Have an account?
Log in to check out faster.
Loading...
Free Worldwide Shipping Shop Now
All-season wear, light cool weather days
Year-round comfort, ideal for moderate climate
Cold weather, great for fall and winter days
Versatile wear, comfortable for mild conditions
Soft and cozy, perfect for little ones
Curiosa and Limited Editions
Choose your Westcoaster, or scroll down to learn more
*The Arctic Circle is about one inch longer than the Regular. Built to cover your ears when double folded.
Couldn't load pickup availability
Shaped by the Wild Norwegian West Coast Weather, a
Norway made
Keeping with the four centuries old tradition of Norwegian hand knitting, we knit every piece with patience and attention to detail. Our family have done so since grandma began knitting in 1932.
We are here to share with you the experience of growing up with hand knit wool, right off the needles. No gimmicks, just the wool, the honed skill, and the patience.
The Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle variant is simply about an inch longer than the Regular.
The Regular is built for a single fold to cover the ear, and a double fold to go above the ear. The Arctic Circle covers the ears even on double fold. And it is really hot!
Uniting the locals
Norwegians already knit for pleasure, in their own houses, and we used this existing culture, to offer a secondary income for passionate knitters. We don’t employ anyone, but pay per beanie.
The Norwegian yarn mill that supplies us has been around since 1888, and are outspoken and detailed about their care for animals and humans along the entire line of production, whether its imported raw wool, or from Norway.
Leftover yarn from knits is gathered, and used first for Mom’s Market custom knits, then the final leftover stubs are used for pillow stuffing.
There is Artwork to go with the Westcoaster!
The Navigator of the North Sea fixes his eye on the shoreline as he rides the storm, heading for the safe harbour he calls home — on the Norwegian West Coast.
All the while, he's wearing a Westcoaster against the cold and seaspray.
Get 30% off the artwork if you buy it with a Westcoaster beanie.
About the Westcoaster
The Westcoaster is a thick hand knit wool beanie, knit the old fashioned way, with two knitting needles and a whole lot of patience. Particular to this model is that it's knit with two threads simultaneously, making it twice as thick and twice as gritty looking.
It is knit in Norway, on the South Coast, by a variety of knitters. No matter which knitter, each beanie goes trough the same quality control, and each knitter is selected through a few (paid) test knits. Each Westcoaster comes with signed Certificate of Authenticity, signed by the knitter of your particular beanie.
We knit with wool, the Westcoaster being 100% sheep wool. Sheep wool is by far the most common knitting material in Norway, historically and in modern times alike. 100% wool makes it warmer than wool-blends, and the double thread makes this a beanie for the outdoors in low temperatures.
Hailed by Norwegians for centuries, sheep wool is the number one choice among knitters. Along with choosing wool because of its historical significance in Norwegian knitting history, there are timeless features associated with wool.
The raw sheep wool we use is mostly sourced from Paraguay, selected because of the softer wool that the tropical climate produces. The yarn is processed into yarn on the Norwegian West Coast, in one of Norway's oldest yarn mills.
We also dabble in other areas of handcraft, usually in collaboration with artists, such as our handcrafted caps and hand inked artwork.
Frequently asked beanie questions
The most common question is about sizing, and it is actually a bit complex, so take the time to read about your beanie below.
There are two most common reasons why the beanie would seem different upon opening it and first trying it on.
Our beanies are knit without a tag, so you may fold it once, twice, or even roll it up. We personally like the twice-folded style the best, and push that look most often in our marketing. The history of the fold is, in short, that the laboring man would need some flexibility in headwear. When you need to hear, or if the sun pokes out, you fold it up. When the weather roughens, you fold it back down. It's sort of like zipping down your jacket when the sun peaks out.
I like to have the opportunity to explain our reasoning before I disclose that it is nylon. We all hate plastic that ends up in nature, but we are using it in a product that is meant to last.
The reason we have 20% nylon is that it allows the yarn to be spun thinner, while keeping the needed durability. This makes these beanies thinner visually, but also a bit cooler, and makes them more suitable for all-year usage.
Other beanies are more suited to the winter, though they all work fine for windy cool days on the ocean, or high altitude hikes on a cloudy days.
We hand knit every beanie in Norway, with yarn purchased from one of Norway's oldest yarn mills. This mill offers both Norwegian and internationally sourced wool. We have purposefully selected yarn types sourced from South America and Australia, not to save money — the price points are approximately the same as for Norwegian wool — but because wool from these climates are softer, and less likely to itch. If you want genuine Norwegian wool, and are ready to risk the itch, contact us and we'll see what we can do.
Yes we do. We ship for free worldwide with tracking.
If your beanie unravels under reasonable circumstances, within the first 10 years of its life, we will patch it for you for free. But you have to pay for shipping both ways. This is a way to maintain the beanie as long as possible, making it a keepsake.
When a beanie is finished, the thread is attached by sowing it into the finished product several rounds. Sometimes that end thread comes poking out — most often on the inside, as we try attaching it that way. It doesn't mean it is coming loose. If it comes out on the outside, try pushing it back in — use a needle if needed. The beanie will not unravel — and if it does, please refer to our guarantee.