The summer eiderdown season in Breiðafjörður has come to a close, and now that the down is safely gathered, it’s time to look back on how it all unfolded.
This spring was unlike any we’ve experienced in recent memory. May brought extraordinary warmth records were broken across Iceland as temperatures soared higher than ever before recorded in the month. With such an unusually mild and early spring, we had high hopes that the nesting season would begin early and progress well.
And at first, it did.
The eider hens returned in strong numbers, and the early signs of nesting were promising. But as nature often reminds us, things can change quickly. In June, a cold spell swept across the country. Wind and chill returned abruptly, disrupting what had seemed like the perfect season. Fortunately, despite the drop in temperatures, the weather remained dry on our islands something we are deeply grateful for.
Thanks to the dryness, the eiderdown stayed clean and light, making for excellent harvesting conditions. While we didn’t surpass last year which was a record-breaking year for us in terms of nesting numbers we were very pleased with both the turnout and the quality of the down collected this summer.
Now, the down is resting, cleaned and ready, waiting for its next chapter: to bring warmth and comfort to someone dreaming of the perfect duvet. Icelandic eiderdown is unlike anything else in the world light as air, soft as a cloud, and yet warm in a deeply gentle way. It adapts to your body, offering just the right temperature, night after night.
We’re proud of how the season turned out, and grateful for what nature gave us this year despite its surprises. The eiderdown from our islands this summer is among the best we’ve seen, and we look forward to sharing its warmth with the world.