If you’ve ever been lucky enough to visit Iceland then you’ll be aware of 66°North. The Icelandic label is one of the countries most recognisable exports and studies have suggested that 99% of households in Iceland have at least one article of clothing from the brand. If it’s good enough for an Icelandic Winter then you better believe it’s good enough for us!
Founded in 1926 the brand was started with one single goal – to make protective clothing for the Icelandic fisherman who spent their days braving the harsh elements of the North Atlantic. The brand have now been keeping Iceland warm for over 90 years and have a collection which is no longer targeted solely at the rugged outdoor fisherman of Iceland. A range which started as Fisherman’s overalls has grown to become a fashion powerhouse with runway shows and collaborations with the likes GANNI under their belt. In 2023 the brand sponsor numerous outdoor athletes, ultra marathons, music festivals and influencers and has become something of a cultural icon.
In 2022 66°North expanded outwith their Scandinavian stronghold, opening their first store in London and returning to Nordic Outdoor with a range of Outdoor kit capable of withstanding whatever Mother Nature may throw at you. Due to the requirements of Icelandic weather the brand has employed the use of some of the world’s best fabrics including PrimaLoft, Polartec and Gore-Tex to create pieces which will perform no matter the environment.
66°North has been carbon neutral since 2019 and believes through a holistic approach to minimize harm, design sustainable garments, and make to a positive impact on our world. The Brand is B-Corp certified which means that this business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials. With a design philosophy that garments should be functional, made to last and useful across a wide range of activities. 66°North believe their products are 'Made for Life'.
North was founded in 1926 by Hans Kristjansson who had returned to Iceland after moving to Norway to learn how to tailor and sew hardwearing protective outdoor kit. The brand's name is a reference to the latitudinal line of the Arctic Circle which touches their original home of Súgandafjörður.
With a focus on sustainability and quality, 66°North is incredibly particular about where their products are produced to ensure they match the quality required. The brand have their own production facilities in Latvia which produce over 40% of the collection and employ over 170 employees. The remainder of the brand's collection is produced in partner-owned factories in China, Sweden, Romania, and Portugal – the brand only works with partners that ensure employees' well-being and regularly conduct audits on their partner facilities.
While Global Warming is something people are aware of the world over, its impacts are particularly evident in Iceland where the livelihoods of many Icelanders are threatened by warming seas, and they can see the impact of global warming first-hand in the glaciers that dominate the landscape. 66°North is proud to be one of the most sustainable clothing brands in the world – The brand have been carbon offsetting since 2019 and are certified B Corp since 2021. With a focus on production quality and the use of proper materials, the brand creates a product which should not need replacing before many years of use. All 66°North garments come with a full warranty against defects and 95% of the brand's outerwear is repairable. As a company, 66°North are constantly striving to reduce the number of styles within their range to avoid excessive production. While this is incredibly unusual for a fashion company, in the past four years the brand has reduced their number of styles by half! Everything the brand does is approached with a circular mindset - designing and making products that are fit for purpose, made to last, repairable, and create minimal waste - with end-of-life considered at the beginning.
66°North is an outdoor brand. The products that 66°North create are designed to survive in the harsh Icelandic winters and for this reason are perfect for outdoor pursuits the world over. The brand's tagline is ‘Keeping Iceland warm since 1926’ and if it wasn’t for the functionality of the brand it would not be around 90 years later. It is impossible however to ignore the brand's rise in popularity as a fashion brand and its popularity amongst the fashion world. Recent years have seen 66°North collaborate with the likes of GANNI and Soulland, while celebrities including Jay Z, Mel Gibson, Justin Bieber, and Skepta have all been spotted wearing the Icelandic brand. With the launch of the 66°North London store, further stockists in the ‘fashion’ world, and investment from the Chanel family, we can expect interest in the brand to continue to grow in the coming years.
As a company with strong Icelandic heritage and values, the brand showcases these not only through their production and culture but also through their leadership structure. Iceland is one of the world’s most gender-equal countries and this can be seen throughout the leadership team at 66°North. Since 2011 the brand has been co-owned by husband and wife team Helgi Oskarrson and Bjarney Harðardóttir. As the brand expands globally and introduces more fashion-forward lines into their collection, they took on investment from a Chanel family-backed investment firm in 2019 which will continue to allow the brand to bring Icelandic values to a more international audience.
