Why it belongs in ORBIS
Founded 1877 in Moss, Norway by sea captain Helly Juell Hansen and his wife Margrethe, making oiled-linen waterproofs for sailors; won a diploma at the 1878 Paris World Exhibition and grew into a global technical outdoor and workwear brand.
Helly Hansen was founded in 1877 in Moss, Norway, by ship's captain Helly Juell Hansen and his wife, Maren Margrethe. Drawing on Hansen's 21 years at sea, the company's first products were oilskin jackets, trousers, sou'westers, and tarpaulins, waterproofed by soaking linen in linseed oil to protect sailors from harsh Nordic maritime conditions. The gear won a diploma of excellence at the 1878 Paris World Exhibition, just a year after founding, and sales reportedly reached about 10,000 pieces within the company's first five years. Over the following century and a half the brand expanded from maritime oilskins into skiing, sailing, and broader technical outdoor and workwear apparel, becoming a recognized name in performance protective clothing worldwide. It remains headquartered in Norway while manufacturing and selling globally today.