HÄSTENS OVER THE YEARS.

  David Stefanus Janson

THE THIRD GENERATION

Per Thure and his son David Janson will take the tradition of saddle-making masters a step further, growing the production of saddles and harnesses while expanding the family business to manufacture more and more beds. With the advent of the automobile, Janson was able to predict future changes in the world of transport and, in 1917, decided to focus entirely on beds. The eve of the summer solstice celebration was the date when Paul Janson, Janson's artist cousin, drew the first Hästens logo.

A horse was incorporated into the company name as a tribute to its tradition as saddle makers, becoming a defining symbol of Hästens' identity. That same year, there were sudden problems with material shortages. The authentic horse tail hair, which had always been the main filling material for the beds, became difficult to find in the quality and quantity needed to meet the demand for high-quality handmade beds. In order to achieve this quality, the horse hair must be meticulously selected, washed, boiled, centrifuged, burned, and thoroughly cleaned to bring out its suitable filling properties. Janson and his father resolved these issues by opening their own horse hair processing plant, thereby ensuring the high quality of Hästens.

David Janson recalls: "My father was an old-school craftsman; for him, the words quality and craftsmanship were almost sacred. This attitude was etched into my mind and that of everyone who worked for the company. The products we manufactured aimed to earn the respect of the consumer. That is the ideal we have always aspired to. At that time, the working conditions of a saddle maker were far from perfect, and the future did not look any brighter. Quite the opposite, in fact. But we considered how to expand the narrow framework in which we worked, and whether we should move from small-scale craftsmanship to a modest-sized small business. At that time, it was just my father, a few craftsmen, and me. To progress, we had to overcome the restrictive limits imposed by pure craftsmanship and opt for more industrial methods. This led us to think about complementing our operations with a horsehair spinning plant. We may have had within us what some describe as "that little spark," so we set up our horsehair spinning plant. The year of expansion was 1917; I was 25 years old at the time. Obviously, due to the World War, the lack of raw materials, and the great difficulties in obtaining the appropriate machinery, it was a very complicated time to launch an initiative like this. And things did not improve when my father fell ill shortly afterwards. The situation seemed frankly dire, but in Västmanland, which is the region of Sweden we come from, we are famous for our will and stubbornness. Perhaps it was nothing more than pride that made us endure!"

Three years after deciding to focus exclusively on beds, and having set up their own spinning plant, Hästens purchased twenty tonnes of horsehair to meet production demand. The master chair makers were obsessed with quality in their quest for the best possible product, with the "spirit of excellence" driving them to go beyond existing conditions and establish their own standard. In search of the best materials, they travelled the world, including Egypt, where the highest quality horsehair is found. From that moment on, horse tail hair from the gleaming Arabian horses was transported to Köping to be washed and clarified in the fresh, clean waters of the river that runs alongside the factory.

The small town of Hed soon became insufficient for the expansion of the family business, and in 1924 Janson considered relocating to Stockholm. In the capital, there were more customers, and Hästens' sales in the department store Nordiska Kompaniet, located in the city centre, were already considerable. A manufacturing plant was sought in Sundbyberg, near Stockholm, but a passionate romance prompted a change of plans and led Hästens to choose the town of Köping. David Janson had fallen in love with Astrid, a girl born in Köping, and the following year, Solveig, the couple's first child, was born. Since then, the city has been the operational centre of Hästens.

In 1926, the company began manufacturing duvets and pillows using the finest down and feathers available, thus complementing its bed manufacturing business.

In the 1930s, the family noticed a very significant change in sleep culture. Until then, many had managed to spend the night on a sofa, but more and more were investing in a furnished bedroom and a proper bed. On 13 January 1935, the Hästens logo was registered as a trademark in Sweden, a brand that is still in effect today.

By the mid-1940s, Hästens had grown to the point of needing larger facilities. Janson not only wanted to expand, but also wanted to create a new dream factory. At the end of that decade, he contacted Ralph Erskine, who was then a little-known architect. Erskine's style attracted Janson, who proposed that he design the new factory. The result was a building that bore no resemblance to a conventional factory. Initially known as "the Tivoli," its unique design, with elegant lines and light, arched shapes, quickly made it an icon among Swedish architects.

As a promise of quality and durability, Janson introduced a 25-year guarantee for all beds. Their intention was to produce beds that would be just as comfortable (or more) twenty-five years after they had been first used.

When Hästens celebrated its centenary as a bed manufacturer in 1952, King Gustaf Adolf VI of Sweden granted it the title of Supplier to the Royal Court and visited the factory in Köping the following year, in formal recognition of the company's high-quality products. That same year, the Swedish American Line purchased Hästens beds for its cruise ship M/S Gripsholm. Hästens began to gain a great reputation for its superior quality.

Jan Ryde

THE FIFTH GENERATION

In 1988, ten years after the introduction of the Blue Check, Jan Ryde took the reins of the company. Like his grandfather, Jan Ryde's journey at Hästens is marked by his love story with the most beautiful girl he had ever met: Anne-Lie, from Köping. After developing a career at the Technical Faculty of Linköping, where he taught industrial economics students and prepared for his doctorate, Jan decided to leave university life behind and return home to take charge of Hästens' operations and start a family.

Currently, one of their four young children has already joined the family business. Under Ryde's leadership, the company has focused its ambitions on its core activity, which has greatly increased the global demand for fully natural beds with check patterns.

In 1995, King Carl Gustaf XVI reappointed Hästens as suppliers to the Royal House.

The demand for Hästens beds continued to rise and, in 1998, in light of Hästens' ongoing expansion, it was decided to enlarge the factory. And fifty years after designing the first dream factory at the beginning of his career, the now-famous architect Ralph Erskine was once again tasked with designing its extension.

Jan has proudly introduced the tradition of craftsmanship in the 21st century, and today this small family-owned company has expanded its borders to include 45 countries across Europe, Asia, and America. The beds continue to be handmade using the same natural materials and the same spirit of excellence as when Pehr Adolf made his first beds 170 years ago.