Adventures
Reading Time 3 Minutes
Field Test Coordinator and Product Specialist Harald Born is committed to collecting Fjällräven products that are 30, 40, even 60 years old. Plus, their stories. With them, he can see, touch and feel where the brand has been – and envision what it can do going forward.
Tucked away in the rather serene winter landscape of Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, are a wooden cabin and barn. Despite humble appearances, they’re significant to Harald Born. It was where Fjällräven founder Åke Nordin spent his time growing up and working. Today, because of Harald, these buildings house a growing collection of venerable outdoor clothing and equipment from Fjällräven’s more than six-decade history. Over time, more than 200 pieces has been sourced, catalogued and cared for by Harald. He’s even learning how to repair them himself from Fjällräven’s seamstresses.
For Harald, collecting isn’t about heading to a second-hand store and picking up the first vintage Fjällräven product he sees. What he collects must have a story. This isn’t new. In fact, his commitment to using “old stuff” began a long time ago when he started going out into the wilderness himself. “They (the old products) were robust, and I had more of a connection to … all the stories that came through with them.”
That in mind, Harald is sensitive to the fact that when a Fjällräven user offers the brand their decades-old pants, jackets and backpacks, they are offering a bit of their own history as well. Presented with such generosity, Harald asks himself “Does it have a story?” and “Do we really want to part the item from the customer?” Of course, finding high-quality heritage products is a challenge but, as he says, “That’s part of the thrill as well: that it shouldn’t be easy. It’s usually me that’s the problem, saying ‘Oh you should keep it. Use it even longer. Let’s talk about it again in 30 years because it looks like it’s brand new.’”
On the other hand, some of the products Harald collects are mysteries. In fact, it’s their lack of story that is their story! In such cases, Harald uses his professional expertise to determine their provenance. Like a prototype of an Expedition Jacket inner layer. Looking at the red and white fabric, he can tell it’s old, but definitely not from the iconic jacket’s first production. It’s not the whole story, but it’s a start. There’s also a Kånken with a very nineties’ graphical pattern. There is no information about what collection it was part of. All Harald can say for sure is that it is from 1995 and must have been part of a very, very limited edition.
There are other items however, that are laden with significance. Åke’s emergency backpack, for example, is just as he packed it years ago. Filled with safety necessities like flares, a rescue blanket and a knife, it’s a veritable time capsule of the man himself.
Ultimately, it’s Harald’s wish that more people see his growing collection of long-lasting Fjällräven gear. “I don’t want to keep it in the barn,” he says. For Harald, it’s important because it shows Fjällräven cares about its history – and future – of making durable products.
“We are a heritage brand. Timeless. … I want to make sure people see it. We care so much about the environment, the products and the lasting materials that we use. We have to prove that we do care. That we are a sustainable brand, and even our first products we have (are) here today.”
March 2024