Ezcaray Blanket Factory

Two people had told me about the blanket factory of Ezcaray and they both recommended it as a something worth seeing. Moreover we were lucky it was just four minutes away walking from our hotel, Palacio de Azcarate. I always like to know the history of a place that has so much tradition like this one: "The Valgañón brothers are the heir of this business that has passed from generation to generation, from fathers to sons, all of them learning when they were kids and they still weave. The factory is a museum, where you can learn about how they still work with the wool."

A perfect place for two things: learn about part of our history and something much better, buy a blanket of impressive quality and very good price.

Upon visiting the building, I’m sure you would never dream that this tiny factory produces blankets for brands like Loewe and Armani.

There’s a wide variety of blankets that have a great feel. It’s a unique and different souvenir to take home from Ezcaray.

Everything’s a surprise in this little shop (the real factory is a good ways out of town and is considerably bigger). Many of the world’s biggest designers have gotten interested in their method of spinning wool, and they work with groups like Loewe and Armani, among others.

Their process involves coming the wool with needles that need to be washed after every use. The quality of the blankets is surprising and I get why they've become so well-known internationally.

Apart from El Colmado, another essential place of the village of Ezcaray is the factory of pure wool blankets. Maintaining the ancestral tradition of the wool industry in La Rioja, the Valgañón family spins, cards and weaves fabulous blankets.

Visiting the factory is like going back in time, since in one of the rooms there is a small museum containing looms that still work. The blankets - made of pure sheep wool, various colors and sizes - are great and if one takes into account that they are handmade, they are not expensive.

They are all very beautiful, which makes it difficult to decide which one to buy.