Join us as we take a look back at Fristads proud history - the events that shaped and made us, and which changed the lives of workers forever.

Our founder, John Magnuson, embraced the entrepreneurial spirit when he started his manufacturing in a disused factory in the village of Fristad back in 1925. At a time when work wear was unavailable in Sweden, but industrialisation was booming, he saw a niche market – quality workwear for the people who were building a new Sweden. When his attempts to import garments from America foundered, Magnuson struck upon the idea of manufacturing the workwear himself. In order to produce durable clothing he needed a strong fabric to rival denim, so popular with American workwear but not made in Sweden. Magnuson took the initiative once more, he got a manufacturer in Malmö to produce fabric in long-fibre cotton.

During 1927/28 times were hard for Magnuson who was unable to draw a salary for himself, and he knew he had to fight for survival. When he heard that dockworkers in Stockholm were demanding decent workwear, he saw his chance and once a supplier was found in the city, he began to successfully sell his clothing. By 1929, Magnuson’s company was the first in Sweden to make jeans and he created an entire range including dungarees, trousers, overalls, blouses and coats produced in 34 sizes and worn by dockers, bricklayers, carpenters, painters, and other craftsmen and professionals.  

By designing in-house and employing skilled seamstresses from local farms, thousands of garments were swiftly made and sold across Sweden. In time, demand outstripped supply and saw the acquisition of another factory, subsidiaries in other towns and the purchase of Fristads very own weaving mill. As technological advancements were made in industry, so too were they within Fristads’ innovative designs. As the decades rolled, Fristads' collection moved with the times and by the late 20th century was Sweden’s largest work wear manufacturer, widely regarded as the elite European brand.

The Next-Generation

Fristads’ name was made and built upon a reputation of providing protective, durable and stylish work clothing; realised by keeping an eye on market trends, and setting ourselves apart. Today, Fristads is an established European brand boasting – on colour level – more than 1,000 models made to Magnuson’s original high standards. Embracing the spirit of John Magnuson, our team of designers continue to create the next-generation of cool, smart and professional clothing that people want to wear during work or play.