FROM THE 13TH CENTURY TO A NEW MILLENIUM
AN AGE-OLD TALE OF PASSION AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
The history of glove-making in Randers takes its beginning in the 13th century.
It is an exhilarating tale of kings, queens and Catholic monks that in one of history’s intricate twists unsuspectingly plays an essential role in making Randers the most important glove city in Europe.
Take a deep dive into our enthralling history and legacy below.
HERITAGE TIMELINE
HANSEN: FLOURISHING OF THE BRAND
With a mission to safeguard the craftsmanship and heritage of the company, Rina Hansen and her family took over the historical company as the 5th owner family in the company's history.
PURVEYOR TO THE ROYAL DANISH COURT
In 2000 - on the Queen's 60th birthday, Randers Glove Factory was appointed Purveyor to the Royal Danish Court, marking a high point in the long-standing relationship with the Royal Palace.
POLICE GLOVES & WINTER OLYMPICS
The task of gloving the Danish Police force saved the glove factory in the 1990s. And in 1992 Danish athletes wore a specially designed pair of gloves for the Winter Olympics.
THE GENERATION CHANGE
After 60 years in charge, Ejner Vejrum entrusted the company with his two sons, Erik and Arne. It was also in this decade that the FBI and MI5 discovered the extreme durability of a pair of special gloves.
DENMARK'S LAST GLOVE FACTORY
These were difficult times for glove manufacturing in Denmark due to the high degree of import. This made Randers Glove Factory the last of its sort in Denmark.
CLOTHING AND GLOVES
Fashion changed during the 1960s paving the way for clothes made from leather, and the prét-a-porter collection "RH" was actually more popular than the company's renowned gloves until the 80s.
PROGRESS & RENEWAL
Europe was again open for trade, and this enabled Vejrum to import a wide range of gloves. The decade also saw the rise of more automobiles and thus the iconic driving glove, developed in 1957.
WORLD WAR II
The occupation of Denmark made the import of hides and leathers impossible, causing the factory to test the use of other, more exotic raw materials, while the fear of sabotage was ever-present.
RECONSTRUCTION
The Vejrum family worked tirelessly to reinstate the factory and products into their former glory, and the import restrictions introduced in the 1930s helped gain market shares from foreign glove makers.
VEJRUM: STABILIZATION
A new era began when banker Ejnar Vejrum took over Randers Handskefabrik and stabilized the company after the tumultuous times of the 1910s and 1920s.
THOMSEN: GLOBAL EXPANSION
Modernization, globalization, trade and branding were the key efforts of Marinus Thomsen's takeover of the glove factory in 1893. He also introduced the image of the iconic "Randers girl".
MATTAT: FRENCH FINESSE
The Mattat family expanded Randers Glove Factory and exported gloves for Germany, France and Russia. The family also introduced the still vital tradition of doing local charity.