Røros Tweed

Røros Tweed has been weaving high quality wool products since 1940, building on a local tradition that goes back centuries. Selected wool from Norwegian sheep, combined with collaboration with leading Scandinavian designers and textile artists, has made Røros Tweed one of the most reputable producers of 100 % Norwegian-made brands. The mining town of Røros is situated more than 600 metres above sea level and features on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. The valuable copper discovered in the 17th century brought great wealth to some, but the vast majority of people in Røros remained poor. When Peder Hiort, the childless director of the mine died in 1789, he bequeathed his entire fortune to a foundation that was set up to provide an education in textile production to the poor, as well as providing the necessary raw materials. The foundation then purchased the goods from the apprentice textile workers, and every year the same clothes were given back in the form of charity. Very often, the workers who had received payment for the clothing they had made received the same clothing back. Peder Hiort’s will, which has been described as one of the most insightful in Scandinavian history, created a tradition for handcraft and textile production that served to establish the foundations of Røros Tweed. Further education was provided and in 1940, Røros Tweed was set up as a sales outlet for handmade textiles. Today, Røros Tweed is the only producer of throws and blankets in Scandinavia, ensuring that the whole value chain remains in Norway. Norwegian sheep graze on clean, fresh mountain pastures, making their wool pure and more environmentally-friendly than most textile fibres. In combination with the flexibility and insulation properties that are naturally developed in sheep that dwell in the cold Norwegian climate, this is a fundamental reason for the superior quality and functionality of Røros products.