Different weather conditions and activities all require particular clothing. If, for example, you aren’t moving much in cold temperatures, it’s a good idea to wear multiple layers so that air can form heat insulation between the layers. If you’re moving lots, it’s better to dress lighter. Changing weather conditions and activity levels present a particular challenge. If you’re moving a lot and sweating, your clothing and socks in particular will quickly become damp, which can make you cold when you stop moving so much. 

Wool has the perfect properties for such conditions, because it can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without losing its insulation properties. However, wool is delicate and can break easily. For its socks and other products, Woolpower has therefore reinforced Merino fibres with synthetic ones such as polyester and polyamide to form Ullfrotté. It combines the benefits of wool with the long-lasting and easy-care properties of synthetic fibres. So Woolpower underwear can, for example, be machine washed at 60°C and still retain its shape.

The main consideration for Woolpower socks for men and women is the thickness of the material. This table helps you to choose the best thickness:

The LITE material is flat-knitted and traps less air than the other thicknesses. This means it can even be worn on warmer days and offers perfect climate regulation. Depending on the activity you have planned, it can be a good idea to combine different thicknesses. So, on very cold days you can wear LITE or 200 socks that hug the feet, and a pair of 600 or 800 on top. This allows you to optimise the heat insulation between thinner socks and shoes, and your feet stay cosy and warm.

Woolpower underpants are available in a variety of thicknesses and lengths, as are other items of Woolpower underwear for men and women, e.g. tops.

It was the Bråby brothers’ father and previous owner Gabriel who asserted the company’s status as a responsible and sustainable textile manufacturer. The company’s motto “We will generate warmth for 100 years” refers in part to the manufacture of long-lasting warm clothing. But the company is also referring here to warmth in the sense of friendship, particularly towards people and the environment. Constant improvements ensure that production has minimal impact on the environment – even if a decision that prioritises sustainability means a lower turnover in the short term.

The Swedish manufacturer places immense value on producing functional and durable outdoor clothing to counteract the rising throw-away mentality. This is achieved through both high-quality material and timeless design. All individual sections such as sleeves, legs and main sections are also produced using circular knitting with no disruptive longitudinal seams – making them especially comfortable.

The wool for Woolpower socks, underwear and much more comes from Merino sheep that live in Argentina and Uruguay. Because their wool grows constantly, they need to be shorn every year. The Merino wool is imported to Sweden and spun into yarn. Every work step, from knitting and preparation of sections to stitching, storing and packing, takes place at the plant in Sweden. What’s more, every item of clothing is made by one person and given a name label at the end.

As the textile industry in particular has lots of material left over, the Swedish company has come up with something quite special to ensure that leftover wool and materials do not end up as waste: they are felted and processed to make sit pads and insoles for shoes sold in the colour “recycled grey”.

As well as Woolpower socks, this Swedish manufacturer supplies everything you need to keep wonderfully warm during winter outdoor activities. Complete your outdoor outfit with a Woolpower beanie and a tube scarf, for example. Woolpower gloves also ensure that your hands stay nice and warm. Order functional, sustainable clothing for your winter outdoors right away from our BIKE24 online shop!