LODEN

A fabric with a long history

Contents:

Its origins
What is Loden?
From the wool to the yarn
Finishing processes
Loden qualities

Loden – natural functionality

Loden is natural and functional – ideal for both hunting and recreational purposes. This first-class, natural material and high-quality woollen fabric has been a favourite among generations of hunters thanks to its extreme durability, longevity and quietness.

Its origins

Loden is a general term for woven woollen fabric. The wool comes from either Austrian mountain sheep (somewhat coarser) or Australian /New Zealand merino sheep (soft and supple). The exact origins of the word Loden are lost in the mists of time. However, Loden fabric certainly existed in the Middle Ages and it is one of the first known functional fabrics.

Two factors make Loden a unique product:
- The natural properties of the sheep wool
- The special way in which the wool is processed

The sheep wool has natural wind- and water-repellent, warming and general temperature-regulating properties. This enables the sheep to live outside, whatever the weather. The wool’s temperature-regulating properties prevent the animal from feeling the cold.

These advantageous properties are the foundations that make Loden such a practical fabric. It is then processed further to create an outer fabric that builds on these.

What exactly is Loden?

Traditionally, Loden is made from “conventional” virgin wool, either from Alpine mountain sheep or merino sheep, as discussed in the section about its origins. However, Loden fabrics can also be easily processed from luxury hair fibres such as alpaca or cashmere wool.

The manufacturing method creates various layers that optimise the properties of the wool.

From the wool to the yarn

Spinning

The first stage in the production of Loden fabric is the spinning of the raw wool into yarn. The varying thickness and density of the yarn create different fabrics. Depending on the type of Loden, a thicker or thinner yarn is used.

Weaving

The next step is weaving. In this process, the spun yarn is woven to create a thick fabric. The type of weave influences the weight, density and stability of the subsequent cloth. Compared to knitted fabrics, a woven fabric keeps its shape far better but is less elastic.

Fulling

Now comes the defining step – the fulling. Water and heat are applied to the fabric as it is pounded to felt the surface. As a result, the Loden shrinks by up to 30% in both the warp and the weft directions. This creates a more or less even surface that seals the homogeneous structure of the original cloth.
The outer, felted layer acts as a natural protection against wind, water and dirt. The inner fabric provides the crucial stability and the air trapped in the gaps has a pleasant, insulating effect.

Finishing processes

Depending on the intended use, the basic properties of the Loden can be built on or strengthened. Various finishing processes are possible.

The fabric is now roughened with mechanical rollers to make it soft and supple. In the early years of Loden production, dried teasels were used for this purpose. Once it has been roughened up, the cloth is placed in the clipping machine where the roughened fibres are clipped even again.

The length of the nap depends on the intended use. It is clipped very short for clothing but kept longer for blanketing so that it retains its cosy, soft character. The next step takes place inside the decatising machine. Again, the type of finishing depends on the intended use. More pressure and hot steam is used for clothing to ensure that the outer fabric keeps its shape. With blanketing, no pressure is applied, simply hot steam in order to retain the fluffy character of the cloth.

Properties of Loden

Water-repellent
Thanks to the extensive processing of the virgin wool (fulling)
Breathable
Virgin wool is very breathable; it absorbs the water vapour from the body and releases it from the surface of the fabric.
Temperature-regulating
The fabric structure ensures a balanced temperature. Loden does not allow the cold through and retains body heat.
Dirt-resistant
Wool lanolin makes the virgin wool resistant to dirt and grime, and they can be easily brushed off the Loden when dry.

Odour-inhibiting
The advantage that wool has over conventional artificial fibres is its ability to neutralise odours. This means that while artificial fibres often have to be washed every time they have been worn, Loden simply needs to be aired in order to rid the fibres of sweat and similar odours.
Flame retardant
The natural protein content of Loden makes it far less likely to succumb to flying sparks, flames and fire than synthetic fabrics are, making it significantly more flame retardant.
Hydrating
The wool fibre is capable of absorbing up to a third of its own weight in water without feeling damp. The moisture is absorbed by the fibre and released slowly.

