Hanro International GmbH, with

headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

in Götzis in

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, produces lingerie,

nightwear Nightwear – also called sleepwear, or nightclothes – is clothing designed to be worn while sleeping. The style of nightwear worn may vary with the seasons, with warmer styles being worn in colder conditions and vice versa. Some styles ...

, and

loungewear Casual wear (or casual attire or clothing) is a Western dress code that is relaxed, occasional, spontaneous and suited for everyday use. Casual wear became popular in the Western world following the counterculture of the 1960s. When emphasis ...

Se
explanation
on

Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster, Inc. is an American company that publishes reference books and is especially known for its dictionaries. It is the oldest dictionary publisher in the United States. In 1831, George and Charles Merriam founded the company as ...

, retrieved on 15 March 2021. for men and women. The company’s products can be found in almost 50 countries and are sold at specialty

retail Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and t ...

ers,

department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...

s, and its own 14

boutique A boutique () is a small shop that deals in fashionable clothing or accessories. The word is French for "shop", which derives ultimately from the Ancient Greek ἀποθήκη (''apothēkē'') "storehouse". The term ''boutique'' and also ''d ...

s and outlet stores. The company was founded in 1884 in

Liestal Liestal (, Standard ), formerly spelled Liesthal, is the capital of Liestal District and the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland, south of Basel. Liestal is an industrial town with a cobbled-street Old Town. The official language of Li ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, by Albert Handschin. The Huber Group acquired the company in 1991.

History

1884 to 1945

In 1884, Albert Handschin founded a hand-

knitting Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile, or fabric. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. Knitting creates stitches: loops of yarn in a row, either flat or i ...

company in

.Felix Erbacher: ''Die Liestaler Modemacher. Wie die Unternehmer Albert Handschin und Carl Ronus die Weltmarke Hanro schufen''. In: Basler Zeitung, 27 Januar 2014 (in German). Carl Ronus joined the company in 1895. The two entrepreneurs established a

general partnership A general partnership, the basic form of partnership under common law, is in most countries an association of persons or an unincorporated company with the following major features: *Must be created by agreement, proof of existence and estoppel ...

under the legal name ''Handschin & Ronus''. The company had 60 employees at that time. In 1898, the company acquired the Benzbur property in Liestal. The production buildings there were ready for use a year later. In 1911, growing demand allowed the opening of a second production facility in

Büren, Solothurn Büren (Swiss German: ''Büüre'') is a municipality in the district of Dorneck in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. History Büren is first mentioned in 1194 as ''Buoron''. In 1317 it was mentioned as ''Bürron''. Geography Büren has ...

. The

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...

Hanro – a portmanteau of the surnames of the founders – was registered as a

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from others ...

in 1913.Renate Platen: ''Das Potenzial des Schweizer Erbes. Die Wäschemarke Hanro geht im Jubiläumsjahr auf Weltreise''. In: ''Textilwirtschaft'', 7 May 2009 (in German). Before

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the company produced and exported lingerie for women. The most important sales markets in the prewar years were in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, and the United States. During World War I, the company adjusted its product assortment and began to produce military underwear. At the end of 1919, the owners converted the general partnership into a family-owned public limited company: ''Hanro AG''.Peters, Kyburz, Liesenklas: ''Hanro – The Story of Passion'', p. 152. A

subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a s ...

was established in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

in 1926. As a result, 17 employees settled in

Bendigo Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...

and began production with the machines that they had brought with them from Switzerland. From the mid-1930s, the company expanded into beach and swimwear. Technological innovations (circular

knitting machine A knitting machine is a device used to create knitted fabrics in a semi or fully automated fashion. There are numerous types of knitting machines, ranging from simple spool or board templates with no moving parts to highly complex mechanisms co ...

s) also allowed the company to move into outerwear. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

production and sales were difficult because materials were scarce, textiles were

rationed Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial restriction of demand. Rationing controls the size of the ration, which is one's allowed portion of the resources being distributed on a particular ...

