In the mid-1950’s, the Härkila Kennel is founded by Lennart Davidson on the Härkila farm in Västra Götaland, Southern Sweden. The farm has been in the family’s possession since the 17th century, and generation after generation have hunted and accumulated knowledge of how to hunt in the Scandinavian forests and wilderness. The kennel quickly becomes known throughout Scandinavia for its prized hunting dogs, among them the Drever Hound and the Jämthund elkhound breeds. 

Building on the family’s deep-rooted knowledge of hunting, Kjell Lennartsson – son of Lennart Davidson – founds Härkila as a hunting clothing and equipment brand. His vision is to make clothes that are both silent to wear when hunting and at the same time can withstand the harsh Scandinavian climate. Following this goal, Härkila produces the first hunting clothes in Scandinavia that are equipped with a wind- and waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. 

Härkila releases what will become one of the brand’s most popular products in its first years, the Hundförarjacka, or dog keeper jacket, in English. The jacket is a soft, lightweight, and silent polar fleece jacket, but with an added waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. To showcase the jacket’s capabilities, Härkila employees often hoses each other with a high pressure cleaner while wearing the jacket to show that it can withstand even the harshest of downpours. 

Another series of popular products are released, the Lappmark clothing range. Taking its name from a great wilderness area of Northern Sweden, the Lappmark clothing has a waterproof membrane and is made from a highly durable cotton and polyester blend fabric that makes the clothes extremely hard-wearing. The Lappmark clothing line lives on today in what has after numerous further developments has become the popular Pro Hunter series. 

Härkila rapidly becomes a sought-after hunting clothing brand throughout Sweden, and by 1992, Norway is introduced as the brand’s first export market. Everything accelerates from there on: In 1995, Denmark is introduced as a new export market. In 2002, Härkila reaches the German market, then Great Britain in 2005, and France in 2007. Later, in 2010, Härkila is introduced to Russia. These countries are Härkila’s main markets, but Härkila is now present in over 50 countries, in total. 

In the first years, Härkila has sold other brands’ footwear on commission. But in 2008, Härkila creates its own line of footwear after having been licensed to produce boots with a built-in waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. From now on, hunters can equip themselves with Härkila clothes from top to toe.  

In 2010, Härkila introduces what will become the brand’s all-time bestseller, the Kamko fleece jacket. The fleece jacket is reversible with a high visibility color on the one side and a brown color on the other, making it a product that can be used in a lot of different hunting and outdoor situations, both as a warm midlayer and an outer layer in itself in the warmer months of the year. In 2020, an updated 10-year anniversary edition of the Kamko fleece is released to celebrate its success. 

Härkila continually develops and improves the technologies used in the brand’s clothing lines, and in 2017, Härkila introduces its very own membrane, the HWS^® membrane. HWS^® stands for Härkila Weather System and being waterproof, windproof, lightweight, breathable, low-noise and with built-in stretch, it is designed especially for hunting. Multiple products in the Härkila range of clothing and equipment now feature the HWS_^® membrane. 

The same year that the HWS^® membrane is introduced, Härkila creates a modern update of the classic tweed garment for the new Stornoway range. Unlike ordinary tweed, Härkila’s new soft fabric with a printed tweed pattern does not soak up water and is much lighter than traditional tweed. Thus, the Stornoway range combines modern functionality with classic looks. 

Scandinavian moose hunting lies at the very core of Härkila, and in 2017, the extensive Moose Hunter layering range is released. While having been designed with a special focus on Scandinavian big game hunting, the mix of MossyOak^® Break-Up Country^® and MossyOak^® Orange Blaze camouflages make the range a firm favorite of forest hunters across the Northern Hemisphere. 

As more and more hunters turn to camouflage to be able to get closer to the game, Härkila develops its AXIS MSP^® camouflage pattern together with specialists in the field. MSP stands for Multi Season Pattern, meaning that the camouflage has been designed to be effective in a variety of different terrains at different times of the hunting season. The AXIS MSP^® camouflage proves very popular and is now available in a wide range of different clothes, footwear, and accessories. 

Following the development of the waterproof HWS^® membrane, Härkila develops its own windproof membrane, the HSP^® or Härkila Storm Pro^® membrane. Like its waterproof counterpart, the HSP^® is designed especially for hunting, being both highly breathable and having built-in stretch for maximum ease of movement and flexibility.  

In 2019, Härkila releases its new line of midlayer products with innovative built-in heat panels, the HEAT range. By using either the HEAT control app or simply by pressing the built-in control button, the wearer can set the temperature to the exact temperature that suits his or her preferences, thus extending the time one can stay in the field, even in the very coldest months. The range is later, in 2020, expanded to also include base layer products. 

As more and more hunters get a taste for wild boar hunting, Härkila introduces its extensive Wildboar Pro range. The trousers feature the Härkilas VerriSteel^® technology, which is a layer of polyethylene textile, otherwise found in various forms of body armor. The trousers are tested by authoritative German test institutes and are certified to protect against wild boar tusk stab wounds.