Chunky Wool Beanie for Norwegian Weather
100.00
- Hand knit over the course of 3 hours.
- 100% sheep wool.
- Knit in Norway.





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100.00
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.
Double threaded and 100% wool. The Westcoaster is made for the same weather in which its benefactors, the sheep, are grazing. We are reshaping wool, and bringing it right back where it came from.
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.
"I love to wear beanies and the Westcoaster is at the top of the list of those I own." Emma Bonvecchio, Photographer & Westcoaster Owner | @bitemahype
"Best beanie out there, handmade, with a beautiful texture and super warm. I don’t need anything else!" Alessandro Citterio, Photographer & Westcoaster Owner | @cittalex
No minimum order value
You only pay for return shipping
Patch it rather than discarding it
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.
Red Hat Factory is a company started by mother and son on the Norwegian South Coast. Emerging out of childhood memories of wearing hand knit goods and a love for red beanies, found in adulthood, we've built a network of knitters that can deliver the genuine hand knit experience to all beanie lovers across the world.
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 fun way to maintain the beanie as long as possible, making it a keepsake.
Hand knitting is the genesis and the core of our company. We hand knit because we are here to honor and tell the story of our Norwegian heritage. Generations after generations hand knitting wool apparel to keep their families warm. And the tradition is still alive and well. Also hand knit beanies comes with a personal touch and history that machine-knit goods just can't match.
Many of our beanie models look very small when you unpack them. That is because of wool's nature — it's not "pre-stretched", and has to start out tight. It shapes itself around you head after little time. If you lend it to someone, and it get's stretched out too much, you can dip it in warm water, and after drying, it's back to where it started.
We did not choose wool — hundreds of years of Norwegian tradition chose that for us. It is an amazing insulator, with the special feature that it pulls moisture away from your skin. Norwegians have sworn to wool both historically, and in modern day outdoors apparel. You just can't beat the natural fiber that is wool.
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.
It all started with my mom, then my grandma joined the team. My mother designs all the beanies (sometimes with input from me), and we recruit as many knitters as we need from around Norway. But it is always hand knit, the traditional way, and quality controlled by my mom.
We are not sharing numbers, because that would require giving you an understanding of our entire production cycle, including admin time, marketing, recruiting, packaging, shipping and so on.
But every knitter is happy with the pay (otherwise they wouldn't have worked with us), and they know the brand, the website, and the final price.
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 up. It's sort of like zipping down your jacket when the sun peaks out.
It is a very handsome hat, but more importantly I do not have to stretch it to fit my rather large head.
I particularly like the chunky yarn.
Throughout the fall and the winter season I love to wear beanies and the Westcoaster is at the top of the list of those I own.
One of my favorite things about the Westcoaster is the ability to change the fold, to make it a little longer or a little shorter, depending on how I like to wear it, the elasticity and quality of the wool also makes it fit perfectly to my head (and yours too, seeing is believing).
It keeps very warm, and this for a beanie I would say is a pretty important thing.
I have to say that since adding the Westcoaster to my beanie collection it has made my choice much easier when I’m undecided about which one to wear.
Best beanie out there, handmade, with a beautiful texture and super warm. I don’t need anything else!
The westcoaster is just amazing. It has a “fluffier” look than the Southlander, and the material is just amazing. Super soft and easy on the head, it’s quite elastic as well. Thank you very much RHF, every time I wear your hat I’m super happy! 🙂
It is just starting to get cold here in Michigan and I can already say that this hat has replaced all of my other dome warmers. It is comfortable, warm, and best of all; it fits in my pocket.
There’s no doubt the care that went into the Westcoaster beanie. The quality, finish is first hand, along with it’s style. A must have for the winter!