Professional Grade Apparel, Since 1877
Founded in Norway in 1877, Helly Hansen continues to develop professional grade apparel that helps people stay and feel alive. Through insights drawn from living and working in the world’s harshest environments, the company has developed a long list of first-to-market innovations, including the first supple waterproof fabrics 141 years ago when Helly Juell Hansen was looking to protect his sailors at sea.
In 1949 came the next evolution in waterproof protection. Helox waterproof fabric featured a thin sheet of translucent PVC plastic that was sewn into coats took to make them waterproof. It was a revolutionary technology that became the must-have protection for outdoor use. With a production of 30,000 coats each month, the success was almost immediate and was used by the Norwegian delegation at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.