Sandnes Uldvarefabrik AS was founded in Sandnes in 1888. The company changed its name to Sandnes Garn AS in 2006. In 1978, the company moved to Foss Eikeland, between Ganddal and Kverneland, where it is still based today. Here you will also find the factory outlet, offering a good selection of hand-knitting yarns, knitting needles, buttons and sewing accessories. You can also pick up some bargains on second-grade yarn, remnants and ready-made knitted items.
Local Production
The company produces and sells yarn for industrial purposes such as blankets, rugs and knitwear, but in recent years has concentrated mainly on hand-knitting yarn. The yarn produced is mostly wool-based. Norwegian wool used to dominate, whereas now softer-quality wool is used, sourced from Australia and South America. The company also sources alpaca yarn from Bolivia and Peru and cotton from India. These are purchased as raw white fibre delivered on bobbins, and are then carded, dyed and wound into balls at the factory. Approximately 650 tonnes of yarn are produced annually.
The production process begins with raw wool. The wool is washed, carded, spun, twisted, wound onto bobbins, dyed and wound into balls. Around 60 million has been invested in machinery and equipment over the last 10 years. The company is regarded as one of the most modern of its kind in Europe. Whilst industrial yarn is sold directly to factories, hand-knitting yarn is sold directly to shops in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Sales to other countries are made through wholesalers. The export share is around 50%
The company has a design department that creates knitting patterns with modern designs. Designs are also purchased from freelancers. This is important for selling hand-knitting yarn.
Factory outlet in Sandnes
The factory outlet also stocks woollen underwear from Janus, cardigans and jumpers from Norlender, and Selbu mittens from Selbu Husflid.
In the kitchen department, you’ll find a good selection of branded goods such as Rosendahl, Hardanger cutlery, Høyang Polaris, Iittala, Rørstrand and Arabia. They stock tableware ranges such as Ostindia, Origo and Teema, as well as Moomin tableware and cutlery. They also have lots of other exciting items for the kitchen, including kitchenware from Joseph Joseph and Lékué, so there’s something here to suit every taste.
