Lopi, a thick sweater hand-knitted from Icelandic wool, is one of the most distinctive local products and is widely loved by tourists. Recently, Icelandic sweaters “made in China” have seized the local market. , which made local weavers in Iceland very dissatisfied.
According to the Associated Press (AP) report, hand-knitted ultra-warm sweaters have become a symbol of Iceland, but local weavers have found that commercially available Chinese-made sweaters are hurting their profits , was unhappy about this, even though the yarn was made from Icelandic wool.
This model was started by some local manufacturers. They have successfully outsourced labor to China. Containers filled with Icelandic yarn are shipped from the North Atlantic island country to China. The sweaters made in China are then sold back to Iceland, with the label stating “Hand-knitted from Icelandic wool”.
The fiercely competitive Icelandic knitting companies jointly appealed to the Icelandic government in May to prohibit these companies from labeling “Made in China” sweaters as “Made in Iceland”. Unless the sweater is made locally.
Thuridur Einarsdottir, founder of the Icelandic Hand Knitting Association, said: Consumers buy imitation imported sweaters, but they are not genuine.
Lopi sweater yarn comes from 500,000 sheep in Iceland. Their wool can adapt to drastic temperature changes and uneven terrain.
This heavy sweater cannot be made by machine. An adult size sweater takes 14-25 hours to knit, depending on the number of colors used. , and extra features like zippers or buttons.
Icelandic women have traditionally knitted handmade sweaters to support their families, but now many people use this method to earn extra income to make their retirement life more comfortable.
It is estimated that Chinese imported sweaters account for 2/3 of the Danish market, and are especially popular with tourists. Knitting cooperative companies across Iceland are attacking Chinese imitation sweaters and making Icelandic Lopi Sweater is worried about the future.
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