Geschichte

In 2022, we celebrated 90 years - it was in 1932 that Jonas Lundhag, only 16 years old, opened his own little shoe shop and made his first boot. This was done by hand in the family home in Jämtland and would develop into one of Sweden's most iconic outdoor brands.

Much of what characterizes Lundhags products today was there from the very beginning - the meticulous craftsmanship, the high quality of materials, and a genuine interest in function and the individual. The family has made both craftsmanship and business history. It is significant and well worth telling.

The 1930s - The Local Population Flocks to Lundhags

Jonas Lundhag grew up in a shoemaker family, so it's no surprise that at the age of eight, he made his first drawing of a pair of shoes. From 1932 onwards, he quickly became known for his functional and comfortable forest boots, and customers flocked to Lundhags' shoemaker shop in Frösön. Jonas discovered that many customers had back problems and understood that the cause was often heavy work in shoes that did not provide proper support. Therefore, he opened a special back clinic in his shop where he made arch supports and aids tailored to each customer's measurements and needs. Soon, Jonas' interest in function led him to educate himself in orthopedics to fully understand how the human body looks and works.

The 1940s - Lundhags Expands

Jonas's son Jan was born, and the family moved to the expanding city of Östersund. The reputation of Jonas Lundhag's shoemaking spread among soldiers, industrial workers, and foresters. They all had high demands for robust boots and shoes year-round, and these became important customers who loyally followed the growing company. Despite the successes, Jonas was not satisfied - for the best function, the boots should be waterproof. Leather is a fantastic material; it's supple, strong, and breathable, but it is not waterproof.

The 1980s - Adventure and Awards

During this decade, the company received much attention when it won the challenging task of supplying boots to the British Navy. Lundhags Skomakarna AB received the honorable title of Royal Warrant Holder, a title it has held ever since. Jan Lundhag and the company also won the Entrepreneur of the Year award and made custom boots for the first Swedish expedition to climb Mount Everest.

The 1990s - The Modern Lundhags Emerges

Lundhags developed into a broad outdoor supplier - besides boots, there was in-house clothing, and the store in Järpen grew quickly. The foundation was that everything the mountain tourist might need for a good experience in nature should be available here. If there was a toaster for camping, it should be sold in the Lundhags store.

Lundhags bought the company Almgrens, bringing long-distance ice skates into the range as another significant category. At the end of the 1990s, major decisions and important work were carried out. The first collection of clothes was developed and released.

On February 14, 1998, a severe and terrible fire struck the company in Järpen. But thanks to good safety routines, the designs and the shoemaking cornerstones, the lasts (i.e., the forms on which the shoes are built), were saved. A tough time followed, but with determination and the help of willing Järpen residents, the new premises were inaugurated just 18 months after the fire.

The company still operates in the "new" Lundhag house, and in addition to the flagship store, there is the modern shoemaking workshop focused on repairs, product development, and custom orders (Custom Made). In the premises, although somewhat scorched by fire, Jonas and his father's old master certificates are framed in gold. The only positive thing the fire brought was that it forced new and free thinking. And that is exactly what they did.

The 2000s - New Competencies and Outdoor Products

The beginning of the new millennium was intense, to say the least. Globalization was a fact, prices were squeezed, and competition increased. Lundhags, therefore, made the tough but necessary decision to move parts of the production. After much searching, the family company Ferreira in Portugal was found, which shared Lundhags' values of the highest quality, function, and meticulousness. Ferreira became an important partner, and most of the production was thereafter done in Portugal.

Jan's younger son, Mats-Håkan, who took over shoe production and product development, worked on transferring the unique, Jämtlandish craftsmanship traditions to colleagues in Portugal. Meanwhile, they wanted to broaden the range to include backpacks and clothing.

Jan's elder son, Jan-Anders, was instrumental in developing backpacks. When the first collection was launched, the timing was perfect, and the reward was immediate success. Jan-Anders was also one of the driving forces in assembling a great team that took the clothing collection to the next level.

Jan stepped down as CEO and was succeeded by Jan-Anders. Exactly 70 years after Jonas founded the company, his grandchild took over. And challenges were not lacking now either. The big task was to create the outdoor products that Lundhags lacked.

