Business Details

The story of Helly Hansen started in 1877. After many years at sea, norwegian captain Helly Juell Hansen & his wife Maren Margarethe began producing oilskin jackets, trousers, sou'westers & tarpaulins, made from coarse linen soaked in linseed oil. They certainly struck a nerve in the market, because over the first 5 years they sold approximately 10,000 pieces. In 1878 the company won a diploma for excellence at the Paris Expo, & began exporting its products. In the 20th century, Helly Hansen made several breakthroughs in product development to complete the layering principle today known as the 3-Layer System™. In 1949 the Helox, a thin sheet of translucent PVC plastic sewn into waterproof coats, took over for the oilbased outerwear & became the must-have protection for outdoor use. With a production of 30,000 coats each month the success was almost immediate.