We often limit our perspective of what we consider to be “heirloom” textiles to leather jackets and other garments of the same respect. It may be personal bias, but I feel a quality wool blanket is all too often overlooked in the heritage community. A 100% wool blanket is a simple item that can be passed down for generations if properly treated. It wasn’t all too long ago, where a wool blanket was not just a luxury item, but it was a tool necessary for survival. Wool is naturally anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, temperature regulating, and retains most of its insulative value even when soaking wet. In the Americas, wool blankets even became an established form of currency with manufacturers such as the Hudson Bay Company setting standards to regulate trade values. The introduction of cheap, man-made materials initiated the downfall of wool as a primary material for blankets. Synthetic blends now dominate today's market of disposable items that barely make it past the first wash cycle. Synthetic blankets are not only cheap and do not last, but they also hold odor, don't breathe, and break down at a quicker rate.
Stepping back to my initial train of thought, Indigofera’s 100% wool blankets have been a favorite of ours in the shop since the moment we got our hands on them. The thick and plush wool is soft enough to have directly against your skin and not be itchy or scratchy all while maintaining the natural benefits of wool previously mentioned. Right at 60x78 inches, they are more than large enough to cover your whole body and be an everyday blanket. If you have never truly fallen in love with a blanket, you haven’t owned the right one, and this one is mine. As a hobby, I do a good bit of living history. I’ll often embark on period camping trips using only equipment and clothing of mid 18th century frontiersmen by donning my buckskins and moccasins and testing my ability to live like those who pioneered this country in days past. I have endured enough sub-freezing nights without a fire to know that a blanket is your best friend during those times, and my Indigofera has been that companion on many of these trips.
(Mats got a kick out of this photo)
Now, let's get back to old Volvos and their part in all of this. Back in the fall of ‘24, our good friend Mats Andersson, co-founder of Indigofera, came to visit us in Lake Charles. We got to talking as we all sat outside, when he noticed Josh’s blanket draped over the back of the couch. When asked why they decided to produce blankets, Mats told us that growing up, new Volvos all came with wool blankets as a luxury during the harsh Swedish winters. Since they all drove Volvos, these wool blankets were a household staple for him and something he remembered fondly from his childhood. He mentioned that his girlfriend in the early days of Indigofera was connected with a traditional blanket manufacturer in Norway, thus the wool Indigofera blanket was born.
I had chuckled and joked with him that my Volvo disappointingly didn’t come with a wool blanket. He then was quite dazzled to hear that I drove a vintage 240, a car that he said reminded him of his early days. We talked more and he said that the old Volvo blankets were everywhere back in Sweden and decently easy to come by, even today. His merriment continued when after our visit, I drove him back to his hotel and we shared a laugh talking about how something so common and boring as an old Volvo to a native Swede, can find fresh excitement when familiarity is found in an unfamiliar place.
The night ended with photos being taken and his comment that he would try and find one of these old wool Volvo blankets to send back to me. Since then, I hadn’t given it too much thought until now about a year later, we recieved our shipment of blankets in for this season. Lo and behold, that big, beautiful, considerate man found me one and slipped it into the shipment with the rest. Obviously, I couldn’t contain myself and immediately took to doing a photo shoot.
I can’t say enough how grateful I am to now have a way to commemorate a memorable experience with a little piece of automotive history. Of course, it may be a little harder to track one of these Volvo blankets down here in the States, but thankfully our great friends at Indigofera have us “covered” with their exceptional offerings of Scandinavian heritage.
