Press release - 11 June 2014 09:37

Björn Borg Thunderwear with space material to protect steel workers

We’re creating underwear together with bleeding edge space designers and the Swedish Steel industry. Our goal? To provide steel workers with flame proof undies that can handle extreme heat and hard core environments like steel factories and space travel.

The Swedish Steel Producer association: Jernkontoret came to us with an intimate problem. Their steel workers use cotton underwear while at work - underneath their protective clothing the heat could ignite the fabric. No matter the temperature, Björn Borg thinks all people have a right to feel safe and comfortable down under.

Initiator of the project is Umbilical Design, representing Sweden in the European Space Agency (ESA) Technology Transfer Network, a company that... well, this is how they describe themselves: “Our core business is design for space and extreme environments and transfer of space technology to sustainable products and services that improve society and everyday life.”

That’s what we did. We got help from Umbilical Design to source a Space fabric used by European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and several other Space Agencies in Astronaut Suits. Today we’ve set up a brand new mini production of Thunderwear that can take up to 662 degrees F (350 degrees Celsius) of scorching heat. The ladies and gentlemen of the Swedish steel industry will salute us!

“When I heard about this problem I knew we could do some good. Now we’ve created Thunderwear and I can’t wait to launch it and see what other kind of intimate problem-solving Björn Borg can get into!” - Lina Söderqvist; Marketing Director, Björn Borg

We hope the initiative will make steel workers safer and comfortable while also deconstructing the image of working in extreme industrial settings as something strictly uncomfortable and rough.

www.bjornborg.com
www.jernkontoret.se
www.umbilicaldesign.se

Cecilia Hertz, Managing Director and Founder, Umbilical Design
cecilia.hertz@umbilicaldesign.se, +46 70 575 46 51

FOR FUTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
BJÖRN BORG AB
TULEGATAN 11, 113 53 STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
PHONE +46 722 00 33 13
E-MAIL PERNILLA.JOHANSSON@BJORNBORG.COM
WWW.BJORNBORG.COM

ABOUT BJÖRN BORG: The Group owns the Björn Borg trademark and its core business is underwear. It also offers sportswear and fragrances as well as footwear, luggage & bags and eyewear through licensees. Björn Borg products are sold in around thirty markets, of which Sweden and the Netherlands are the largest. The Björn Borg Group has operations at every level from branding to consumer sales in its own Björn Borg stores. In total, there are 38 Björn Borg stores, of which 17 are operated in the Group. Total sales of Björn Borg products in 2013 amounted to around SEK 1.5 billion at the consumer level. Group net sales amounted to SEK 499 million in 2013, with 159 employees. The Björn Borg share has been listed on NASDAQ OMX Nordic in Stockholm since 2007.

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Utanför Sverige

Umbilical Design AB was founded in 2001 by industrial designer Cecilia Hertz, and since its inception has worked with NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) on design for the space industry. Umbilical Design has also been successful in showing how design, technology and material from the space industry can be transferred to Swedish enterprise and society. Umbilical Design is one of thirteen European companies that the ESA has designated as Space Brokers. Umbilical Design’s assignment from the ESA is to oversee the transfer of technology from the space sector to Swedish industry with the overarching objective to stimulate business opportunities by exploiting the materials knowledge, methods and approaches of the space sector. www.umbilicaldesign.se

Contacts

Cecilia Hertz

Press contact Managing Director Managing Director and founder of Umbilical Design cecilia.hertz@umbilicaldesign.se +46 (0)70 575 46 51

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