The story of Yeti
Since 1983
It all started with the ambition to create the world’s best sleeping bag. Today and ever since this has been the ambition in everything Yeti do.
1983
It all started in a kitchen
Yeti began in a kitchen in East Germany in 1983. Climber Bernd Exner was going on a climb in Romania in the winter, but he couldn’t find a sleeping bag in East Germany warm enough for the trip. So his wife Sabine – a skilled mountaineer herself – decides to make it herself.
1980’ies
Contraband sleeping bags
As their sleeping bags become more and more popular among friends and fellow climbers Sabine and Bernd Exner apply for commercial license in the communist country, but are rejected. Still they continue to make sleeping bags, jackets, vests and gloves. One of their first customers, Uwe Wirthwein, still has his sleeping bag and jacket from 1988, and uses it on “very cold days”.
1990
The official launch of Yeti
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 “Yeti Down Sporting Goods” was officially launched, and it quickly became popular among expedition teams from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
1996
The first down jacket
Yeti’s first down jacket is developed and launched.
2000
Yeti bought by Breiding Son
In the year 2000 the Exner family sold the majority of Yeti Down Sporting Goods to Carl Breiding Sohn – a leading European manufacturer of bedding and other down related products.
2001
Yeti moves to Görlitz
Yeti moves the international headquarter from the village of Borgsdorf north of Berlin to Görlitz in Saxony, Germany.
2005
Yeti bought by Nordisk
In the summer of 2005 Yeti is taken over by Nordisk, a leading Danish outdoor brand within high quality outdoor gear. Nordisk takes Yeti back to its roots: down equipment for trekking under extreme conditions.
2006
New materials from Japan
Yeti begins to work closely with Japanese textile expert Toray Industries on ultra thin and lightweight yet down proof material.
2007
Crystal Down standard
The standard for Crystal down is defined, and as one of the first producers Yeti commits to follow this code of practice for decent production with focus on high quality and animal welfare.
2008
The Yuko Yamazaki Fashion Collection
Together with the Japanese designer Yuko Yamazaki Yeti creates the contemporary Yuko Yamazaki collection and with this collection Yeti enters the fashion world.
2009
Next to Nothing is launched
The ground breaking material “Next to Nothing” is launched, setting new standards for weight in down clothing and sleeping bags.
The world’s lightest sleeping bag
In spring 2009 Passion One is launched and with a weight of 320 grams it is the worlds lightest sleeping bag. It receives a number of awards including the Outdoor Industry Award and the Red Dot Design Award.
Ethical Down Codex
As one of the first outdoor brands Yeti launches the Yeti Ethical Down Codex, which among other issues defines and includes traceability of down.
2010
The Yeti headquarter flooded
In August 2010 Yeti discovers how brutal nature can be. The Neisse river bursts its banks and floods the headquarter in Görlitz – and the beautiful old buildings had to be abandoned.
2011
New in-store “Glass Factory”
Yeti opens a see-through production facility on the 4th floor of the Globetrotter store in Dresden, Germany. Here curious guests and fans can follow the production of a Yeti sleeping bag.
2013
The 30th anniversary
In 2013 Yeti can look back on 30 years of adventure from a small dedicated local producer to a global brand renowned for its quality, innovative spirit and dedication.
2014
Yeti Taylormade
As the first brand in the world Yeti launched a shop-in-shop, where outdoor enthusiast can create a 100% individual sleeping bag, tailor-made to meet personal measurements and requests for filling and materials.
The World Collection
Together with one of Japan’s leading clothing company World Co. Yeti launches a specially designed fashion.
Next to Nature is launched
For the first time nylon has been produced partly on plant based oil instead of conventional fossil oil – and Yeti is the proud brand behind the fabric, which is named Next to Nature.
The Yeti Brand Box
In January 2014 Yeti opens a pop-up store in Copenhagen Airport with a unique dressing room with a built in wind machine and a constant temperature of -5°C. Among the huge media awareness it caused, USA Today called it one of the world’s best pop-up concepts.
2015
The Yeti Adventure Challenge
In 2015 Yeti is the main sponsor of Yeti Adventure Challenge, which is one of Denmark’s largest adventure races. One of the participants in 2015 was Frederik, the Crown Prince of Denmark.
2016
Gecco is launched
In spring 2016 the highly sustainable sleeping bag Gecco is launched – the first sleeping bag ever made of Next to Nature, the new nylon fabric partly made from plant based oil.
2017
RedFlex is introduced
The revolutionary new technology of implanting reflective molecules into fabric is introduced under the name of RedFlex. This ensures a higher level of performance and a quicker recovery.