, and fabrics were substituted.Peters, Kyburz, Liesenklas: ''Hanro – The Story of Passion'', p. 153.

1945 to 1991

Once the war was over, production was picked up again. This resulted in the recruitment of young women from

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

in 1947. In the years that followed, the employment of these Italian women was considered a positive example in the history of Swiss labor migration. From 1946 to 1958 production volume grew and the number of employees doubled to a total of 689. In the 1950s, Hanro sold its products in 45 countries. Hanro took over the textile company ''HIS & Co. KG'' in

Murgenthal Murgenthal is a municipality in the district of Zofingen in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. History Murgenthal is first mentioned in 1255 as ''Murgatun''. The ''Herrschaft'' rights to the village belonged to the Counts of Frohburg until ...

in 1963, resulting in the company ''Hanro Hisco AG''.Peters, Kyburz, Liesenklas: ''Hanro – The Story of Passion'', p. 154. Hanro sold its Australian subsidiary in the mid 1960s. In 1970, ''Hanro Nova SA'' in Novazzano was founded as a subsidiary, right on the Italian border. In 1972, the number of employees stood at 1,000. A minority share in Hanro AG was acquired in 1973 by ''Traversina S. A.'', an

investment company An investment company is a financial institution principally engaged in holding, managing and investing securities. These companies in the United States are regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and must be registered under the ...

affiliated with Dubied & Cie. S. A.; however, more than four-fifths of the capital stock remained with the heirs of the founding families of Handschin and Ronus. ''Hanro Hisco AG'' was closed three years later. The 1970s proved to be a challenging decade for the company as a whole – like many production companies in Switzerland, Hanro suffered under the strong franc and relatively high wages, as well as from the duties that made export business more difficult. In 1980, Hanro established a subsidiary near

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

. In the 1980s, the company increasingly focused on the manufacture of daywear and sleepwear.Peters, Kyburz, Liesenklas: ''Hanro – The Story of Passion'', p. 155.

Since 1991

In 1991, ''Huber Tricot'' acquired a 75% share in the company, which until then had been managed as a family-run enterprise for three generations. At this time, the company had around 500 employees in Liestal, Novazzano, and Dublin. Two years later, the remaining 25% was taken over. From 1997 to 1999, production in Liestal was gradually discontinued in favor of the parent company. The Dublin production facility was sold in 1998. Production in Novazzano ended in 2002. Since 2004, the Hanro headquarters has been in Götzis (

Vorarlberg Vorarlberg ( , ; gsw, label=Vorarlbergisch, Vorarlbearg, , or ) is the westernmost States of Austria, state () of Austria. It has the second-smallest geographical area after Vienna and, although it also has the second-smallest population, it is ...

), Austria, where the Huber Group is based. In the years since 2010, Hanro has once again been able to achieve the same export ratio the company once did when it was first founded. While over 50% of all products made were sold outside of Switzerland in 1973, revenue from goods sold outside Austria was around 95% in 2012. The

Canton of Baselland Basel-Landschaft or Basel-Country informally known as Baselland or Baselbiet (; german: Kanton Basel-Landschaft ; rm, Chantun Basilea-Champagna; french: Canton de Bâle-Campagne; it, Canton Basilea Campagna), is one of the 26 cantons forming ...

received the textile company’s collection in 2015. The collection comprises the company’s historical

textile Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

s and the operations archive. With this acquisition, the Hanro Collection became part of the cantonal collections of the ''Archäologie und Museum Baselland''. ''Der Kanton erhält wertvolle Unterhosen und vieles mehr''. In: ''Die Nordwestschweiz'', 17 January 2015 (in German). A selection of the textiles and historical documents is available for online research on the ''Kulturgüterportal Baselland''.

