About the Materials: Shetland Wool

The Lanam Shop is fortunate to serve a thoughtful customer base that asks the right questions and helps shape our seasonal collections. As part of our commitment to quality, transparency, and education, we’re proud to share the story behind one of our favorite fibers — Shetland Wool — and our collection of men’s and women’s Shetland sweaters.

What Is Shetland?

Shetland is more than just a material — it’s a place, a breed of sheep, and a style of sweater. But it’s rarely all three at once. Shetland wool originally comes from sheep raised on the Shetland Islands of Scotland, where over centuries, local farmers bred hardy sheep adapted to the rugged terrain and frigid climate. Their inner fleece layer developed remarkable warmth retention and a soft, lanolin-rich texture perfect for knitwear.

Historically, villagers created lightweight, loosely knit garments to maximize warmth with minimal wool. Brushing the sweaters helped cover open stitches, spread lanolin across the surface, and create that signature fuzzy finish.

As demand outgrew local supply, pedigree Shetland sheep were raised in Australia and New Zealand — producing wool of equal or better quality, thanks to ideal climates and advanced husbandry. Today, our Shetland Wool is sourced from these pedigree flocks and spun to exacting standards in Scotland.

Where Is Our Shetland Wool From?

Though Shetland sheep were originally brought to the islands by Vikings over 1,000 years ago, their descendants now live worldwide. Our super-soft Shetland is spun in Scotland using wool from New Zealand, and we work exclusively with mills that meet our high fiber quality standards. Our yarn qualifies as lambswool, with fine, long fibers ideal for luxury knitwear.

What Makes Shetland Wool Different?

Shetland Wool stands apart in two important ways:

• Warmth-to-weight ratio: It's incredibly insulating without added bulk.
• Lanolin-rich softness: Our Shetland retains its natural oils, enhancing softness and water resistance.

Our Shetland sweaters are knitted to be thicker than typical Shetland styles, giving them the signature body and structure our customers have come to expect.

The Refining Process

Our Shetland Wool undergoes a meticulous process:

• Mechanical sorting separates soft undercoat fibers from guard hairs.
• Carding aligns the fibers for smoother spinning.
• Dyeing is carefully controlled — Shetland’s lanolin content can alter dye absorption.

Each step is designed to preserve the natural softness, warmth, and integrity of the fiber.

Styles Available in Shetland Wool

We offer a tailored collection of Shetland sweaters:

• Men’s Crew Neck Sweater – classic, unbrushed Shetland Wool crew neck
• Women’s Crew Neck Sweater – soft and simple Shetland Wool sweater
• Women’s Cardigan – Shetland Wool cardigan with grosgrain placket, clean lines

Over a dozen colors are available, and special order sizes or shades may be arranged. Contact us to inquire.

Shop all Men's Shetland Wool Styles or browse our assortment of Women's Shetland Wool Styles.

Why Choose Shetland Wool?

Shetland Wool is:

• Naturally soft and insulating
• Durable without bulk
• Made to last and ideal for layering
• A true product of centuries-old tradition

It’s perfect for those who value natural fibers with authentic character.

What Makes Our Collection Unique?

We work directly with spinners and knitters to ensure everything from fiber sourcing to stitch density meets our standards. We reject yarns that don’t meet our specifications and maintain full transparency in origin, spin, and finish. We don’t just sell Shetland Wool — we specialize in it.

Index of Terms:

Brushing: refers to the process of brushing the surface of the finished sweater to make it more fuzzy in appearance. Brushing can be done in multiple passes; between one and five times (scale of 1-lightly brushed to 5-shaggy).

Carding: a mechanical process that detangles wool, allowing it to be arranged in a single direction. This is helpful when the wool is spun.

Dye Lot: all the fiber from a specific dying. All of the fibers are exposed to a dye compound at a given time. Fibers exposed to the same compound but at different times are considered a different dye lot. Each lot, though close, produces slight color variations. These are normal, expected, and unavoidable.

Guard Hair: the thick outer layer of wool fiber. It acts as a waterproofing layer and protects the soft inner layer. Guard hair or the “outer coat” is not suitable for the crafting of quality sweaters.

Shetland, Scotland: a cluster of small islands located north of Scotland.

Spinner: someone who transformers finished fibers into yarn. This can be achieved mechanically.