Janus has been producing merino wool in Espeland, Bergen, since 1895. Over that time, decades of knowledge have been passed down through generations that have worked in the factory. This, in turn, has helped shape Janus into a company that has true expertise in wool. 

Today, the factory produces roughly 300 tonnes of merino wool per year.  

Janus’ production is heavily intertwined with its sister brand, Odlo, producer of the very best Nordic-inspired base layers and outdoor apparel (and also part of the Monte Rosa Sport (MRS)). The Janus factory purchases yarn and manufactures it into rolls (using a process of dyeing, knitting and drying) that are packaged and sent to Odlo Romania. The rolls are then sown into product in Romania at Odlo’s facility, before being returned to Espeland, ready to be shipped out to customers  

Dileepa Vithange is head of production in Espeland and has been with Janus for around 1.5 years. He described the journey the team has been on since his arrival:  

“We have a fantastic team in Bergen. Since I joined, everyone has been open to change and we’ve been on a journey of modernising our systems and solidify our processes. There are not many similar, singular wool manufacturers based purely in Europe like us, so we have to work even harder to ensure we remain efficient and competitive.” 

There are around 30 people in Dileepa’s team and the manufacturing process is machine intensive. Despite that, people still play a critical role in the overall process. People are important in ensuring each step of the process is carried out as desired. “It takes at least three months of training to have a basic understanding of the knitting and dyeing process and two years to have a thorough knowledge. To become an expert takes many, many years of experience.” Dileepa said.  

The processes at Janus, Espeland, can be summarised in the seven steps below:  

Before a single material is ordered, the entire process (all the way to the end product) must be scoped and defined. The level of customisation is huge: the yarn must be carefully identified, which knitting machine will be used (which provide very different outcomes), the required colours, the texture and characteristics of the garment. All of these outcomes are highly dependent on the process.  

The textile material and product development process involve selecting the right raw materials, such as fibres, yarns to develop the fabrics, based on the desired properties. Designers develop concepts, colours, and patterns for the product, followed by creating prototypes for testing and refinement. The samples undergo rigorous testing to evaluate performance and durability. Once finalized, the product moves into full production. Product packaging and preparation for distribution are also defined at this stage, ensuring it meets quality, functionality, and design standards. 

Once a product has been fully designed and the end-to end process mapped out, bulk production can start. At this point, the sourcing team will order the specific desired yarn from the supplier. Each yarn has a different filament type (micron) and a different way of being produced. Choosing the right yarn is complex as different materials produce different outcomes.  

Once the yarn arrives in the factory, the team will check the quality, and if all OK, it will be transferred to knitting. 

The knitting process is primarily machine-driven, with the team playing a critical role due to the numerous variables involved. Various types of knitting machines are used to produce fabrics with different features, and the final fabric outcome depends on the knitting program developed for specific structures. The team's expertise ensures that each parameter is carefully controlled to achieve the desired fabric qualities. Janus use weft knitting machines (circular knitting), producing fabrics that are more flexible and stretchable in the weft direction, particularly when using natural fibres. 

The yarns are loaded into the machine, where they are knitted into a tubular fabric. Once produced, the fabric is cut into manageable 20-kilogram portions. The fabric is then inspected before moving on to the dyeing process. This entire process is semi-automatic and requires strict human input and inspection at various stages. 

The dyeing process begins with the colour development stage, where the right recipe is created based on the desired Pantone or colour selected for the end product. Recipe prediction is done using a spectrophotometer, and automatic dispensing machine is used to mix various dyes and related auxiliaries as per the initial recipe. A lab dipping machine then replicates the dyeing process on a small scale, allowing the team to test and fine-tune the colour to achieve the desired shade. Once the recipe is finalized, the actual dyeing process begins using the dyeing machine, which takes approximately six to eight hours. 

Recently, Janus invested in enhancing its colour development capability by introducing a new automated lab dipping machine. This machine is more efficient and environmentally friendly, helping to confirm colour accuracy and continuity at the sample stage. By using the lab dipping machine, Janus saves energy, manpower, fabric consumption, and time, eliminating the need to run large industrial machines prematurely.

To remove the excess water, the material is put into a spin cycle (rather like your washing machine at home). This takes out around 70% of water from the fabric during this process.

The fabric is then dried fully to establish the width and weight (grams per sqm). The fabric flows through a drier with a conveyor and gets heated fabric to set its final desired parameters.

Finally, the fabric is pressed with steam to firm the fabric appearance and wrinkles on the fabric. This is known as ‘calendaring’. Then, the fabric to reach perfect condition for three days. Once all the parameters (such as colouring and texture) have been inspected and all is confirmed as OK, the team flatten out the fabric and fold into rolls, cover it in polythene, add an order number, ready to be shipped to Odlo Romania.  

Once calendaring has been completed, the rolls are then sown into product in Romania at Odlo’s facility (part of the Monte Rosa Sport umbrella) before being returned to Espeland, ready to be shipped out to customers.