Long Woollen Rag Socks - Recycled Lambswool - Futhark (Adults 38-41)

*New! Snuggly kneehigh or long chunky recycled wool socks for winter, knitted in patterns inspired by traditional Swedish motifs.

Truly gorgeous kneehigh socks made from recycled lambswool in Sweden by Öjbro Vantfabrik, dyed in subtle natural colours. Knit with reinforced heel & toe for extra strength. Wonderfully cosy to wear at home, they also make perfect winter socks with boots. So soft and warm!

Öjbro Vantfabrik is dedicated to preserving and sharing Swedish knitting heritage. Each pair of beautiful jacquard knit socks features a design drawn from traditional patterns and personal stories.


The Futhark pattern is created with Swedish cultural heritage and its significance in mind. The expression "We honour our cultural heritage" adorns the front of the sock in Futhark runic script. This pattern is also available in a woven throw blanket. See below to read the Futhark story.

*Buy a pair of adults' socks, get 20% off our Sock Darner's Kit. A wonderful gift for sock lovers, wool lovers and Zero Wasters everywhere!  Learn the age old art of darning your socks.

Colour: Futhark

One size: EU38/41

About the fit:Öjbro socks are jacquard-knitted: this is stranded colourwork characterised by floats on the inside which carry the coloured yarns and create such intricate patterns. This means each pair gets its own little personality. It also changes the thickness of the sock, and affects the fit. Some socks fit a bit slimmer, others a bit more “hug-friendly.” Wondering about the fit? See below:

Fit advice:

• SLIM - fits like a gentle little foot hug. Patterns: Futhark, Lycksele
• MED - the sweet-spot fit for most feet. Patterns: Ekshärad, Fästfolk, Gotland, Kören, Yggdrasil
• GENEROUS - for those who like a bit of extra wiggle room for their toes. Patterns: Dalarna, Haga, Skaftö, Skogen.

How to put them on:
Because jacquard socks have floats on the inside, we recommend you put your socks on like your mum used to do for you when you were a child. Bunch them up to the toe, put your foot in place and then unravel the rest of the sock up your leg. Don’t try to just shove your whole foot in from the cuff as your toes might catch some of the floats!!

Brand: Öjbro Vantfabrik
Designed in: Sweden
Origin of Fibre: Recycled lambswool sourced in Sweden
Country of manufacture: Sweden
Fabric structure: Knitted from recycled lambswool with elastane, reinforced in toe and heel with polyamide (70% Wool, 5% Elastane, 25% Polyamide)
100% biodegradable: No
Machine Washable: Yes (see our guide to washing wool)

Care: Handwash using a gentle wool shampoo recommended for best results. To machine wash, choose a cold wool cycle, skipping the spin cycle. Dry flat on a towel, gently reshaping while wet. Do not tumble dry. Wool feels comfortable and dry, even when you sweat. It can absorb a lot of moisture (up to 33% of its dry weight). Air between uses, wash only when required. 

The story of the Futhark pattern: Designer Åse Öjbro, founder of Öjbro Vantfabrik, has used Viking Age runes, known as the Futhark, to create a runic inscription ‘we honour our cultural heritage’, incorporated into a graphic pattern with a traditional colour scheme.

The Futhark, were used from Greenland in the west to Russia in the east. The runic inscriptions are the oldest surviving original documents and form an important link to ancient times. Although runes originally appeared throughout the Germanic language area, they were most widespread and used the longest in Scandinavia. At the beginning of the 8th century, a new runic script of 16 characters was created, replacing the older one. Since the new runic script was introduced at about the same time throughout Scandinavia, many have suggested that it was a deliberate script reform, possibly initiated by traders.

The Rök runestone is Sweden’s most famous runestone and has the longest preserved runic inscription with 800 characters. The stone stands outside Rök’s church, and it is likely that the place was named after the stone.

(Source: Swedish National Heritage Board)

The Oseberg ship was discovered in 1903 in a large burial mound at Oseberg farm in Vestfold County, just north of Tønsberg on the western shore of the Oslofjord. The ship, which is 21.5 meters long and 5.1 meters wide, is very well preserved and decorated with wood carvings. Dendrochronological analysis of the wood shows that the ship was built around 820 and the tomb was sealed in 834.

In the ship, two women, one young and one older, were found buried in a structure on the deck, surrounded by many magnificent burial gifts. Among the gifts were a carved four-wheeled cart, two oxen, fourteen horses, four dogs, walnuts, and wild apples. The younger woman, whose remains appear to have been treated with greater care, is believed to be Queen Åsa Haraldsdotter, consort of Gudröd Veidekonung, mother of Halvdan Svarte, and grandmother of Harald Hårfager.

In Åse Öjbro's words: "I love our common Scandinavian cultural heritage. Most of us can find a namesake from the Viking Age, and I have been lucky enough to be given the name Åse – a name that brings to mind Åsa Haraldsdotter, a legendary queen and grandmother of Harald Hårfager, who, according to legend, united Norway into one kingdom. It gives perspective and a deeper sense of belonging in Scandinavia. Our common cultural heritage provides us with a secure foundation to stand on and strengthens us in facing our new era."