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History

At the end of the 1970s, new statistics showed that 80 percent of the Swedish population at some time suffered from back pain, a discomfort that was reaching younger and younger age groups.

Experts believed that if the load from school books was re-distributed from one shoulder to both shoulders, back pain would lessen and perhaps even disappear.

A long lasting idea

Fjällräven's founder Åke Nordin followed the debate on crooked backs and sketched a functional, affordable backpack that met the needs of children to carry books and folders to and from school.

Positive results

Since the backpack freed up the use of the wearer's hands, the section of the older population that used a cane was also an important target group. A massive campaign with experts leading the way launched the backpack with the hopes of encouraging Sweden's youth to follow the backpack trend.

Schools helped to try to make the bag popular in some areas of Sweden and dthe results were very positive. When the weight was shifted from one shoulder to both, the back problems seemed to decreese. It was also believed that the bag made the body position more straight and correct.

A success

Åke Nordin had estimated that he would sell 200 Kånken backpacks during the first year, but in reality sold twice as many. The following year he sold 30,000, and there was no denying that Kånken was a success. Today, approximately 200,000 Kånken backpacks are sold each year.

30-year anniversery

Thirty years have passed by since the launch. The idea of carrying a backpack is as popular as ever, and so is Kånken. Today more than 100 000 Kånken is produced and sold every year all over the world. But we would rather bring attention to the 3 million backs it has helped. The product itself has not changed that much. We have only completed the collection with some new colours and a few new models. The latest one is Kånken Laptop.

Another of the favourites is Minikånken.It is only about a feet high and made for the smalles children in the family. A good habit can not start too early.