Hörpugull – 35 Years of Icelandic Wool Tradition
Every story has a beginning. Some stories have more than one. The story of Hörpugull is one of them.
Hörpugull itself began in 2021, when Harpa Ólafsdóttir started dyeing and selling Icelandic lopi (unspun wool yarn). But by that time, Harpa had already spent decades working alongside a group of women dedicated to preserving traditional Icelandic wool craftsmanship — and, along the way, helping save a historic building in the countryside of South Iceland.
To understand Hörpugull, you have to begin with Þingborg.
The Revival of Þingborg – Community, Craft and Icelandic Wool
In 1990–1991, Helga Thoroddsen, who had recently completed studies in textile science, developed an idea together with artist Hildur Hákonardóttir: to revive traditional knowledge about Icelandic wool and how it was processed and used.
At the time, spinning wheels had largely disappeared from everyday life. Many sat unused in attics — if they had not already been discarded — as industrial machines had taken over much of the wool processing that was once done by hand.
There was a growing concern that knowledge about Icelandic wool, its qualities and traditional handling methods, could disappear. The project therefore focused on education, craftsmanship and preserving the quality and character of Icelandic wool.
In 1991, a small group of women gathered by Helga and Hildur was given access to an old building called Gamla Þingborg (Old Thingborg). Built in 1927, it had served for decades as a school and community hall. But when a newer and larger building was constructed nearby, the old house was left without a clear purpose.
The group was allowed to use the building rent-free on the condition that they would maintain it. The house needed significant repairs, but the women saw its potential.
Soon, courses in wool processing were held in Gamla Þingborg. The goal was to support women in rural areas and encourage specialization in different aspects of wool craft — such as dyeing, felting and how to spin thread.
From the beginning, the initiative was also seen as a rural cultural and economic project and received public support.
Restoring the building required considerable work. Equipment, workspaces and tools had to be installed, while at the same time preserving the character of the historic house.
What developed in Þingborg, however, became much more than a workplace. It became a community — a place where knowledge was shared, ideas were developed and Icelandic wool was worked with care and respect.
Rooted in Tradition – Looking Toward the Future
Journalists who visited Þingborg in the early years often described a warm and welcoming atmosphere: the scent of wool mixed with freshly brewed coffee, weaving looms and spinning wheels in use, and shelves filled with beautifully crafted textile pieces.
Over time, the Þingborg group began using their deep knowledge of Icelandic wool to produce their own lopi yarn. This special Þingborg lopi is produced by Ístex exclusively for Þingborg.
Every autumn, members of the Þingborg group travel to the wool washing center to carefully select the lambswool used in the yarn. The wool is processed with gentler washing methods than standard lopi yarn in order to preserve its natural qualities.
No artificial dye is used in the base yarn, allowing the natural character of the wool to remain intact.
In many ways, Þingborg lopi reflects the original philosophy behind the project: Icelandic wool should be treated with respect, care and deep understanding.
The result is high-quality Icelandic lopi yarn that knitters across Iceland — and around the world — seek out. This is also the yarn used by Hörpugull for its hand-dyed Icelandic wool.
Þingborg lopi and products made from it are still sold in the original shop in Gamla Þingborg, about 8 km east of Selfoss in South Iceland. Today the group also runs workshops, courses and a small shop in the Icelandic Wool Works in Selfoss.
When Gamla Þingborg Became Home
In 1997, Hörpugull’s story became even more closely connected to Þingborg.
That year, Harpa and her family — her husband Heiðmar and their daughters Halla Ósk (9) and Sigríður Embla (5) — moved into Gamla Þingborg and took over the Þingborg shop, which they operated until 2001.
Harpa had been involved in the Þingborg group from the beginning, and the entire family had been a part of the community.
They carried out maintenance and improvements to both the house and the shop. While the shop had regular opening hours, visitors traveling through the countryside often knocked on the door outside those hours — and more often than not, the whole family helped welcome them.
Those years left lasting memories that still shape Hörpugull today: a family-run business built on the values and quality of Icelandic wool.
Harpa and her family in Old Thingborg between 1997 and 2001
when they lived in the house and ran the wool store.
Adding Color – The Birth of Hörpugull
In 2021, Harpa began hand-dyeing her own Þingborg lopi yarn under the name Hörpugull.
The name combines two ideas: Harpa’s name and the “gold” that wool represents. In Iceland, people often say that wool is gold — a valuable natural resource shaped by centuries of tradition.
Hörpugull became a new layer built upon the foundation of Þingborg. Þingborg represents the roots: the yarn, the knowledge, the traditions and the community. Hörpugull adds interpretation: color, creativity, craftsmanship and family.
Hand-dyed Icelandic lopi from Hörpugull quickly became part of the growing range of products connected to Þingborg and has now established itself over the past five years.
In 2024, uncertainty arose when the historic Gamla Þingborg building was sold, raising questions about the future of the shop there. Although the shop continues to operate in the building, the moment marked a turning point.
Harpa decided to formally establish Hörpugull as a family business together with her daughters Halla Ósk and Embla.
Today the three of them work together on production and product development. At the same time, an online shop was launched so that their hand-dyed Icelandic wool could reach knitters everywhere, regardless of location.
This is how Hörpugull was born in its current form.
What Comes Next?
Now that the story behind Þingborg and Hörpugull has been shared, the next question naturally follows: what comes next?
Through this blog we want to continue exploring the world of Icelandic wool and lopi yarn.
In upcoming articles we will talk about why Icelandic wool is so unique, the dyeing process, how to use lopi yarn and what makes Hörpugull hand-dyed unique.
Our hope is that people won’t only learn about the yarn itself, but also about the heritage, the work and the values behind it.
And we hope many of you will join us on this journey.
Have you explored the wide range of colours inspired by Icelandic nature?
Perhaps you will find a shade that becomes part of your next knitting project.
Explore the seasonal colour collections Glacier Blues and Knitting the Northern Lights and let Icelandic nature inspire your next piece.