Fjällräven

Founded in 1950, the Swedish outdoor label looks back on a company history steeped in tradition and stands for so-called quality time and time spent outdoors in nature. Translated, the name Fjällräven means something like Arctic fox and thus already embodies the weather suitability of the products in the brand name. The company primarily produces and sells outdoor and functional clothing and stands for innovative product ideas in this area. Today, for example, the Kånken is one of the world's best-selling backpacks of all time and has become a true classic. But how did this legendary model actually come about? From a small cellar in the small town of Örnsköldsvik in northern Sweden, Fjällräven has made its way around the world. The then 14-year-old Åke Nordin from the small town of Örnsköldsvik, which lies in the north of Sweden, couldn't cope with his backpack during a mountain hike.

In the 1950s, the backpacks of the time were a kind of pear-shaped bag that you carried on your back. The enterprising boy found the backpack uncomfortable because it sagged. So he built a wooden frame to distribute the weight more evenly. His solution was not only noticeably more comfortable for the body, but also made it possible to carry heavy loads and ventilated the back at the same time. The backpack frame was the origin of the company Fjällräven, which Åke Nordin founded ten years later. By this time, he had completed his compulsory military service at the newly established and extremely demanding paratrooper training course in Karlsborg. In the process, he had realized that there was a market for functional and durable outdoor equipment. He found that not even the country's leading elite unit had equipment that met the requirements. This innovative backpack frame - the wood was replaced by the lighter material aluminum - marked the beginning of Fjällräven's success in 1960. The backpack 'Lätt' (light), which was listed in the 1965 catalog, was the first backpack to reach a larger market. The most recent, feature-rich backpack is the 'Kajka' model, which has, among other things, a ventilated compartment for drying laundry and long front-opening zippers. In addition to outdoor equipment, practical functional clothing was also developed to meet the demands of nature. So Nordin began experimenting with skiing and beeswax. His wax mixture ensured that the clothing became even more durable, strongly water-repellent and even windproof. The revolutionary G-1000® fabric was born!

The idea of numbering the products also dates back to the founding years. Today, Fjäll Räven is reviving this tradition with the Numbers series. The number in the name of the garment indicates how many predecessors the product in question has. Jacket No.68, for example, is the latest in a long line of functional, hard-wearing outdoor jackets from Fjällräven. Sustainability has been an important aspect in the development of the collection: Fjällräven has designed the garments to be extremely durable and have as little impact on the environment as possible. Most of the leather details are also made from recycled waste from Fjällräven's Swedish belt factory, where the leather is vegetable tanned. This can result in slight variations in the color and texture of the leather, making each Numbers garment unique. The small cellar company from 1960 has grown into today's flourishing global company Fjällräven. The idea has remained the same - even 50 years later: Quality Time for all outdoor enthusiasts.