Visiting the Devold factory in Lithuania

Devold? Don’t they make drills? No, that’s DeWalt. That company only dates to 1924 – whereas Devold can trace its roots all the way back to 1853, when Ole Andreas Devold returned to Norway’s Ålesund from his apprenticeship in Germany. He brought back an ultra-modern, mechanical knitting machine in his suitcase, which he used to produce woollen underwear and mitts for local fishermen. 

As the decades went on, Devold increasingly established itself as a social employer in the region, with its manufacturing operations growing into one of Norway’s largest fabric factories. Alongside this, the firm built a dam and power plant so it had water to dye the wool and electricity to run the knitting and sewing machines. After the power plant had been commissioned, it only took a year for Devold to reach its next historic milestone: four years after Thomas Edison had invented the modern lightbulb, Devold installed electric lighting in its weaving mill. The 125 lightbulbs were the first electric lights in the fjord and could be seen from the surrounding mountains.

However, the textiles were made from wool that came from domestic European sheep – which many found to be scratchy and stiff. It also took ages to dry: traditional wool is ideal for sitting, near-motionless, by the fire at home and sitting tea. It was simply not used for sweaty outdoor activities. That is, until the textile industry ‘re’-discovered the Merino sheep. This animal likely comes from northern Africa and was primarily bred in Spain until well into the 18th century. The monopoly on ‘Spanish wool’ was defended with draconian fines. The wool of the Merino sheep is thinner, making it much less scratchy and quicker to drying. Plus, it’s temperature regulating, breathable and provides outstanding insulation. Industrially produced synthetic fibres knocked wool – regardless of the quality – off its perch at the start of the last century. It took until the mid-1990s before a few sheep farmers in New Zealand made Merino wool socially acceptable once again.

Made in Europe

As time has gone on, large swathes of textile manufacturing have been outsourced to low-wage Asian countries. That’s not the case with Devold. The company has been running its own factory in Lithuania for a few years now, so they can monitor almost every manufacturing step themselves and optimise quality and working conditions.

From the outside, the grey industrial warehouse halfway between Riga and Vilnius looks rather utilitarian. Inside, though, it’s a whole other story: everything is produced here under one roof. Let’s take a closer look at how a thread of Merino wool is transformed into a finished top. 

The journey starts with a materials warehouse housing reels with millions upon millions of metres of Merino yarn that’s just waiting to be used. After the wool has come from the suppliers, it’s washed in Bulgaria then spun in Czechia. Incidentally, this step is to be undertaken in Lithuania going forward, too. When you step into the next hall, your jaw drops to the floor. Here, there are dozens of knitting machines turning the thread into fabric. Quietly but persistently, they churn out countless square metres of fabric 24/7, some plain, some patterned. Employees keep an eye on the process and refill a spool of yarn from time to time, but these magical machines do most of the work themselves. One room later, the fabric is finished with steam and irons, and is cut. Here, precision machines once again do the lion’s share of the labour. All the individual pieces are then labelled with a barcode sticker before it’s time for the grand finale: around 100 tailors who use needle and thread to turn the parts into clothing. No machine and no AI can replace this job. The tailors’ experience and dexterity are what counts – and have since 1853. 

Then, the finished pieces are packaged and stored in a huge warehouse. Here, they sit in 65,000 boxes of identical dimensions and wait to be ferried upwards when required, as if by magic. Then, they’re scooped up by mini robotic cars. Since they’ve had this system, Thor, the head of the Norwegian factory, reveals that they’ve only had two complaints for mispackaged goods – per year.

An ode to wool

However, the pride and joy of the entire manufacturing team is the raw material itself: fine New Zealand Merino wool. Eight hand-picked farmers, looking after thousands and thousands of animals, work solely for Devold. As a result, their wool is not subject to the turbulent pricing of the markets. Instead, they receive a solid fixed rate – plus a bonus, if the quality is particularly good. This knowledge of the wool’s origins is a cornerstone of Devold’s sheep-to-shop philosophy, which obliges the brand to ensure the value chain is totally traceable and transparent. If you were wondering, the record for the ‘thickest fleece’ is held by an escaped Australian sheep called Chris, who had 42.3 kilos of wool on his body when he was found.

Ideally, you would shear your sheep once a year, taking off around ten centimetres of the finest wool. For Devold’s products, though, only wool from certain body parts is used – like the flank, shoulder or chest. Here, the wool can grow with next-to-no abrasion, leading to an especially fine, thick fibre.

It feels luscious on the skin, but that’s not all: as Merino wool can hold a certain amount of moisture, it is temperature-regulating thanks to the cooling vapour it creates. You can discover another perk on Devold’s homepage if you click on the ‘Protection Wear’ tab in the top right. As Merino wool is fire-resistant, employees in furnace-based industries are fans of the fabric and wear all kinds of protective clothing made from it. Merino wool also doesn’t absorb odours particularly swiftly – a major benefit for the wearer and those around them, too.

While the manufacturing site in Lithuania will only be climate-neutral in a few years’ time, thanks to solar and thermal energy, Merino wool has been meeting a raft of sustainability criteria for centuries: ‘Wool is biodegradable, renewable and, in turn, comparatively green,’ says Craig Smith, Managing Director of Devold’s New Zealand branch. He monitors wool procurement for the brand, saying: ‘Wool meets all the requirements for success in a world drowning in plastic.’