What is Loden?

Wool has been an important raw material for humans since time immemorial. Sheep were domesticated as long as 10,000 years ago, making them one of the oldest farm animals. People made use of the renewable wool by processing it into warm fabrics. Another significant discovery was that kneading the woollen fabrics in soapy water compacted the fibres, thereby enhancing their properties.

"Loden refers to woven woollen fabrics that are felted – and thus made denser – using warm water, soap and friction. This process is known as fulling. It further enhances the beneficial properties of the wool."

Herbert Steiner, loden manufacturer

Warming properties, unmistakable quality and vibrant colours. Find your favourite piece and immerse yourself in the world of Steiner1888 – the world of loden!

How is loden made?

The most important basic ingredient for loden is wool. In our workshop, we use only virgin wool from mountain sheep, merino, alpaca and the cashmere goat. The term ‘virgin wool’ means that the wool is sheared from a live animal. It is therefore a high-quality, renewable raw material. A multi-stage process is required to produce warm and hard-wearing loden.

1. Choosing the wool

Once the wool has been cleaned, it is blended according to a precise formula. We process both natural and dyed wool.

2. Carding, Spinning & Weaving

The fibres are combed, spun into fine yarn and then woven.

3. Walking

Warm water, soap and friction compact the fabric – this makes it warm and durable.

4. The finishing process

Roughening, shearing, decatising – depending on the intended use of the fabric, further finishing processes are required before the loden acquires its distinctive character.

The History of Loden

The need to protect themselves from the cold and inclement weather has made people inventive. In the early days of loden production, the wool fibres were woven by hand into a coarse fabric and then laboriously kneaded with the feet in water. This produced a felted fabric, which was then made into warm clothing and blankets. The term ‘lodo’, from which ‘loden’ is derived, probably comes from Old High German and means ‘coarse fabric’. Over the course of history, loden production has become increasingly refined. Industrialisation and the manufacture of specialised textile machinery, in particular, have simplified the production of these fabrics. There are now a wide variety of weaving and fulling techniques that are utilised in the production of high-quality fabrics. Depending on their intended use, the woven fabrics are fulled to a greater or lesser extent.

Types of fabric

Depending on how the wool is processed, different types of fabric are produced. These different manufacturing processes result in varying properties and areas of application. Loden, however, is the most hard-wearing of these wool fabrics and is therefore particularly well suited for use in clothing, upholstery fabrics and blankets.

Wool felt

Wool felt is produced by matting raw wool using moisture, heat and pressure. The result is a dense, dimensionally stable material – typically used for accessories or technical applications.

Felted wool

Felted wool is made from knitted or woven wool that has been subsequently felted. This produces a soft, stretchy fabric with a subtle knitted texture. It is mostly used for children’s clothing or functional garments.

Walkloden

Walkloden is a woven woollen fabric that is finished through intensive fulling. This makes it particularly hard-wearing, wind- and water-repellent. At Steiner1888, Walkloden is our speciality – beautifully crafted, durable and ideal for clothing, blankets and upholstery fabrics.

Every metre of fabric bears the hallmark of our loden workshop – from the raw wool right through to the finished product. Through genuine craftsmanship, patience and centuries-old expertise, we create unique fabrics that bring a cosy atmosphere to the home as well as adding elegance to sophisticated designer garments.

Special characteristics of loden fabrics

WATER-REPELLENT

Wool is water-repellent for two reasons: firstly, the natural oils in the wool provide protection, and secondly, the multi-layered outer shell of the wool fibre prevents water from penetrating. At the same time, wool allows water vapour to pass through and can absorb up to 30–40 per cent of its own weight in moisture. Yet it does not feel wet to the touch. Depending on the degree of fulling, loden is water-repellent to waterproof, without feeling wet.

TEMPERATURE-COMPENSATING

Wool regulates temperature: wool fibres are hollow. The air trapped within them acts as insulation and helps to regulate temperature, much like a thermos flask. This means that wool keeps you warm in winter and acts as a natural barrier against heat in summer. Loden keeps you warm in winter and can provide protection against the heat in summer.

