Timeless beauty, comfort, craftsmanship, and sustainability are so deeply ingrained in all our furniture works that only sight and touch are required to understand and fall in love with them.
Knud Erik Hansen, CEO and owner
crafting modern design for over a century
Carl Hansen's Heritage
Founded in Denmark in 1908, for over 100 years, Carl Hansen have specialised in providing outstanding furniture craftsmanship that brings visionary design concepts to life. And, although much has changed at Carl Hansen over the years, the fundamentals are the same. Their long-standing goal remains to gather the best modern furniture designs under one roof and to share these icons with the world.
Like Innes, Carl Hansen are a third generation, family owned business and we have enjoyed our very close working relationship over the years. Our founder Donald Innes was creating some of his stunning imagery at the same time Carl Hansen & their team of designers were creating classics such as the Wishbone chair. We often display them together in the gallery as a nod to their creative work back in the 1950s.
When you choose a product from Carl Hansen, you get more than just a piece of furniture, you will become part of a long and proud tradition of beautiful and distinctive craftsmanship, where nothing is left to chance. They are the world’s largest manufacturer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner, and also manufacture furniture created by renowned furniture designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Borge Mogensen, Ole Wanscher, Kaare Klint, Poul Kjaerholm, Bodil Kjaer, and Tadao Ando. Carl Hansen represents more than 100 years of Danish design history.
Complex designs made to look simple
Design Genius
A visual explanation of the various stages in building a Carl Hansen chair, illustrating the change in shape of the component parts as they go through the various stages of production; how the finishing of the pieces, such as oiling the wood, effects the overall look of the piece; also how many individual elements are used to make each piece of furniture.
Passionate Craftsmanship
Through the years, Carl Hansen has maintained a strong focus on preserving Danish design classics while continuing to expand our collection to represent influential new designers. Their goal is to gather the best, most iconic modern furniture designs under one roof.
They produce important works by the renowned mid-century Danish masters Hans J. Wegner, Ole Wanscher, Frits Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Kaare Klint and Poul Kjærholm, working closely with their families and studios to ensure absolute adherence to their visions.
They also partner with contemporary designers who uphold the core Danish Modern principles of simplicity, functionality and craftsmanship while breathing new life into modern spaces. These collaborations are rooted in a shared respect for thoughtful design and production, and in perspectives that bring new dimensions to their portfolio. Partnerships with the design duo Strand + Hvass, the designer Thomas Bo Kastholm, multidisciplinary artist Naja Utzon Popov and designer Anker Bak – modern Danish visionaries who have embraced the legacy of the great designers before them to create tomorrow’s classics – embody these values.
Carl Hansen's recent international partnerships with Japanese architect Tadao Ando and the Austrian design trio EOOS have expanded their collection with works that reshape their categories and highlight their designers’ creative edge, ability to push the latest technologies to new limits and focus on marrying innovation with sustainability.
Crafting Modern Design for over a Century
Carl Hansen believe that iconic design is a combination of simplicity, aesthetics and functionality brought to life through skilful work with the highest quality materials.
For over 100 years, they have specialised in providing the outstanding furniture craftsmanship that brings visionary design concepts to life.
Their story began in 1908 when Danish cabinetmaker Carl Hansen opened a small furniture workshop on the Danish island of Funen. Since then, the company’s success has depended on two core ideas: an uncompromising commitment to the finest craftsmanship, and alliances with exceptional designers who continually reinvent and refine the concept of modern design.
Carl Hansen’s evolution has been deeply influenced by their long-term relationship with one of the greatest designers of all time: Hans J. Wegner.
The creative partnership began in 1949, when Carl Hansen’s son Holger Hansen took a chance on the then-unknown designer, and Wegner developed a successful furniture series that included the now-iconic Wishbone Chair.
This collaboration and the many that followed demonstrated what can be achieved when unprecedented design and uncompromising production come together.
In the 1950s, Wegner emerged as a driving force in the international success of the Danish Modern design movement. He has since become Carl Hansen’s best-known and bestselling designer, his works becoming widely recognised as modern classics and treasured collector’s items around the world – and his legacy remaining an essential part of the company’s DNA.
Today, Carl Hansen continues to work closely with the Hans J. Wegner Studio and is the world’s largest producer of Wegner’s furniture, manufactured in Denmark.
Commitment to Sustainability
Carl Hansen work continuously to ensure healthy & safe work conditions for their dedicated craftspeople In their manufacturing facilities. When it comes to production, they use responsibly-sourced materials and processes that protect their customers, team and the environment.
Additionally, wood is purchased from responsibly managed forests and sawmills, with which they have long-established relationships.
In fact, nearly every bit of wood that they source is used, repurposing the little scraps that remain as fuel in a district heating plant that provides warmth to more than 400 local homes in Gelsted, Denmark.
They believe that one of the best strategies for sustainable living is to make and buy things that last, which is why they use the best materials and craftsmanship in everything they produce. Their products are crafted to last a lifetime and our hope is that they will be passed down and enjoyed for generations. To encourage this, they provide highly-skilled, in-house repair and refurbishment services. This way, after decades of daily use, even the most well-worn, well-loved piece of furniture can be restored and made ready for many more years of practical enjoyment.
Carl Hansen is certified to produce FSC-certified furniture (FSC-C135991).
Traditional Values in Today's Context
In an ever changing world, their century-long commitment to producing world-class design has remained constant. They manufacture at their modern production facilities in Denmark to ensure the highest quality standards, using a combination of traditional techniques and new technologies to create timeless, modern design that endures for generations. From the start of production to the moment their furniture takes pride of place in a new interior, they are guided by dedication to honest, sustainable practices that uphold the legacies of their founder and designers.
Today, Carl Hansen chairs, tables and sofas complete many of the most exciting, beautiful and innovative modern spaces. They also set the tone at some of the world’s best restaurants. They serve in meeting spaces where world leaders make history. They enhance millions of people’s travel experiences in hotels and airports. They bring a new dimension to healthcare and wellbeing facilities, elevating the human experience. They regularly appear on the pages of top architecture and design publications showcasing the work of the best architects and interior designers working today.
And they tell the story of Danish Modern in the permanent collections of such seminal museums as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
extraordinary design
Carl Hansen Designers
Design is core element of Carl Hansen's culture and have always invested deeply in their relationship with their designers.
Carl Hansen CH24 Wishbone Dining Chair Natural Paper Cord
