Fjällräven

Prior to Fjällräven's entry into the market, most tents were constructed of a single layer of cotton, weighed around 3–4 kilograms (6.6–8.8 lb) when dry, which then doubled in weight when it got wet. An alternative option was to use a synthetic tent, but these were thin, which allowed moisture to seep through, or so impenetrable that condensation remained on the inside.[9]

Believing that like him users would want to carry as little weight as possible, and not want any equipment inside the tent to get wet, Nordin began to design a solution. In 1964, he brought the Termo tent to the market which combined an outer waterproof flysheet made of a strong, waterproof polyester fabric and a breathable inner tent made from a thin, breathable "Rutarme" polyamide (nylon). This combination allowed moisture to be expelled from the living area before condensing on the inner surface of the flysheet. The tent weighs 1.4 kg (3 lbs).[9]

In 1967, the company launched the Termo G-66 tent.[7]

In 1966, Fjällräven backpacks and Termo condensation-free tents were taken by a number of the members of a research expedition to Greenland to study glaciers. With praises for the Fjällräven equipment, they told Nordin it was unfortunate that the company had not also produced their jackets and trousers, which were made of boiled wool and leather and had proven unsatisfactory.[10] This inspired Nordin to consider entering the clothing segment. He identified that a fabric that had proven too heavy for use in the company's lightweight tents would be durable enough for a jacket but he needed to find a way of waterproofing it. Remembering that when he was a child at a local ski jump with his friends, they had prevented the snow from soaking through their trousers by rubbing the wax meant for their skis onto the fabric, he began experimenting with different wax solutions. He eventually developed a solution of paraffin and beeswax which he then applied to the fabric with the help of his wife's hairdryer.[11]

The finished jacket which entered the market in 1968 was called the Greenland Jacket,[4] while the fabric in time became known as G-1000, and the beeswax and paraffin mixture was sold as Greenland Wax.

In 1970, the company introduced the Greenland Trousers using the G-1000 material previously used in the Greenland jacket.

The Fjällräven Kånken is Fjällräven's best-selling product. It was originally developed as a reaction to a 1977 study of increasing number of reports that Swedish school children were developing back problems from their more traditional bags.[4] The lightweight and rectangular yet spacious backpack, which was released in 1978, was Fjällräven's attempt to solve this problem.[12]

In 1977, Fjällräven made some prototype of the "Kånken" and was given to some kids in Sweden to test it out.

During its first year in production, 400 were sold, increasing to 30,000 the following year. As of April 2018, Fjällräven sell the Kånken in 54 different colours.

By 2008, over three million Kånken daypacks had been produced with 200,000 being made each year.[7]

The range has expanded to include the Mini-Kånken with a capacity of 7 litres released in 2002[7] for preschoolers. The Kånken Laptop, released in 2006 with a back pocket for a laptop and paddled selves and the Re-Kånken, released in 2016 and made entirely of polyester from recycled plastic bottles.

It is now sold worldwide, and is most popular with females aged 12–25. Kånkens have a different logo to most other Fjällräven products, which are white and pink as opposed to the usual light brown colour. The Kånken was awarded the Guldknappen Accessoar design prize in 2018.[13]

In the early 1990s, Åke Nordin met Kenth Fjellborg, one of Sweden's leading dog-sled drivers. Fjellborg had participated in Iditarod, the world's most difficult dog sled competition through the harsh Alaskan wilderness: so Nordin decided to create a Swedish equivalent. In 1997, Fjällräven Polar took place in the Scandinavian Arctic for the first time.

The event also provides an opportunity for Fjällräven to test out clothes, tents and other equipment in the environment they were made for: the winter wilderness of northern Scandinavia.

Wishing to encourage and enable more people to get out and enjoy trekking Åke Nordin at the start of the 21st century came up with the concept behind the Fjällräven Classic. It is not a competition or a race, but a chance to socialise with other hikers and enjoy the trek of a lifetime. There were just 152 finishers at the first Swedish Classic in 2005 and by 2015 there were 2,136 finishers.

Fjällräven Classic now takes place in four different locations around the world: Sweden, Denmark, the US, and Hong Kong.

For many years Nordin supported his hometown of Örnsköldsvik's Modo Hockey professional ice hockey club. In November 2009, Fjällräven acquired the naming rights to the club's home arena which from January 2010 has been called the Fjällräven Center.