Our History and Traditions

HISTORY

OUR STORY

At SOFTLINE, we have created and produced innovative design furniture for a global market since 1979. Back in the days, SOFTLINE was founded as a division of K. Balling-Engelsen A/S, a Danish producer of technical polyurethane foam. For decades, the high-quality, flexible foam has been the material of choice for furniture production due to its unique properties. SOFTLINE was established to use this versatile foam and develop innovative and functional furniture for the modern lifestyle.

Since 2003, SOFTLINE A/S has been an independent, privately-owned enterprise with a factory in Denmark, where the upholstery craft is performed by hand based on Scandinavian traditions – in eco-friendly materials.

Our design

In 1980, SOFTLINE started working with the award-winning Danish designer Kurt Brandt. The first design he created was the PAX sofa that became a great success. It was a functional and innovative sofa that could be transformed into a double bed easily – a ground-breaking combination of design and functionality that is now our trademark. With a curious and creative mind, Kurt Brandt had a unique ability to see new ways of using foam and he explored the possibilities and potential of the material extensively. He created many unique furniture pieces in the 80s and 90s – attractive, sculptural and timeless designs that placed SOFTLINE on the map of modern design.

Our talents

Following the death of Kurt Brandt in 1997, SOFTLINE started working with a number of new designers. One of them was the young designer Flemming Busk, who was to become one half of busk+hertzog. The design duo has created a number of unique designs for SOFTLINE and has set the tone for the future along with designers like Karim Rashid, Hiromichi Konno, Thomas Müller, Nanna Ditzel and Stine Engelbrechtsen. Every year the newest designs are showcased at the leading international furniture fairs in Milan, Paris and Cologne.

Our markets

SOFTLINE is proud and honored to be sought after by costumers, leading designers and architects all over the world, and today SOFTLINE furniture is available in 61 countries worldwide, through high-end design partners, and dealers specialized in the creative development of public spaces and the domestic interior.

Our future

SOFTLINE A/S has developed as an international brand and a leading provider of innovative, functional and high-quality design furniture worldwide. Our strong concept of unique, modern and functional design furniture is evolving every day. We continuously launch new, creative design products, and the desire for innovation, which was our starting point at the foundation in 1979, is still our driving force. We look forward to continuing the positive development and expansion that we have experienced for the past many years – with SOFTLINE and with our partners.

MADE IN DENMARK

All upholstered SOFTLINE furniture is made at our factory in Denmark. Here, the upholstery is hand crafted based on the Scandinavian design traditions.

HANDMADE

Upholstery is a craft that SOFTLINE proudly master – and has done so since 1979. The craft is a big part of our heritage, and we still upholster everything manually at our factory in Denmark in line with the Scandinavian craft and design traditions.