Helly Hansen Partnership  |
||||||
We are excited to partner with Helly Hansen for our upcoming adventures. Helly Hansen was pivotal to the success of our last expedition - circumnavigating the globe by human power - and we know their clothes and footwear will go the distance.
Outfitting Explorers for Over a Century Norway has likely achieved more exploratory firsts per capita than any other country. With a population of only 4.5 million, Norway’s achievements include the first to reach the South Pole, the first to sail across the Atlantic Ocean, the first to row across the Atlantic Ocean, the first Europeans to discover North America, and the first to voyage the Northwest Passage, just to name a few.
The Norwegian spirit of adventure and tenacity has been nurtured in a land situated in an unforgiving part of the planet. Survival in Norway traditionally required the strength, determination and wit to eke an existence in a land of rock, ice, snow and oceans. And in this environment the weak perished while the Vikings and explorers emerged. Early Norwegian explorers and fishermen plying the waters of the North Atlantic endured hellish conditions with very basic technologies. Worst of all, waterproof fabrics did not exist, and sailors often had to endure sub-zero gales while soaked to the skin. In 1877 a sea captain by the name of Helly Juell Hansen developed a revolutionary product. By applying linseed oil to linen cloth Captain Hansen was able to make a fabric impervious to water. Hansen began producing oilskin jackets, and for the first time sailors were warm and comfortable during stormy conditions. Oilskins were just the first of many major technological discoveries that Hansen would make over the following decades. Researchers with the Helly Hansen Company discovered the miraculous virtues of woven polypropylene. Polypropylene fabrics are unique in their ability to wick moisture away from the skin leaving a feeling of complete dryness while perspiring. Hansen was quick to patent this miracle product and it is used in their Lifa® line of inner wear - now categorized into HH Cool, HH Dry and HH Warm.
Almost as spectacular as the discovery of polypropylene was Helly Hansen’s invention of pile fleece. This product, now ubiquitous as the most common fabric in the outdoor industry, has its origins in the labs of Helly Hansen. Helly Hansen doesn’t just cater to outdoor enthusiasts. They continue to produce work apparel that keeps men and women safe and warm in some of the world’s most dangerous work environments. Fishermen, offshore oil rig workers, surveyors, the coast guard and countless other industries rely on Helly Hansen when safety and comfort are paramount. In recent decades there has been an explosion of apparel companies catering to the expanding outdoor industry. For many companies marketing and branding have been the primary focus to differentiate from the competition. The philosophy of Helly Hansen, however, is that quality and innovation is what truly satisfies customers. And with over 130 years of history testifying to this ethic, obviously they’re doing it right.
Read more in the Helly Hansen press release Check out the Helly Hansen website
|
