Our history
Our history
We’re a family-owned company that puts families first. We sold our very first baby bouncer in 1961. Ever since, we’ve been listening and learning from parents and experts because we want to make parenthood essentials that encourage closeness and can be used and loved every day. Because everything we do, we do for future generations.
Join us as we stroll down memory lane!
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1961 - a brand is born
In 1960, Björn Jakobson was in the US when he was struck by an idea that he just couldn’t get out of his mind. Back home in Sweden, his idea became reality when he started to produce a baby bouncer together with his sister-in-law Elsa Jakobson.
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1963 - bouncers and doctors
In the ’60s, babies were supposed to lie either on the floor or in their stroller. Björn contacted pediatricians and other specialists about his idea, and after they gave it great reviews, the concept of a bouncing chair was born.
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1965 - becoming parents
In 1962, Björn met Lillemor, a textile designer, at a dance, and they were married a couple of months later. The young couple quickly became a family of four. Their children Joakim and Siri were born only eleven months apart, which meant the family was living the concept two under two.
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1964—logo and marketing
Björn and Elsa, both of whom were parents of small children, understood how to reach young mothers and create an interest in their products. They created their first logo.
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1965—the inflatable changing mat
Björn changing diapers in a white shirt and tie(!). A dad changing diapers was a very unusual picture in 1962. But for Björn and Lillemor, the importance of the father’s role in a little baby’s life has always been a cornerstone of BabyBjörn’s product development and marketing.
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1968—the bib
When their daughter Lisa was ready to start feeding herself, Björn and Lillemor were so overwhelmed by her ferocious full-body method of attacking the food that they immediately saw the need for a sturdy, washable bib.
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1970—the toy container
This toy container was a best-selling product in the ’70s, especially in Germany. It could hold many different things, including children.
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1973—Close to heart
This was the year we launched our first baby carrier. Our inspiration came from the medical community, which was now heavily promoting closeness for little babies. The carrier was named Close to Heart, and Björn described his own experience of carrying his daughter Josefin close to his heart: “It was like walking on clouds.”
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Changing diapers in the ’70s
Baby changing equipment was part of the product range for decades. This bag turned into a changing mat and was very popular for a long time.
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’80s version of the bouncer
These young gentlemen were featured in a campaign about durability and long-lasting products made for generations.
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‘80s diaper bags
Our diaper bags were very popular and came in many shapes over the years. This is one of the more colorful ones, designed, of course, by Lillemor.
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Popular travel crib from the ’80s
Our wooden travel crib found its way into many families’ hearts and stayed there for a long time. It feels rather heavy when you compare it to today’s version.
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1985—color crush
The ’80s was an explosion of colors and patterns, which we definitely took advantage of. This was Lillemor’s holiday retail concept.
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Dads in ads in the ’80s
Lillemor was adamant that fathers should be part of the marketing material early on, which was shocking to many distributors and partners abroad.
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Denim design in the ’80s
This changing bag became very popular among parents. Our logistic center has been located in Småland, Sweden, since the company was founded. Many photo shoots took place nearby; this one is from the ’80s.
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1991—the classic baby carrier
Even though the baby carrier Close to Heart was really popular, Björn and Lillemor wanted to make a baby carrier that was easier to put on and take off. In 1991, we launched Baby Carrier Original, which featured a front-facing option and a chic navy design. Sales exploded, and the brand began to find new consumers in other parts of the world.
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1994—introducing a new color to the industry
When Harpers’ Bazaar made a black-and-white fashion feature of the navy Baby Carrier Original, people called and wanted to buy the “black” carrier. Even Lillemor, who had been a pioneer in the baby industry with her classic fashion prints, was hesitant to make a baby product in black. But since the response was overwhelmingly positive, she soon created a baby carrier in sleek black—and it has been an iconic product ever since.
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1997—classic designs…
Picking up on classic fashion prints such as tartan, gingham and pinstripe to match the style and outfits of parents had become Lillemor’s specialty. For some reason, this classic Harlequin pattern never became an evergreen design.
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2000—new inspiration
The family has gained ten grandchildren since the ’90s, and with them came new product ideas. Lillemor and Björn call their grandchildren “the dessert of life.”
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2005—potty time
Potties have been part of the range since the ’60s. They have come in different shapes and colors, and for a while during the ’70s we even had a see-through potty, made specifically for daycare centers. Needless to say, it was not a success.
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2013—introducing Baby Carrier One
Babywearing was becoming more and more popular, and parents wanted to carry their babies for longer periods. This resulted in Baby Carrier One and the beginning of a range of new carriers.
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2017—#dadstories
When the #dadstories collection was launched in 2017 and fathers shared their experiences, there were no shocked reactions or protest—only love and support.
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2019—second generation
In 2018, Björn and Lillemor handed over full ownership to the second generation, which has grown up with BabyBjörn as a fifth sibling.
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Press information
Want to dig deeper into our history and read about all the important events from our start in 1961 to today? Here’s the full version of our history.