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Helly Hansen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Helly Hansen is a producer of textiles and special gear for sports and work on the ocean and in the mountains, headquartered in Moss, Norway. Today, the brand is still recognized for its foul-weather fishing gear and can be seen both on television (Deadliest Catch) and in movies (The Perfect Storm), but has become synonymous with 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.
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Helly Juell Hansen began in 1877 with his first oilskin waterproof jackets. He had been a sea captain since the age of 15. Now 35 and a respected captain, he knew how it felt to be soaked to the skin, cold and miserable. Helly and his wife Maren Margrethe gathered a stock of coarse linen and linseed oil. They designed and sewed jackets, trousers and sou'wester hats for ocean use. Then Helly Juell applied oil to the garments and dried them before an open fire.
Helly Hansen's waterproofs were a great success. In that first year, 1877, they produced and sold 2,000 items, from clothes to taupaulins. Within five years they sold 10,000 pieces. The key to success was testing all his products before they were offered for sale. Quality was crucial. Helly Hansen's technical specifications were high, and so were the prices. But demand for his product continued to grow.
In 1878 Helly Juell Hansen journeyed to the Paris Expo with a collection of oilskin clothing where he won a diploma for excellence. Before the 19th century expired, Helly Hansen was exporting waterproof clothing to Denmark and Sweden and a few years later to England, South Africa and Chile. New methods of applying the oil were developed, which were used until after WW2.
When Helly Juell Hansen died in 1914, his son Helly Hansen took over the business. Having worked in commerce in England and Germany, he had a modern view and was determined to keep the company at the cutting edge of innovation.
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 clothing for women and children. The trend for outdoor clothing as fashion was born.
A breakthrough for the brand came in 1949 when Helox was developed. This very thin sheet of translucent PVC plastic sewn into waterproof coats and hats became the must-have item. As many as 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.
The breakthrough for the outdoor and workwear markets was Fibrepile. This new insulation layer was warm, lightweight and fast-drying, ideal for wearing under waterproofs. It was brought to prominence by Swedish lumbermen, who discovered that it offered extraordinary insulation against the cold, and ventilated well during hard, physical work in the forest. It even protected against snow and light rain, staying extremely durable and warm after many washes.
The layering story was completed in the 1970s, with the development of LIFA. The Italian researches that discovered how to spin yarn from polypropylene fibre were rewarded with the Nobel Prize in 1963. This wonder-fiber, 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.
As the oil exploration industry kicked into gear during the seventies, the company developed survival suits for offshore workers. The tradition for making clothes for harsh conditions stood them in good stead and quality of design and manufacture were praised worldwide. As design awards for innovation and export rained in, work continued on another dream. In 1980 the company’s own breathable, waterproof fabric system – called Helly Tech – was launched.
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. This created clothing that breathed, helping the wearer stay warm and dry.
The evolution of breathable, waterproof jackets had a profound effect on the outdoor industry. Now everyone who participated in high-activity sport could expect their clothing to work with them, not against them. It was a major catalyst. From its roots in providing sturdy, waterproof clothing for fisherman, Helly Hansen now designed technical garments – base, insulation and protective layers. The company's survival gear has recently seen technological advances for the offshore oil rig community that has also been used in foul weather.
Investcorp 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."
Helly Hansen clothing developed a large following amongst the British working class urban youth in the late 1990s. The tough, hardwearing jackets found an unlikely brand appeal for "scally" 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. Method Man of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan was photographed in a blue Helly Hansen bomber jacket in the late 1990s.