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Craft meets Nordic cool When Jöns Petter Magnusson took over an old wool spinning mill in the village of Klippan in 1879, the operations that were to become Klippan Yllefabrik produced hand-weaving yarns and yarns for upholstery fabrics. Fast-forward to today, and the family business creates handicraft products with a modern expression, sold in more than 30 countries globally. By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Klippan Yllefabrik
This has been the company’s primary challenge, believes fifth-generation owner Pernilla Magnusson Roos: to broaden and modernise the brand while keeping one foot firmly in its craft tradition. “The demand for yarn dropped significantly during the ‘80s, so my father started looking for something new to add to our repertoire,” she says. “He came up with this idea of throws and blankets, which really complemented what we did.” Branching out in terms of output also meant diversifying the production process. Simply a spinning mill with around 100 staff in the 1970s, the company now runs a factory with 150 employees in Riga, its headquarters with marketing, distribution and admin functions still lo74 | Issue 82 | November 2015
cated in Klippan. “I guess this is what’s exciting about running the family business and having the privilege of managing its legacy, that you have to constantly be one step ahead and think about the next move,” says Magnusson Roos. “The textiles industry is pretty tough – the margins are small, yet you have to remain flexible.” The solution for Klippan Yllefabrik has been to stay in control of all aspects of the production, but collaborate with established as well as up-and-coming designers on the development of new collections. “Being in control means that we can experiment and try new things we might not have been able to try otherwise,” says the owner. “It’s also nice to
see that people really care about where products come from these days – and we can honestly say that we know what happens every step of the way.” Among the designers who help keep Klippan Yllefabrik fresh and give its products that distinct look of modern handicraft are pattern designer couple Bengt & Lotta, Birgitta Bengtsson Björk and famous ceramist Lisa Larsson. An immensely popular contribution to the brand’s collection recently came from Japanese Akira Minagawa, whose poetic designs are noticeably influenced by the Nordic design heritage. “We’re constantly working with new combinations and materials,” says Magnusson Roos, “but the aim is always the same: to preserve the old handicraft tradition while giving it a modern expression.” For more information, please visit: klippanyllefabrik.se