Back to the source: visiting the farms behind our merino wool
There is something very different about knowing where a material comes from — and actually standing on the land where its journey begins.
This September, our founders Catarina and Andreas travelled to Uruguay to visit the farms behind the merino wool used in our Stay Warm sleepwear.
And there was a particularly special full-circle moment: arriving with Dagsmejan Stay Warm sets for the farmers themselves — finished garments made with the type of fibre that starts its journey on farms like theirs.
Two very different farms, the same passion
In the Salto region of northern Uruguay, we visited two farms that could hardly be more different in scale.
At La Magdalena, Diego and his daughter Inez welcomed us to a large farming operation where the family has been working since 1991. Wool has played an important role from the very beginning, and the farm has invested in Australian Merino genetics for more than 25 years to continuously improve the quality of its fine wool.
At Los Panchos, Ignacio and his daughter Jimena welcomed us to a much smaller family-run farm of around 1,500 hectares, largely made up of natural grasslands. Here, cattle breeding and fine Merino wool form the heart of the farm.
Different in size, but remarkably similar in spirit.
What stayed with us most was the pride and passion with which both families spoke about their animals and their land. Farming here is not viewed as something short term. It is a responsibility that stretches across generations.
Animal welfare starts at the farm
Stay Warm is the only Dagsmejan collection made with an animal fibre, so animal welfare was one of our most important considerations when choosing our wool partner.
NATIVA™'s protocol covers far more than simply ensuring that wool is mulesing-free. It includes animal health and behaviour, nutrition, husbandry, breeding and lambing, safe shearing and the prohibition of mulesing.
Seeing the sheep on the farms and speaking directly with the people who care for them made these standards feel much more tangible.
Caring for the land as well as the animals
That same long-term thinking also applies to the land.
Through NATIVARegen™, farms are encouraged to move towards regenerative practices, with progress measured across areas including soil health, biodiversity, carbon and water management.
At La Magdalena, environmental stewardship is explicitly centred around producing while preserving the natural environment and native biodiversity.
At Los Panchos, natural grasslands, waterways and biodiversity are equally central to the identity of the farm, alongside a commitment to continuous improvement.
What impressed us was that regenerative farming did not feel like an abstract sustainability concept. It was visible in the way the farmers talked about their soil, their animals, the native landscape and what they want to leave behind for the next generation.
More than a farm visit
And then there was the hospitality.
Both families not only opened their farms to us, but also their tables, hosting us for traditional Uruguayan parrillas and generously sharing their knowledge, stories and way of life.
It was a reminder that behind every fibre there are people — people with generations of experience, deep knowledge of their environment and tremendous pride in what they produce.
Giving the farmers their own Dagsmejan Stay Warm sets at the end of our visit brought the journey beautifully full circle.
We returned home with a much deeper appreciation for where our wool comes from — and for the people, animals and land behind it.
A heartfelt thank you to Diego, Inez, Ignacio and Jimena, and to the entire NATIVA™ team for opening this world to us.
