Freebird merino wool beanie

“Freebird is the beanie I grab off the coat rack first when the thermometer shows below zero. The thick beanie keeps my head and ears warm, and my forehead doesn’t sweat even when I’m busy and on the move.”

Tomas Nordström, outdoor enthusiast & Svala team member

Freebird – a beanie that keeps you warm

The Freebird merino wool beanie solves a familiar problem on freezing mornings: as you step out of the door, your ears are the first to feel the cold, but a thick beanie starts to make you sweat as soon as you get moving. The fluffy knit holds plenty of air, and it's the air that insulates against the cold and keeps your head warm. The double turn-up adds extra knit over your forehead and ears, so the warmth is greatest where the wind bites.

Merino wool makes sure your head doesn't overheat. It regulates warmth and moves moisture away from your skin, so your forehead doesn't start sweating, even if you walk briskly to the bus or carry shopping up a hill. And when you're standing at the bus stop, the beanie holds on to the warmth.

The beanie stays fresh for a long time, because merino wool is naturally odour-resistant. Even if you've spent the day alternating between rushing around and standing in the cold, the beanie usually doesn't smell of sweat in the evening. It rarely needs washing, as airing it is usually enough.

The Freebird merino wool beanie comes with a 100-day satisfaction guarantee. We want to give you time to try it properly: wear it as you normally would for 100 days. If you're not happy with it for any reason, you'll get your money back.

Tested outdoors: the Freebird merino wool beanie for colder weather

Freebird is a unisex style that fits most adults. The stretchy merino knit shapes itself to your head and doesn't press on your forehead. The beanie's signature feature is its double turn-up with an embroidered emblem. The thick, soft turn-up frames your face.

The Freebird merino wool beanie is dedicated to everyone who heads outdoors whatever the weather. For them, frost is a reason to dress more warmly, not a reason to stay indoors.

There are six colours. Natural white, grey and navy blue go with almost any jacket. Rust, oak and moss green bring forest and autumn shades to grey winter days. Rust and moss green are the same shades as the Naava roll-neck jumper, so the beanie makes a great match for the jumper. Navy blue is the same shade as the dark blue of the Louhi crew-neck jumper.

In the Svala AIR System™, the merino beanie is part of Accessories, which complement the other layers. The Zero Layer, Base Layer and Mid Layer keep your body dry and warm, and the Shell Layer protects you from the weather. The beanie takes care of your head and keeps it warm and dry.

Thoughts from the designer

“We wanted a beanie that keeps you warm even in hard frost but still feels soft. The fluffy knit holds in the warmth, and the double turn-up protects your ears from the wind. We chose merino wool for its softness, and mulesing-free wool for the sheep's sake.”

Ninni Pohto, designer at Svala

Nature's own smart material

Freebird is knitted from 100% merino wool. Merino fibres are finer than ordinary wool fibres, so they don't prickle your skin the way coarse wool does. That's why the beanie feels soft even against your forehead and ears.

The smartness of merino wool shows in how it handles moisture. Wool stays warm even when damp: if snow melts on the beanie or your forehead sweats, the fibre absorbs the moisture into its core and the beanie feels dry. The same property keeps the beanie fresh. When the surface stays dry, odour-causing bacteria don't thrive there. When you air it, the wool releases the odours it has absorbed. So it's a good idea to leave the beanie outside overnight to air, on a balcony for example. Airing wool in frosty air is a good old trick. Avoiding washing in water also benefits the beanie itself: when it's washed rarely, the fluffy knit stays soft and keeps its shape for longer.

Besides softness and warmth, it matters where the wool comes from. Freebird's wool is mulesing-free, which means it comes from sheep that haven't been mulesed. In mulesing, skin is removed from around a sheep's tail end to stop flies laying eggs in the skin folds. The OEKO-TEX 100 certificate means the material has been tested for harmful substances and is safe to wear against your skin. The beanie is knitted by the Finnish knitwear factory Top-Knit, with decades of experience behind it.

Developed in Finland for Finnish weather

Do you head to work when it's around −20 °C? Do you clear snow after a blizzard in the night? Do you enjoy cool, sunny weather in the forest? Freebird is made for moments like these.

Beanie season in Finland is long: it starts with the first cold winds of autumn and lasts until the last frosty mornings of spring. Freebird is made for this whole season. With six colours to choose from, it's easy to pair with both outdoor gear and a town coat.

The Freebird merino wool beanie is at its best:

• On your commute
• Hiking and trekking
• Working in the garden
• At the cottage
• By the lean-to and campfire
• Picking berries and mushrooms
• Outdoors
• Fishing and ice fishing
• Everyday wear and in town

Svala's merino products are developed in Finland and tested by people who spend their time outdoors. In other words, our clothing and accessories have proven themselves on people who show their gear no mercy: on week-long wilderness trips, on long breaks on the fells, and in wet, cold conditions where your gear decides how comfortable your day is. If the beanie has stood up to them, it'll stand up to you too.