Born from passion, created for necessity

Fjällräven was founded by Åke Nordin in Sweden with a vision to make nature accessible to more people. Åke grew up in the perfect playground of deep forests and sheltered coastlines and an idea arose out of necessity: to create a backpack that swallowed up gear, but sat comfortably on his back. With his mother’s sewing machine and his father’s tools, Åke created a wooden-framed backpack in his basement. And with it, the seed was sewn. 10 years later, in 1960, in that same basement, Åke founded Fjällräven and launched his first product for sale. Guess what is was? Yep, a backpack; this time with an aluminium frame. 

During the 1960s and 70s, fuelled by Åke’s stubborn belief that there must always be a way – a practical solution –the Fjällräven product range expanded significantly, with tents, sleeping bags, jackets and trousers. The Greenland Jacket, the Expedition Down Jacket and the Kånken backpack proved to be defining products. Virtually every other Swede, from avid trekker to enthusiastic nature lover, wore and trusted Fjällräven.

The 80s and 90s were more about geographical expansion. Trekking through nature, going slowly, carrying everything you need on your back while enjoying every step, shouldn’t just be something for Swedes. First we expanded throughout Scandinavia, then further afield in Europe. But it wasn’t enough for Åke to just offer the clothing and equipment to get out in nature. His dream was to actually enable people to get out there. He wanted more people to trek through the wilderness; because the more people experience nature, the more likely they are to care for it. And again, he knew there must be a way. His dream became a reality in 2005 with the launch of Fjällräven Classic: a 110km-long trek through northern Sweden. 

And with nature being so important to us, here at Fjällräven, we’ve placed more and more emphasis on sustainable development; to develop on nature’s terms. Since the new millennium, we’ve launched Eco-Shell, our Down Promise and the Fjällräven Way – our Code of Conduct.

Nature

Nature is in our DNA. We simply can’t deviate from it. Without it, we’d be nothing. It is our past, present and future. It’s our forever. To that end we:

1. Say no to fluorocarbons

2. Are on a journey to becoming PFC free

3. Don't compromise on animal welfare

4. Minimise use of toxic chemicals. 

5. Use organic, renewable and recycled materials wherever possible but without compromising on functionality and efficiency. 

Sustainability

Everything we do has an impact on the environment around us and the people and animals that inhabit it. As an outdoor company, we’re acutely aware of this impact and we do our utmost to keep our environmental footprint as small as possible. And this is a team effort. We consider nature when we design; when we choose one material over another; and when we decide where to produce our clothing and equipment. 

But it’s not easy. We have to make compromises. We sometimes have to say “no” when we want to say “yes”. We have made, and will continue to make, mistakes. But we try to learn from them; we aim to innovate and adapt. We’re not ones to settle. We never sit back and relax thinking what we’re doing now is good enough. At Fjällräven, the term ‘room for improvement’ is ingrained in all of us. 

By producing on nature’s terms; by developing clothing and gear that lasts for generations; by placing strict standards on ourselves and our suppliers; and by introducing more people to nature and its myriad benefits, we hope to leave our basecamp in better shape than we found it.

Care & Repair

Your gear deserves to go on adventures for years to come. We’re always trying to ensure our products stand the test of time, both physically and emotionally. But a big part of your clothes’ life cycle is in your hands.You can reduce your environmental footprint by reusing, repairing and recycling. Together, we can make a difference. 

Designing for lifetimes in nature

A well-worn jacket is ingrained with memories. It’s also better for the environment. We design our garments and hardware to last – and with your care – for a lifetime, perhaps even longer. We create them to be easy to repair; we use materials that are tough and durable; and we design styles that don’t go out of fashion. 

We research; we sketch; we create samples; we test; we iterate and adjust; we test some more. Our design process isn’t short. But we don’t like to make compromises on quality and utility. We don’t look for quick fixes. We ensure our products are the best they can be, both in terms of materials that last and have a low environmental impact, and also by creating classic styles with truly helpful functions that you’ll want to continue wearing, adventure after adventure.

1. Design with you in mind

2. Function and ease of use

3. Simplicity

4. Low material impact

5. Material longevity and efficiency

6. Emotional longevity

7. Recyclability

8. Why change a good thing

9. Tried and tested