The strategy to broaden and recruit hit the mark. Bestseller after bestseller saw the light of day; the Traverse pants, the Park boot, and the new V-backpack, with its (at the time) unique, movable carrying system, revolutionized the market. Lundhags' passion for function and quality, reflected in the new products, appealed even to the big, discerning outdoor shops in Central Europe. The company was on the verge of an international breakthrough, but there was a downside… Transforming a local Swedish shoemaking shop into an international player was no easy feat - the board realized that selling the company was necessary to bring in capital for new investments. Lundhags wanted to grow, meet the international interest, and, above all, continue Jonas Lundhag's legacy of functionality and craftsmanship.

The 2010s - Transformation, New Contexts, and Sustainability

The Stockholm market became increasingly important, and parts of the company moved to the forests of Norra Djurgården with Henrik Ottosson as the new CEO. Lundhags continued to grow and was now represented in twelve countries, including Germany and Korea. In 2012, Lundhags was acquired by Brav Norway AS.

Outdoor became fashionable, and Lundhags boots suddenly appeared in new, exciting contexts. When Sweden's largest fashion magazine listed its favorite boots, Lundhags was seen alongside boots from Acne and Hope. The brand became sought after and was used in TV and film productions, by stylists, on catwalks, and by influencers.

It was also at this time that sustainability became even more prominent on the agenda. Sustainability had always been part of Lundhags' DNA. Jonas Lundhag was far ahead of his time with his mission to produce boots that would last a long time - ideally a lifetime. Over the years, the company has maintained this mission, using materials that would otherwise have become waste and creating new products from them. Lundhags offers a lifetime guarantee on boots, and each year, about 2000 boot repairs are made, making them like new and usable for many more years - that's real sustainability!

The first sustainability strategy was formulated in the 2010s, and a mapping of all materials and chemicals began. 2018 was a milestone when all products became completely free from toxic fluorocarbons - all cotton was now organic, and only recycled polyester was used, materials that were used in both the new backpack collection and all hiking clothes.

The 2020s - Mad about Nature

We all know 2020 as the year the pandemic hit, and given the critical situation in the industry and the world, no new products were launched in 2021. At this time, the world did not need new products.

Lundhags launched the concept Mad about Nature and developed the Custom Made offering by strengthening the shoemaking team with another shoemaker. Interest in Lundhags increased thanks to the general growing interest in outdoor life.

Both boots, backpacks, and various garments continued to appear in the media and featured in both the Crown Princess's hikes and the King's hunts. Another king, Zlatan, occasionally dropped by to buy boots in size 48, and on social media, products were frequently tagged by users who loved to show off their Lundhags products.

The core and origin remain the boots with the unique concept now called Lundhags Shellboots. There are now several models available for all seasons, needs, and feet. Lundhags sees its mission as enabling nature for more people and inspiring a sustainable life through hiking and nature experiences.

In 2021, a new YouTube series with influencer William “Kulan” Forslund was launched to inspire young adults to get out into nature. Kulan's series has had over 100,000 viewers!

2022 - Lundhags 90 Years

A lot can happen in 90 years, and Lundhags' future is as exciting as its history. We look forward to the next 90 years. With high quality, advanced functions, innovative and sustainable materials with comfort and design in focus, Lundhags wants to be your lifelong outdoor partner. You who love nature should have the opportunity to dress in Lundhags products from top to toe and from inside out.

Lundhags turns 90 years old and will celebrate by honoring craftsmanship, sustainability, and design. Therefore, the campaign Made to last - the hunt for the oldest Lundhags boot! is being launched. Through social media, we are looking for the person who has the oldest boot, as we actually don't know how old the oldest boot is. Many use the term Made to last, but if you can't say "how long," it doesn't become credible.

2025 - Sustainability and Environmental Friendliness

We have taken even more steps on our sustainability journey - the garments last longer, are free from harmful chemicals, and less water is used in dyeing. We have evaluated which materials are the most sustainable and developed more circular services besides repair and rental. The goal is to become CO2-neutral by 2030.

Lundhags - Mad about Nature since 1932

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