The raw material

Loden is traditionally manufactured from virgin sheep wool, which today comes mainly from countries such as Australia/New Zealand, South Africa and South America as the wool from these regions is softer thanks to the specific sheep breeds and the local climate. We have listed the most popular types of wool below. These include the virgin wool of the mountain sheep, merino sheep, alpaca, angora rabbit and the cashmere goat.

Wool is naturally good

Despite intensive efforts and attempts, the chemical industry has not yet succeeded in imitating the positive characteristics of sheep wool.

Mountain sheep

The defining feature of mountain sheep wool is that it is obtained from local farmers in the Alpine region. The animals are shorn twice a year – before and after the pasture season. Mountain sheep Loden is very robust and hard-wearing, and this is exactly why the fabric quality was and still is very popular among hunters. Work trousers, Loden cape or even a classic jacket – mountain Loden is the perfect choice.

Merino

These animals originate from the North African plateaus of the Atlas Mountains and today count among some of the oldest and most resilient sheep breeds in the world. Merino sheep lived there under extreme, often adverse weather conditions of the type you only find in mountainous regions where you can experience all four seasons at once. The virgin wool of the merino sheep is especially fine and elastic. A sheep produces two to three kilograms of the finest quality wool per year. These days, the wool comes mainly from Australia, New Zealand and South America.

Alpaca

The fine hair of the hump-less camel sheep indigenous to the Andes is one of the most valuable and softest natural fibres. Alpaca wool is known for its outstanding temperature-regulating properties. The hair is hollow and therefore better able to store body heat than any other type of wool. And, because it has very little wool grease (lanolin), alpaca wool is ideal for those with allergies, as bacteria are unable to reproduce and so die off.

Luxury hair fibre

Luxury hair fibres are particularly high-quality types of animal hair that do not come from sheep, e.g. the wool of the angora rabbit or cashmere goat. These wools are valued for their extra fineness and suppleness. Not only is angora wool soft and distinctly fluffy to the touch, it is also said to have a healing effect thanks to its warming and sweat-absorbing properties. Cashmere wool is the fine bottom hair of the goat. The cashmere goat has adapted to the extreme climatic conditions of China, Mongolia, Iran and Afghanistan. Its wool coat is particularly thick as it lives in the harsh conditions at an altitude of around 4000 metres where temperatures can drop to minus 40 degrees.

Strichloden (Mantel Loden)

Strichloden is a type of Loden known for its own distinct quality characteristics. The term “Strichloden” comes directly from the work step used to produce it – the linear (strich) napping. This is the roughening or combing of the right side of the cloth with special tools such as steel brushes and/or natural teasels. The result of the process is a fabric whereby all of the fibres lye evenly over one another in a single direction. On closer inspection, the roughened fabric layer resembles tightly packed roof tiles.

In addition to the unusually fine sheen, also referred to as lustre, the roughening up also has the effect that the fibre composite is particularly good at allowing rain drops to run off, making it ideal protection against wet conditions. This effect can be increased by impregnating the fabric. Strichloden does not have to be constantly cleaned.
Thanks to water being able to run off, the clothing simply needs to be left to dry after the rain. Loden clothing is generally very easy to clean and regular airing will usually suffice. However, if it is necessary to remove any dirt, simply brushing it off or dabbing it with a damp cloth is often sufficient. This saves energy and water, making it an environmentally friendly option.
Thanks to all of these properties, Strichloden is very popular for outdoor clothing.

Walk

Unlike the classic Tuchloden fabric, Walk is knitted rather than woven before being felted. The advantage is that it is more elastic. The disadvantage compared to woven Loden, however, is that it is less resistant to wind and water. It is also not as rigid and less able to keep its shape than woven Loden fabric.

Mountain Loden

Mountain Loden has a rustic character and is made from coarser wool that comes from the Alpine region. It is mainly used for heavy work jackets and heard-wearing coats.

Welsh Loden

This Loden is also known as diagonal Loden. The warp is a different colour to the weft, making the twill weave highly visible.

Tuchloden

Tuchloden is a strongly felted Loden that is not roughened at all and therefore has a smooth surface. It is mainly used to manufacture skirts, trousers and men’s and women’s suits.