QUIET

Wool fibres are crimped, soft and elastic. This means the fibres interlock smoothly and do not rub against one another noisily, as is often the case with synthetic materials. Wool can also absorb sound waves and is therefore often used in room acoustics and interior design. Loden is a sound-absorbing natural fabric that is ideal for hunters, nature lovers and for improving room acoustics.

EASY TO LOOK AFTER

Wool has a natural self-cleaning function: the scaly structure of the wool and the additional fulling process also mean that dirt does not adhere to the fabric as easily or penetrate the weave. If the dirt has dried, it can usually be simply brushed off with a brush. For specific stains, there are suitable products available, which we have listed in a separate table. Loden is very easy to care for: simply air it out and brush it off.

BREATHABLE

Wool is breathable: the many tiny air pockets between the fibres allow air to circulate – just like a natural air-conditioning system. To a certain extent, wool can also protect against draughts. The fulling process causes the outer layer of the fabric to become matted and more windproof. Depending on how tightly it is woven, loden offers protection from the wind whilst retaining its breathability.

ODOUR-CONTROL

Wool neutralises odours: thanks to the lanolin and the scaly structure of the wool, bacteria do not adhere as easily to the surface. This reduces the breakdown of the body’s own protein products and, consequently, the unpleasant odour. Furthermore, airing the garment in fresh air or in a damp environment (e.g. the bathroom after a shower) helps to eliminate odours. Loden neutralises odours by airing it in fresh or damp air.

FLAME-RESISTANT

Wool is flame-resistant: wool consists mainly of keratin, a protein with a very high ignition temperature – it only begins to burn at around 560 °C. By way of comparison, cotton ignites at around 255 °C. Even if wool does start to burn, it tends to char rather than drip or throw up flames. It goes out by itself as soon as the source of ignition is removed. When it burns, it does not produce highly toxic fumes, as is often the case with synthetic fabrics. From a safety perspective, loden is an ideal material for upholstery fabrics, home textiles, blankets and clothing.

WOOL TYPE

AUSTRIAN MOUNTAIN SHEEP

Robust, warm, classically beautiful.

The mountain sheep originated in the Austrian Alps. The animals are shorn twice a year before and after the alpine season. Steiner1888 uses the wool to produce blankets of incomparably hard-wearing and cozy-warm quality. Wool blankets made from pure new wool from mountain sheep are moisture and dirt repellent. This also makes them ideal for outdoor use. They are also increasingly being used as healthy sleeping blankets.

ALPAKA WOOL

Lightweight & colorful.

Alpaca wool has excellent thermal properties. The reason for this is the fiber structure. This ensures perfect heat balance and is also very light. Home textiles made from virgin alpaca wool are considered durable as they are three times more tear-resistant than sheep's wool. Alpaca textiles are particularly vibrant when dyed. Even undyed, the wool shines in incomparably beautiful natural tones. Due to its antibacterial components, alpaca wool is the perfect choice of blanket for allergy sufferers.

MERINO WOOL

Soft and airy, wonderfully warm.

Probably the best known type of sheep is the merino sheep. Its new wool is considered to be particularly fine, elastic, antistatic and fire-repellent. It produces between two and three kilograms of the finest quality wool per year. Blankets made from this wool are considered to be particularly airy, soft and warm. These fibers have a cooling effect in summer and a warming effect in winter. External influences such as dirt and odors do not affect the fine material.

CASHMERE WOOL

For true connoisseurs.

Cashmere goats come from the region of the same name in Asia. Their wool coat is thick, as they live in harsh conditions at around 4000 meters above sea level at temperatures of up to minus 40 degrees. The fine hair is obtained from the undercoat. It is considered to have fine fibers and is one of the finest types of wool. Steiner1888 chooses cashmere for blankets because of its soft but durable qualities. It warms many times better than sheep's wool and does not crease. Cashmere wool is the ideal material for home textiles. Due to its longevity, cashmere blankets are of lasting value.