Present day company and brand

Integration and Hanro locations

Hanro International GmbH is part of the Huber Group and has five subsidiaries in Switzerland,

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, France, Italy, and the United States. Hanro Stores can be found in 12 cities around the world. There are also two outlets in Switzerland.

Product segments, production, and markets

Hanro is a producer of lingerie, sleepwear, and loungewear. The products are considered high-quality.Renate Platen/Alexandra von Richthofen: ''Mehr Mode und mehr Til. Der Wäschekonzern Huber stellt sich mit seinen Marken Huber, Hanro und Skiny internationaler auf''. In: ''Textilwirtschaft'', 12 April 2007 (in German). 80% of the textiles are manufactured in the ''Arula'' production plant ( Mäder,

), which belongs to Huber Holding; sewing takes place in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, and the warehouse is in

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...

. Products are sold in almost 50 countries.''Hanro ist Designer of the Year 2016''. In: ''Textilwirtschaft'' (online), 23 Dezember 2015 (in German).

Brand profile and affiliated brands

Understated, simple, and high-quality as well as "a timeless and classic design approach" are characteristic of Hanro’s brand profile. In terms of their design, materials, finishing, and price point, Hanro’s products are and have virtually always been oriented towards the luxury, high-end market. The affiliated brands in the Huber Group are Skiny, Huber, and HOM.

Films and awards

Films

Lingerie by Hanro has played a role in certain movie scenes. In the film

The Seven Year Itch ''The Seven Year Itch'' is a 1955 American romantic comedy film directed by Billy Wilder, from a screenplay he co-wrote with George Axelrod from the 1952 three-act play. The film stars Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, who reprised his stage role. ...

(1955)

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

wore Hanro lingerie in the iconic scene where she stands over the subway grate. Nicole Kidman was shown in a white Hanro camisole top in

Eyes Wide Shut ''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's sett ...

(1999). Dakota Johnson wore a pair of the brand’s white cotton briefs in Fifty Shades of Grey (2015).

Awards

At the

Exposition Universelle (1889) The Exposition Universelle of 1889 () was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 5 May to 31 October 1889. It was the fourth of eight expositions held in the city between 1855 and 1937. It attracted more than thirty-two million visitors. The ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, five years after the founding of the company, Handschin was awarded a silver medal by the French Ministère du Commerce de l’Industrie et des Colonies. In 1994 in London, Hanro won a packaging competition for the products in the Streck Feeling line.{{cite web, title=Trophäe, geflügelte Figur auf Sockel, International Advertising Awards Packing Design Winner 1994 (Hanro), periodical=Kimweb.ch, publisher=, url=https://www.kimweb.ch/sammlungen#628d3922-9a01-426b-85b4-8c8f681cf418, url-status=, format=, access-date=, archive-url=, archive-date=, last=, date=, year=, language=DE, pages=, quote= Hanro was named ''Designer of the Year'' in 2016 at the ''Salon International de Lingerie'' specialist trade fair.

Annex

Literature

* Ulrike Langbein: ''Allerweltszeug. Kulturanthropologische Perspektiven auf Kleidung, modellierte Menschen und die Sammlung der Hanro AG (1884-2012)''. In: Schweizerisches Archiv für Volkskunde, Volume 112 (2016), Booklet 1, p. 6–23
digital version
. * Lothar Peters, Ursula Kyburz, Birgit Liesenklas: ''Hanro – The Story of Passion''. Hanro AG, Rorschacherberg 2001. * ''Hanro. 1884–1959''. Hanro AG, Liestal 1959.

Notes

* ''Hanro Firmengeschichte 1884–1970''; undated, no publication location (Typescript. Memories of the Hanro company

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

Eric Handschin (1913-1983), second patron generation). Hanro Collection Liestal, Aktenarchiv Signatur 39-6
digital version
in the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

References

External links

Official website
Clothing companies of Austria Textile companies of Switzerland Lingerie brands Underwear brands Liestal Clothing companies established in 1884 Swiss companies established in 1884 Economy of Vorarlberg