In the mid-1950s the Harkila Kennel was founded by Lennart Davidson on the Harkila farm in Vastra Gotaland, Southern Sweden. The farm had been in the family’s possession since the 17th century where generation after generation hunted and accumulated knowledge of how to hunt in the Scandinavian forests and wilderness.
Building on the family’s deep-rooted knowledge of hunting, Kjell Lennartsson, the son of Lennart Davidson, founded Harkila as a hunting clothing and equipment brand. The vision eas to make clothes that are both silent to wear when hunting but at the same time can withstand the harsh Scandinavian climate. That goal helped them achieve the status of producing the first hunting clothing in Scandinavia that was equipped with a wind and waterproof Gore-Tex membrane all by 1985.
Today’s popular Pro Hunter clothing series dates back as far as 1988 when it was known as the Lappmark. By 1992 Norway was introduced as the brand’s first export market followed by Denmark in 1995. Harkila went on to reach the German market in 2002 and Great Britain in 2005. The brand is now present in over 50 countries.
In their first years Harkila sold other brands’ footwear on commission but in 2008 they created their own line after having been licensed to produce boots with built-in waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. In 2017 Harkila introduced their very own membrane, the HWS, which stands for Harkila Weather System. This system is waterproof, windproof, lightweight, breathable, low-noise and with built-in stretch as it was designed specifically for hunting. That year they also introduced waterproof tweed with their Stornoway range. The range combines modern functionality with classic looks through the use of new soft waterproof fabric with a printed tweed pattern.
In 2018 following the success of the HWS the company developed its own windproof membrane, the HSP or the Harkila Storm Pro.
Today, their portfolio exists of jackets, gilets and waistcoats, breeks, trousers, jumpers, footwear and more.
