Last time I was in Austria, I tryed to buy some boiled wool, but wasn't able to articulate my request (it was summer, it wasn't on display). If I knew what it was called in German, I might try again when I'm in Salzburg later this month. Thanks!

Liz, I was in Salzburg last winter and at least ten shops in the Old City carried boiled wool. Also, most everyone spoke English so there should be no communication problems. Finally, Geiger of Austria, a major Austrian-based manufacturer of bolied wool, has an American distribution center. If you call 1-800-2-Geiger and ask for Customer Service they may be able to tell you what it is called in German, plus supply you with any additional information you might need.

"Geiger of Austria" refers to all its boiled wool fashions as sewn from "walk" in its literature. Their website is http://www.geiger-fashion.com/ and maybe the text there can help.

Thank you! I believe "Walk" is the word I was needing. I had been on the Geiger site before, but missed the page with the information about the difference between loden and walk.

Walkloden or loden

<BR> <BR>Excuse my ignorance... <BR> <BR>(but I know I cant be the only one, come on admit all you others out there curious but too embarassed to ask) <BR> <BR>... what is boiled wool? <BR> <BR>Kavey

Boiled wool is a soft, cozy fabric that you usually see made into cardigan type jackets. I've been seeing it more freqently the last few years. It tends to be pricey, but the fabric itself is hard to find in the US.

...and I think the color we sometimes think of as "loden green" is (one?)of the traditional colors of this cloth. After boiling the wool to make it dense, windproof and darned near waterproof, the next step, I think, was to scrape the cloth with brambles or thorns to raise a nap. You might look at www.lanztrachten.at/kollektion/man_2.shtml for typical Austrian style jackets, made of boiled wool, or loden cloth.