VISIT OUR FACTORY
Only a 50 minutes drive from Bergen
On the island of Osterøy, just outside Bergen, you’ll find the heart of Norlender: our family-owned knitwear factory in the small village of Hosanger, by the fjord.
Norlender’s story began in 1927, just a few kilometres from here, on a rural mountain farm. Today, generations later, we continue the tradition at our factory in Hosanger, where we still knit, sew produce a big part of our collection.
Come and see the machines running, meet the people who make your sweater, and shop directly from the factory.
OPEN
Monday to Friday: 9am to 3pm
(Saturday and Sunday open in summer and pre-chiristmas season)
See and learn
Watch the knitting machines at work, see the pieces sewn together, and follow the prosess all the way to the finished garment.
The outlet
Browse the full collection, and dig through archive pieces, samples and one-off sweaters for finds you won’t see online.
explore More
Hosanger is a small village by the fjord on Osterøy, and there is plenty to explore after your visit to our factory. The famous walk of Kossdalsvingane, take in the views over the fjord, or slow down at the local art gallery, visit the cafés or book a flooting sauna by the fjord.
"A sweater takes far more time to make than most people think. Once you’ve seen it, you look at it differently."
Berit Teigland, Head of Production
Why we keep the machines running
As one of few remaining knitwear factories in Norway, keeping textile production alive here means a great deal to us. By keeping production in Norway, we want to preserve generations of textile knowledge and craftsmanship, create local jobs and contribute to a living community here in our village on Osterøy. For us, keeping the machines running is also about making sure these skills and traditions are not only remembered, but continue to be used, shared and passed on.
Our yarn - 100% Wool
Every Norlender sweater starts with the yarn. We buy it from a small number of European spinning mills that we have worked with for years. The mills are certified to OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, which means the yarn has been tested for harmful substances and is safe to wear against the skin.
We have knitted with wool since 1989, when the third generation switched the factory from cotton to wool. Wool is warm, even when it gets damp. It breathes, so you stay comfortable indoors and out. And it holds its shape, so a well-kept sweater can last for many years.
For most of our jumpers we use Norwegian wool, which gives a sturdy, warm sweater made for outdoor wear in all weather. Our lightweight knits are made from extra fine merino wool, which is soft enough to wear directly on sesitive skin.
Where your sweater is made
We knit and sew a large part of our collection here at our factory in Hosanger. For the rest, we work with a small number of trusted factories in Europe.
Our machines and our capacity have their limits. Some garments need machines we don’t have, or larger volumes than we can produce here. For those, we work with experienced factories that specialise in exactly that kind of knitwear.
Each product page tells you where the garment is made. Garments marked “Made in Norway” are made at our factory in Hosanger. Garments marked “Made in Europe” are made by our partner factories. However, it is always made in our designs, yarns, and qualities. We believe you should know exactly what you’re buying.
Norway
Most of our classical jumpers are made at our factory in Hosanger. They are knitted on the machines we have here and in volumes we can produce ourselves, so we can make them from start to finish under our own roof. Many of these designs have been in our collection for years, and the people who knit and sew them know every detail.
Europe
Most of our accessories, along with our finer knits, are made by partner factories in Europe. Lightweight merino jumpers need finer knitting machines than the ones we have in Hosanger. Garments with a lot of handwork are made by factories that specialise in exactly that. We choose partners who know these techniques well, so every garment is made where it is made best.
Yarn
We buy our yarn from a small number of European spinning mills. They are certified to OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, which means the yarn has been tested for harmful substances.
Plan your visit
We would love to have you! Visit our historical factory & family bussiness!
Address: Osterøyvegen 2184, 5282 Lonevåg, NORWAY
Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9am to 3pm
(Saturday and Sunday open in summer and pre-chiristmas season)
Getting here: 50 minutes by car from Bergen. / Or take the Train and Bus from Bergen.
Groups and guided tours: We welcome groups and offer guided tours of the factory. To book, email sales@norlender.no or call +47 56 19 20 00.
Questions: sales@norlender.no · +47 56 19 20 00
