07.10.12 - The year’s gift idea: Plaids woven from South Greenlandic wool

By Malik Milfeldt
During this time the sheep have been of great benefit to South Greenlandic sheep-farmers, who have primarily sold mutton and lamb on the domestic market without any major marketing of the wool from the sheep.

This state of affairs has now changed, as for the first time it has been possible to establish a commercial utilisation of the wool due to several souvenir shops in South Greenland selling plaids woven from Greenlandic wool. The wool had otherwise been regarded as being too coarse and cost-intensive for commercial exploitation, but thanks to a spinning mill in Denmark, which specialises in Scandinavian wool, the situation has now changed.



Pure, insulating wool for cold winter evenings
The plaids are produced from pure new wool from Greenlandic sheep. After shearing, the wool is sorted into separate qualities and hues, thereby avoiding the use of dyes. Completely environmentally-friendly production ensures a lovely softness and, not least, a lovely warmth due to the fine wool that insulates Greenland’s sheep against the harsh winter.

Prices for plaids start at DKK 450, and during the summer they have been extremely popular with tourists. Initially a series of only 500 plaids was spun from the Greenlandic wool. However, Silkeborg Uldspinderi, which has been responsible for spinning the plaids, has promised that Greenlandic wool plaids will also be produced next year – probably along with socks, jumpers and other products made from Greenlandic wool.

However, if you can’t wait that long, and your idea of a cosy winter evening is putting your feet up and enjoying something hot to drink whilst snuggling under a lovely warm plaid, then there’s only one thing to do: Take a chance and enquire as to whether there are still any plaids for sale from this year’s collection at, for example, Qaqortoq Tourism Association or Blue Ice Explorer in Narsarsuaq.