[vc_message message_box_color=”black” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-star”]At Gearlimits we are – of course – crazy about outdoor & action sports gear. But behind good products, there’s always a great story. Why do brands make their products the way they do, how do they work, why do they make certain choices, for materials, durability or safety. We are always interested in hearing, and preferably experience, that story.[/vc_message]
Founded over 50 years ago in Ornskoldsvik, a small town in Sweden, Fjӓllrӓven was inspired by a conviction that outdoor clothing and equipment could be improved. Since then, they have continued to grow and develop, and our journey has taken us to all four corners of the world.
All of their products are backed by an extensive heritage, and there are jackets in the collection that have remained unchanged since the 1970s. Every item of Fjӓllrӓven clothing and equipment is characterised by its functionality, durability and timeless design, yet we continue to innovate and move forward with new, eco-friendly fabrics and high-performance designs.
Already the European market leader for outdoor trousers, Fjӓllrӓven is well known for its durable and adaptable G-1000 fabric. A hardwearing blend of polyester and cotton, the fabric is incredibly practical for life outdoors and can even be adapted to suit the conditions with Fjӓllrӓven’s natural Greenland Wax. Passionate about protecting the environment that inspires it, Fjӓllrӓven is always looking for new ways to reduce its environmental impact; from its innovative and award-winning Eco-Shell range to the new Solution Dyed fabric.
History
From a small cellar space in Örnsköldsvik, Fjällräven has expanded to all corners of the world. It all started with a 14-year-old boy who didn’t think that the backpacks of the time were particularly comfortable, and who decided to do something about it.
Åke Nordin
The year was 1950, and Åke Nordin was going on a trek in the mountains of Västerbotten together with a good friend. Åke was a scout and loved being outdoors. But carrying his provisions uncomfortably was not the young boy from Örnsköldsvik’s idea of fun. And backpacks of the 1950s were certainly uncomfortable, as they hung like shapeless bags from your backside and forced the wearer to walk bent doubled to compensate for the weight.
Åke had read that if you were going to carry anything heavy, the weight should be positioned high up and close to the back. In a lodge adjoining the family’s holiday house outside Örnsköldsvik, he made a wooden frame. Using his mother’s treadle sewing machine, he sewed a bag out of strong cotton material which he fastened to the wooden frame using leather straps.
Åke was happy. The frame distributed the load better across his back and increased the ventilation between the back and the backpack. Also, he could carry a heavier pack.
The backpack frame was the start
The backpack frame was the start of the Fjällräven company that Åke Nordin founded ten years later. By that time, he had done his military service at the newly founded and extremely demanding FJS Parachute Ranger School in Karlsborg. It was there that he realised there was a market for functional and hard-wearing outdoor equipment. Åke noticed that not even the equipment used by the most elite unit in the country made the grade.
In 1960, Åke Nordin registered his company, which he called Fjällräven. Its registered office was the family’s one-room flat just outside Örnsköldsvik. The workshop was in the cellar, which functioned as a factory and R&D department during the first year. This is where the first backpacks with aluminium frames were created, and gradually also the condensation-free, lightweight tents, functional outdoor clothing and revolutionary sleeping bags which would come to be loved by a growing corps of outdoor enthusiasts around the world.
Greenland collection updated
The new Greenland Updated collection builds on a long-established legacy and then goes a step further. The time-honoured aesthetic remains, but it’s enhanced with sustainable material choices like G-1000 Eco and PFC-free Eco-Shell, and the clothing is designed to make at-home repairs easier. These are classic garments developed with the latest techniques for today’s adventures.
The most iconic jacket is the Greenland Jacket. And it was the starting point for an entire collection. This season Fjällräven is updating this classic icon and expanding the Greenland collection. After a lifetime in nature, Greenland is reborn. It once inspired a generation to travel further into nature, and Fjällräven hopes it will do so once again.
Greenland Half Century Jacket
The Greenland Half-Century Jacket is a sustainable tribute to Fjällräven’s very first jacket from 1968. The original Greenland Jacket, developed after a Scandinavian expedition to Greenland, was a do-it-all outdoor jacket. It was hardwearing, wind- and water-resistant and lightweight.
And with the application or removal of Greenland Wax, it could be adapted to suit a range of climates and weather situations. After a lifetime in nature, and to celebrate the bicentenary of the iconic Greenland Jacket, Fjällräven’s timeless Greenland look is being updated for a new generation.
Sizes: XS-XXL
Material: G-1000® Eco: 65% polyester, 35% cotton.
Weight: 630 g in size M
Whether you’re trekking through the foothills in the south, or mighty valleys in the north, your clothes and equipment should be the last thing on your mind.
Summer memories starts here
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Out here, nature is waiting for you. And sometimes nature is cold. Fjällräven has kept people warm for almost half a century now. Forever is our goal.
Founded over 50 years ago in Ornskoldsvik, a small town in Sweden, Fjӓllrӓven was inspired by a conviction that outdoor clothing and equipment could be improved. Since then, they have continued to grow and develop, and our journey has taken us to all four corners of the world.
