Stenströms celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, a testament to ‘sustainable craftmanship’ based on the best fabrics and trims to make classic and contemporary clothing that not only offers the perfect fit and feel, but also lasts for years.
“Ours are not fast fashion products,” says Managing Director Fredrik Strandberg. “The slogan ‘sustainable craftmanship’ truly describes our philosophy. From the very beginning, the idea has been to create long-lasting garments from both the quality and design perspectives. We are conservative without being old-fashioned.”
Today’s modern company is very different from the business that August Stenström founded in 1899 in Helsingborg in southern Sweden. Starting his retail business through personal shirt manufacturing, he was soon to realize the great potential that industrial production held. This era marked the birth of Stenströms shirt factory. Since then, the popularity of Stenströms shirts had increased steadily. In 1962 the company became a supplier to the Swedish Royal Court, which has remained Stenströms valued customer ever since.
Expanded product range
Strandberg explains that while for a long time the company’s reputation remained limited to the Nordics, with the arrival of new concentrated ownership in 2009 came the expansion into international markets and development of new product groups such as knitwear and jersey. He himself joined the company shortly after, first as Supply Chain Manager, before being appointed to his current role 6 years ago, with the task of steering the company into the digital era.
Strandberg notes that while the focus on exports has pushed business growth, Stenströms continue to see themselves as product specialists. “We are still passionate about making the best shirts in world,” he says, adding that although the ‘perfect shirt’ is still the core product, the company now offers a much wider product range for both men and women.
Being a premium shirt maker, Stenströms operates in a niche market and its differentiators seem quite clear. “The very product range is our competitive advantage. As a shirt specialist, we offer shirts for any occasion – tuxedo shirts, denim shirts, white shirts, oxford shirts, linen shirts, you name it. We also offer consistency – the size and fit are always the same. The customer can be certain that the shirt will always fit and will be the same even after hundreds of washes.”
Bonds that stretch times and countries
Stenströms controls the entire manufacturing process, from idea sketch to finished garment, from its headquarters in Sweden and via its factory in Estonia. Although Stenströms is an international company with a presence in more than 30 countries, its supply chain as well as its production capability remain 100% European.
Strandberg highlights the importance of personal, long-lasting relationships that have been fundamental to sustaining Stenströms’ product reputation. “We are a personal company. We don’t change suppliers or retailers, we work with the same partners over many, many years. Trust and loyalty are values that are important to Stenströms. Some of our suppliers, such as Italian fabrics and button makers, are as old as we are.”
“Although the shirt industry may seem global, ours is a small world, with perhaps just five brands globally competing on our level. As such, there are also only a handful of fabric producers that can offer the quality we require. We all know each other, having established family-like relationships that stretch over many years.”
Just as in the cooperation with its suppliers, the relationship with Stenströms’ retailers is also characterised by proximity and the long term. Stenströms retailers are often privately owned clothing stores with a genuine interest in and knowledge of quality clothing, and as such are important ambassadors and representatives for the Stenströms brand. “We have some 1,600 retailers all over the world now and supporting them is an important part of our strategy.”
Sustainability as part of DNA
Making a product that can last decades is, in a way, a definition of sustainability in its own right. Still, Strandberg acknowledges that the company has recently increased its focus on sustainable operations, something which has been part of its DNA for years but never properly communicated.
“Since the beginning, our goal has been to make shirts of the highest quality that can be worn again and again. Today, 125 years later, our business idea is more vital and relevant than ever before. It has never been more important that we all use our shared resources wisely and consume consciously. For Stenströms, long-lasting garments are core and guide us from the design stage all the way until the garments reach our customers.”
In 2024, Stenströms published its first Sustainability Report, giving a clear picture of the company’s commitment to mitigating climate change. “We have carefully reviewed all our processes to see what can be further improved. We have installed solar panels and LED lights, we have made changes with regard to plastics. We have invested substantially in making our operations more environmentally-friendly not because of the current regulations but because we feel it is the right thing to do. It is our responsibility towards the planet,” affirms Strandberg.
The return of the shirt
Although shirts seem to have taken a back seat over the last decade or so, giving way to polo shirts and T-shirts that became acceptable even for more formal occasion, Strandberg reflects that times seem to be changing.
“The fact is, everybody looks better in a shirt. And just recently, we can see that our heritage and our sustainable way of operations seem to attract the younger customer, and that despite the challenge of the entry price, which is not so friendly for someone who has just moved from the parental home. Still, they love Stenströms for its values and its heritage,” he reflects.
Given this positive develop-ment, the company has clear plans for the future, he says. “We always strive to improve efficiency, so as to be able to sustain production in Europe, so investment in new technologies is always on the agenda. We are also expanding our geographical reach, focusing on France and Italy right now, with a view to being represented in all European countries. Further afield, we are looking at contracts in Japan and Korea, following our success in the US and Canada.”
In concluding, he affirms that going forward, Stenströms will grow continuing its legacy, presenting exciting design ideas with the same focus on quality in every detail that has been maintained since the beginnings of the brand.
For more information please visit: www.stenstroms.com
