About Us
30 YEARS IN THE SLOPES
Passion for the mountains since 1990.
With 30 years in ski sports and fashion, 8848 Altitude has earned its position as a leading premium brand, well-known for unique style, superior quality and a high grade of fashion. The long story of solid craftmanship, a true passion for skiing and mountain sports combined with a commitment to create the perfect pieces of garments, is the secret of the successful journey. No shortcuts, no compromises. A mindset that follows a philosophy that every skier knows well: You have to earn your turns.
THE HERITAGE
May 11th, 1990 was the historic date when Sweden's first successful expedition to Mount Everest became a reality. Mikael Reuterswärd and Oskar Kihlborg were the two who reached the summit at 8848 meters altitude. Preparations were intense, using the most modern equipment available at the time. To develop clothing for the team, a young design team led by the keen skier and designer Magnus Berggren was hired. He and the team had made themselves known in the textile business through their unique mix of alpine experience and advanced textile skills.
The Expedition jacket. The very first 8848 Altitude jacket.
After the success of the expedition where the specially designed garments were used, Magnus decided to put them into production for selling to a wider audience. The name 8848 Altitude was registered, and the brand was born. The collection grew, and 8848 Altitude´s unique look and feel rapidly made it a must-have brand among trend-setting skiers in Scandinavia and the Alps.
Setting the trend in the early 1990´s.
DRIVEN BY DESIGN
Thirty years later, Magnus is still leading his company with the same strong vision: Always aim for the top. The collection contains a broad range of products to meet different needs, from weekend adventurers who enjoy skiing in style, to professional ski teachers with the highest requirements on quality, safety and performance. But no matter the level of practicing the sport, it is equally important that all of our garments not only deliver on promise, but brings an extraordinary user experience when it comes to function, fit and feel.
Designer Melanie Lindblom with founder and Head of Design Magnus Berggren at work.
The design work is based on the development of highly technical performance products, infused with new colours and innovative details every season. The colour chart is carefully coordinated, and great emphasis is put on the possibility to mix and match the garments in different ways. The unique style of merging function with fashion is the core of 8848 Altitude’s design DNA.
Every fabric and component is carefully selected from visual, functional and sustainability aspects.
Finding the most advanced materials and innovative new technology is crucial in the working process. How can we improve the performance, fine tune the fit, or create a game-changing new function? We work closely with world leading suppliers of fabrics, insulation materials and trims to always stay in the forefront of the latest research and development. The drive to constantly create more comfortable, more safe and more durable garments is a central part of the 8848 Altitude design process.
Materials are hard tested for long-lasting performance, durability and colour proofness.
INNOVATION FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE
Being a company that is all about enjoying the outdoors, a strong commitment to as small an environmental footprint as possible comes naturally. 8848 Altitude has worked thoroughly with sustainability issues over many years and has a long term action plan. Making sure that the entire chain – from idea to finished product – complies with international laws and regulations is a natural part of our work. We continuously strive to improve all our processes, choose materials with care and reduce consumption of water, energy and chemicals. In addition, we shift to recycled or recyclable materials in fabrics, insulations and packaging where more sustainable solutions are available. Besides environmental considerations, we also make ethical choices. We do not use real animal fur in our garments. And instead of using goose down, we use duck down, which we is a left-over product from the food industry. Every choice matters, and we constantly study and improve how to take even better decisions.
We take social responsibility very seriously, which means that we make sure that all of our products are made under proper conditions. Our suppliers have all signed a Code of Conduct and third party inspections of the production facilities are frequently made. We believe that the people who make our products should feel pride and participation in their daily work, just like us. Therefore, we frequently visit the factories and have an ongoing dialogue on how to improve our partnership and contribute to the well-being and motivation of all employees involved.
INSPIRING PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE MOUNTAIN
Our mission is to create well designed products for enjoying what the outdoors has to offer, and to inspire you to new experiences: From epic high alpine adventures to that refreshing hike in the park. Whether the mountain is white or green, whether it is Mount Everest, a challenging black piste or just a nice hill in your neighborhood, it is there to enjoy. For all of us. Young, old, noob or pro. It’s simply put, our reason for being:
Passion for the mountains.