Sjoklaedagerdin 66°Nordur - the parent company of the 66°NORTH brand - celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. More than 300 people work for the company, which has retail outlets and manufacturing facilities in several countries. The design and marketing of 66°NORTH has generated considerable publicity widely, and received awards both in Iceland and internationally.

Sjoklaedagerd Islands was established in the year 1926. Its founder, Hans Kristjansson from Sugandafjördur in the West Fjords of north-west Iceland, started producing protective garments for fishermen and fish-processing labourers in the harsh northern regions. The company was located at Skulagata 51 in Reykjavik between 1942 and 2000. In that year, the company moved to a new premises in Gardabær, a suburban town within Reykjavik, where it is still located today.

Protective garments for fishermen and fish-processing labourers

In the first decades, the company focused on making working garments for fishermen and people working in fish-processing onshore. On the 40th anniversary in 1966, Max Ltd. bought Sjoklædagerd Íslands, and the two company merged to form the newly named Sjoklædagerdin Ltd. A decade later, the owners split the company up again into the two previous entities, after which great competition ensued between the companies. In that competitive landscape, Sjoklædagerdin adopted a new brand, 66°Nordur (66°NORTH), reflecting the highly demanding northerly conditions where its products were used. The company has manufactured its products under that brand ever since. The companies merged again in 1988 when Sjoklædagerdin bought Max.

Totally new methods, materials and product range

A transformation change has taken place in terms of materials, production methods and the product range in the 80 year history of the company. In the beginning, the company used oily hessian canvas for its range of fishermen’s protective garments, where a part of the production process was to soak the canvas in oil. The 1940’s saw a small revolution with the introduction of fabrics coated with PVC plastic. The end of the 20th century has seen another transformation with the use of fleece fabrics and high-tech breathing fabrics such as Polartec® and E-vent® being introduced into the marketplace. 66°NORTH has continued as a market leader in the outdoor apparel industry because it has always been quick to adopt the latest innovations in the field of fabric technology. 

Fruitful research- and development, design and marketing

By implementing an intensive and progressive research-, development and design strategy, the company has taken up the newest production methods and advanced materials to increase the quality and variety of its products. The production of protective gear for fishermen and fish-processing labourers is no longer the mainstay of 66°NORTH's business. The main area of growth has been in the design and manufacture of all-purpose outdoor wear both for the Icelandic and international market. Making specialised garments for the volunteers of the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue, for the Icelandic police and fire fighting forces, for people working in the health care system, and other specialised groups, has also become an important source of business. The 66°NORTH brand has thus become prominent in Icelandic society. The company’s main marketing message has been based on the fact that 66°NORTH has kept Icelanders warm for the last 80 years, offering the clothes needed to survive in the often harsh northerly conditions of Iceland’s outdoor environment. The barren landscape and the difficult struggle to cope with the country’s natural forces is what has generated the know-how the company has obtained, and at the same time a factor that opens up possibilities in creating a convincing marketing message: To offer the clothes that carry with them the unique position of Iceland and Icelanders in international markets, namely top quality garments for highly varied conditions.

Iceland’s nature: A high-tech laboratory

The research and development, and the high-style design of 66°NORTH has generated considerable interest. The company believes that a close collaboration with the users of the garments is very important, and they are in fact seen as a part of the research and development team, where they use the garments in a very demanding high-tech laboratory, namely Iceland’s natural environment. Cooperation with a close-knit group of users, for instance golfers, mountain guides, the Icelandic National Ski Team, and more, has also rendered great results, and is one of the main keys to new solutions and development at 66°NORTH. 

About 66°NORTH

66°NORTH Ltd. is one of Iceland’s oldest manufacturing companies. It was established in the year 1926, it's been a longtime leading innovator in the creation of specialised clothing for use in the toughest conditions on land and sea. 66°NORTH Ltd also prides itself on being an expert in the production of supreme quality clothing for sports and leisure. Not only does 66°NORTH have happy customers, but an impressive list of awards for its designs and marketing campaigns.

Today, the company employs a team of over 300 people. It has 9 stores in Iceland under the names of 66°NORTH and Iceland Gift Store, as well as a store in Latvia and two stores in Lithuania. Furthermore the 66°NORTH apparel is sold in retail stores across Europe and North America.

For further information about 66°NORTH visit our international webiste, www.66north.com.