What is loden? A brief history of the world's first functional material

By Wictor SelinOctober 30, 2023

Loden wool clothing has a long and captivating history that begins in the majestic Alps of Tyrol, Austria.

Originally, only peasants wore this unique material. In fact, the Imperial Decree regulated their clothing, and peasants could only choose between loden wool, linen or leather. The idea behind this was simple: to keep the people of the high Alps warm and dry during the harsh, cold winter months.
The loden wool's coarsely woven threads, created from the wool of the mountain sheep, underwent a unique 'rolling' process - a wet treatment process using heat, tension and soap that made the fabric denser and shrunk it by up to 66%. This was, in the eyes of many, the very first functional material.

But in the early 19th century, one man in particular would change the way loden wool was viewed forever. It was Archduke Johann, brother of Emperor Franz II. After a disappointing battle against French revolutionary forces at Hohenlinden in 1800, he was sent to Tyrol to represent his brother. It was here that he fell in love with the mountains, their people and their culture. He even embraced their traditional dress, especially Loden wool. When he then returned to the Habsburg court in Vienna, his style of dress aroused both suspicion and admiration. It was, after all, a time of romance, and over time his style would become increasingly popular. Even later, his nephew, the last Emperor of Austria, Franz Josef, would practically live in loden wool.

Archduke Johann was not just a fashion setter; he is still celebrated today as an advocate for the common people. The region of Styria, where he spent most of his life, benefited from many social and industrial projects sponsored by the "Prince of Styria."

Today, loden wool fabrics from the few remaining Austrian loden wool mills are back in fashion. The benefits of pure natural wool have been rediscovered. The old has become new, but today's loden wool is still not the same as that of centuries ago. Through the use of better techniques and luxurious fibers from Merino sheep, alpacas or cashmere, the quality of the fabrics has dramatically improved. Another factor boosting its popularity is the environmental and health benefits that fluff offers, especially when compared to synthetic materials. Loden is simply a fabric that harmonizes with the alpine lifestyle.

The genuine loden material can easily last for generations and even be passed on to the next. The pictures here come from the loden wool weaver Loden Steiner in Mandling, Austria, and show the process from carding, spinning, warp preparation, weaving, felting and final finishing.

Loden in Sweden

Although loden clothing has its roots in Austria and the Alps, it has become part of Swedish clothing culture due to its excellent protection against cold and moisture. Especially during cold and wet Swedish winters, loden clothing has proven to be a reliable and practical clothing choice, even though it doesn't have the same historical connection to Sweden as, for example, wool or woolen clothing

Tweed vs. Loden - The difference between the materials

Jämfört med tweed har loden mer av sin egna unika historia och användning. Loden har sina rötter i Tyrols alper och skapades ursprungligen för att klara de hårda alpvintrarna. Genom våt bearbetning blir Lodenullet tätare och bättre isolerande, vilket gör det till ett utmärkt val för kalla och fuktiga klimat. Tweed å andra sidan har sitt ursprung i Storbritannien och har en mer mångsidig användning, från formella kläder till avslappnad landsbygdsstil. Tweed är känt för sin grova och rustika struktur, vilket ger det en genuint lantlig känsla.

Fördelarna med loden inkluderar dess isolerande egenskaper och förmåga att hålla dig varm och torr i kallt väder. Dess tidlösa och traditionella estetik är fortfarande mycket omtyckt i alpina regioner. Å andra sidan är tweed känt för sin mångsidighet och passar lika bra för stadskläder som för en mer avslappnad stil på landsbygden. Tweed har en mer avslappnad och samtidigt sofistikerad karaktär.

Tips on good hunting clothes in the forest

Renodlade lodenplagg är i dag en sällsynthet. De få österrikiska lodenvävarna som finns kvar tillverkar i små volymer, och i jaktsortimentet har tweed och andra vävda ulltyger till stor del tagit över rollen. Söker du det loden är känt för - tyst gång, naturlig värme även i fukt och ett uttryck som håller i decennier - är det där du hittar det i dag.

Jaktkläder i tweed & ull - herr

For women

Jaktkläder i tweed & ull - dam

Äkta loden i sortimentet

Det här är produkterna som fortfarande tillverkas i riktig lodenull.

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Väska i loden & läder

En mindre axelremsväska i loden från tyska Fritzmann, med detaljer i läder. Ett tidlöst alternativ i kvalitativa naturmaterial. Föredrar du en rymligare modell finns en större variant i ull och läder.