Helly Hansen
Encyclopedia
Helly Hansen is a high-end producer of textiles and special gear for sports and work on the ocean and in the mountains, headquartered in Oslo, Norway (previously, from the time it was founded in 1877 until Oct 2009, the company was headquartered in Moss, Norway
).
Today, the brand is recognized for its foul-weather fishing
gear and can be seen both on television (Deadliest Catch
) and in movies (The Perfect Storm
, Touching the void
), but has become popular in all levels of industrial workwear, survival and rescue, and performance outerwear. On the consumer side, Helly Hansen has a strong following in both the sailing and snowsports communities, as well as producing apparel and footwear for casual and general active use.
jackets, trousers, sou'westers and tarpaulins, made from coarse linen soaked in linseed oil. Over the first five years they sold ca. 10,000 pieces.
In 1878 the company won a diploma for excellence at the Paris Expo
, and began exporting its products.
After Helly Juell Hansen's death in 1914, company leadership passed on to his son Leiv Helly-Hansen, an experienced merchant.
In the 1920s a new fabric, which Helly Hansen called Linox, was developed. The surface was glossy and attractive – and, best of all, non-sticky. Over the next 30 years the name Linox would transfer to a PVC
(polyvinyl chloride) application.
In 1931 another new fabric, Lin-O-Let, was launched. Very thin and light, it could be made in many colors and was used in waterproof leisure and outdoor clothing for women and children.
A product developed for the outdoor and workwear markets was Fibrepile. This insulation layer was warm, lightweight and fast-drying, used for wearing under waterproofs. It was used by Swedish lumbermen, who discovered that it offered good insulation against the cold, and ventilated well during hard, physical work in the forest. It protected against snow and light rain for proof, staying durable and warm after washing.
from polypropylene
fibre were rewarded with the Nobel Prize
in 1963. This fibre used in LIFA, kept the skin dry and warm by pushing moisture away from the body, making it the ideal base-layer fabric for outdoor and workwear use. It was the birth of the 3-layer Systems of Dress with LIFA close to the body, Fibrepile as an insulation layer, and rainwear for protection.
acquired Helly Hansen in 1997.
In October 2006, Investcorp sold its interest in Helly Hansen to Altor Equity Partners
, "A private equity firm focusing on investments in companies based in the Nordic
region."
working class urban youth in the late 1990s. The tough, hardwearing jackets found an unlikely brand appeal for "scallie" urban youth in the north of England. Cold winter nights and the new range of designs were attractive to youths who spent cold nights outdoors. The brand developed a mass appeal and is now sold in sports shops, far wide of the hiking
and specialised clothing shops of before.
Moss, Norway
is a coastal city and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
).
Today, the brand is recognized for its foul-weather fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
gear and can be seen both on television (Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch is a documentary/reality television series produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel. It portrays the real life events aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and C. opilio crab fishing seasons.The Aleutian Islands port of Dutch Harbor,...
) and in movies (The Perfect Storm
The Perfect Storm (film)
The Perfect Storm is a 2000 dramatic disaster film directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It is an adaptation of the 1997 non-fiction book of the same title by Sebastian Junger about the crew of the Andrea Gail that got caught in the Perfect Storm of 1991. The film stars George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg,...
, Touching the void
Touching the Void (film)
Touching the Void is a 2003 documentary film based on the book of the same name by Joe Simpson about Simpson's and Simon Yates' disastrous and near fatal attempt to climb the 6,344 metre Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985.-Outline:...
), but has become popular in all levels of industrial workwear, survival and rescue, and performance outerwear. On the consumer side, Helly Hansen has a strong following in both the sailing and snowsports communities, as well as producing apparel and footwear for casual and general active use.
History
Helly Juell Hansen had been at sea since the age of 15; in 1877, at the age of 35, he and his wife Maren Margarethe began producing oilskinOilskin
Oilskin can mean:*A type of fabric: canvas with a skin of oil applied to it as waterproofing, often linseed oil. Old types of oilskin included:-**Heavy cotton cloth waterproofed with linseed oil.**Sailcloth waterproofed with a thin layer of tar....
jackets, trousers, sou'westers and tarpaulins, made from coarse linen soaked in linseed oil. Over the first five years they sold ca. 10,000 pieces.
In 1878 the company won a diploma for excellence at the Paris Expo
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
, and began exporting its products.
After Helly Juell Hansen's death in 1914, company leadership passed on to his son Leiv Helly-Hansen, an experienced merchant.
In the 1920s a new fabric, which Helly Hansen called Linox, was developed. The surface was glossy and attractive – and, best of all, non-sticky. Over the next 30 years the name Linox would transfer to a PVC
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
(polyvinyl chloride) application.
In 1931 another new fabric, Lin-O-Let, was launched. Very thin and light, it could be made in many colors and was used in waterproof leisure and outdoor clothing for women and children.
Product development
A change for the brand came in 1949 when Helox was developed. This thin sheet of translucent PVC plastic sewn into waterproof coats and hats became a popular item. About 30,000 Helox coats were produced each month. Plarex, a heavier-duty version of Helox, backed by fabric, was developed for workwear, creating durable, waterproof clothing for industry.A product developed for the outdoor and workwear markets was Fibrepile. This insulation layer was warm, lightweight and fast-drying, used for wearing under waterproofs. It was used by Swedish lumbermen, who discovered that it offered good insulation against the cold, and ventilated well during hard, physical work in the forest. It protected against snow and light rain for proof, staying durable and warm after washing.
LIFA
The layering story was completed in the 1970s, with the development of LIFA. The Italian researchers that discovered how to spin yarnYarn
Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery and ropemaking. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or...
from polypropylene
Polypropylene
Polypropylene , also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles , stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes...
fibre were rewarded with the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in 1963. This fibre used in LIFA, kept the skin dry and warm by pushing moisture away from the body, making it the ideal base-layer fabric for outdoor and workwear use. It was the birth of the 3-layer Systems of Dress with LIFA close to the body, Fibrepile as an insulation layer, and rainwear for protection.
North Sea oil exploration
As the oil exploration industry kicked into gear during the seventies, the company developed survival suits for offshore workers. In 1980 the company's breathable, waterproof fabric system – called Helly Tech – was launched.Technology behind the clothing
Helly Tech garments use both hydrophilic and microporous technology. Hydrophilic garments have water-loving molecular chains which pass water vapor to the outside. Microporous garments have tiny pores that allow water vapor to pass out of the fabric without letting rain droplets in.Company takeovers
InvestcorpInvestcorp
Investcorp is a manager of alternative investment products, serving high-net-worth private and institutional clients. Its principal client base is in the six countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council, but it also has institutional clients in North America and Europe...
acquired Helly Hansen in 1997.
In October 2006, Investcorp sold its interest in Helly Hansen to Altor Equity Partners
Altor Equity Partners
Altor Equity Partners is a private equity firm focused on leveraged buyout and growth capital investments in Sweden, Denmark and Norway.The firm, which is based in Stockholm, Sweden, was founded in 2003 by a team led by Harald Mix, formerly a partner at Industri Kapital, another Nordic-focused...
, "A private equity firm focusing on investments in companies based in the Nordic
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
region."
Streetwear
Helly Hansen clothing developed a large following amongst the BritishBritish people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
working class urban youth in the late 1990s. The tough, hardwearing jackets found an unlikely brand appeal for "scallie" urban youth in the north of England. Cold winter nights and the new range of designs were attractive to youths who spent cold nights outdoors. The brand developed a mass appeal and is now sold in sports shops, far wide of the hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and specialised clothing shops of before.