Helly Hansen

The story of Helly Hansen started in 1877. After many years at sea, Norwegian captain Helly Juell Hansen and his wife Maren Margarethe began producing oil-skin jackets, trousers, sou'westers and tarpaulins, made from coarse linen soaked in linseed oil.

They certainly struck a nerve in the marketplace, because over the first five years they sold approximately 10,000 pieces. In 1878 the company won a diploma for excellence at the Paris Expo, and 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 oil-based outerwear and became the must-have protection for outdoor use. With a production of 30,000 coats each month the success was almost immediate.

The original fleece, the fiberpile, was developed in 1961 and has been perfected for almost 50 years since. This new insulation layer was warm, lightweight and fast-drying, ideal for wearing under the protective layer. It was soon embraced by workers because it offered extraordinary insulation against the cold and ventilation during hard, physical work. 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. 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 work-wear use. The latest generation of LIFA is used in Helly Hansen base layers today.

In 1980, the Helly Tech technology was launched, using both hydrophilic and microporous technology for waterproof, breathable protection. The evolution of breathable, waterproof jackets had a profound effect on the outdoor industry as Helly Hansen joined in on the production of technical outerwear garments.

The heritage from Helly Juell Hansen is still the cornerstone of the Helly Hansen business. Today, Helly Hansen gear is used by world-class sailors, skiers and adventurers who spend their time between human will and nature’s forces, and demand full protection and performance when conditions are at their worst.