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The history of the BECKMANN brand
80 years of the brand · 1946–2026
BECKMANN history: 80 years of Norwegian school backpacks
BECKMANN is a Norwegian family brand of school backpacks. It was founded by Olav Beckmann in 1946 – he designed and sewed the first backpacks himself, at home. The company is based in Kristiansand, celebrates 80 years in 2026, and its backpacks are worn by children in more than 30 countries. We have been importing them to the Czech Republic since 2014 – as the exclusive distributor.
Explore 80 years of history
BECKMANN at a glance
- Founder
- Olav Beckmann
- Founded
- 1946southern Norway
- Headquarters and design
- Kristiansand, Norway
- Anniversary
- 80 years in 2026
- Where it is sold
- In more than 30 countries
- Range
- From preschool backpacks to backpacks for adults
- Values
- Scandinavian design, ergonomics, quality from sustainable materials
- In the Czech Republic
- Exclusive distributor Zdravý Batoh, since 2014
How BECKMANN began: the first backpacks were sewn at home and tested by children from the neighbourhood.
Olav Beckmann was a young man full of ideas and energy. He tried various projects, but one thought would not let him go: children need a good school backpack.
So in 1946 he founded his own company. He planned, designed and sewed the backpacks himself – at home, in the family house. The samples were then tested by children from the family and the neighbourhood. Who could tell better whether a backpack sits well on the back?
No factory. Just precise work at home and a focus on quality. BECKMANN still builds on the same values after 80 years.
“Your child's back has to last a lifetime.” – the BECKMANN philosophy since 1946
BECKMANN history decade by decade
The photos come from the BECKMANN archive. This is how Norwegian children went to school – and how their backpacks changed.
- 1946
The company is born at home
Olav Beckmann founds the company with a clear goal: to make quality school backpacks for children. He plans, designs and sews them himself at home.
The first BECKMANN backpack - 1960s
A bag for the back and for a trolley
The synthetic leather for the school bag was made in Germany. The bag could be carried on its own or clipped onto a trolley – in the 1960s it was one of the most popular models.
Bag on a trolley, 1967 - 1970s
Three sizes by age
The blue school backpack came in three sizes for different age groups. The backpack adapted to the child, not the other way round. Teenagers, in turn, loved the checked model with spring steel in the back and a carrying frame. It was sold until 2000.
1971 
1973 - 1980s
The leather backpack heads to America
The leather backpack was a big success. BECKMANN kept improving it throughout the decade and, in the years after its launch, exported around 10,000 a year to the USA.
≈ 10 000 backpacks a year to the USA
Catalogue 1981–82 
Leather backpacks - 1990s
22 litres from Kristiansand
A backpack for lower primary school arrives, with a carrying frame and a 22-litre capacity. It was sewn right in Kristiansand and came in six versions. You can still find the 22-litre capacity in the Classic range today.
On the way to school, 1990s - 2000+
Collections grow
Since the turn of the millennium, the range has grown year after year. New models, new designs and more age groups – today from preschool backpacks to backpacks for adults.
BECKMANN campaign, 2015 -
2018–2025: awards, fair production, recycled materials
- 2018
The Classic range receives the IGR institute's certificate Ergonomic Product.
- 2019–2022
Three IGR Innovation Awards for Ergonomics (2019, 2021, 2022) and the Special Award Ergonomics 2021 for Active AIR FLX.
- 2020
Member of the Fair Wear Foundation. Working conditions in the factories are checked by independent audits.
- 2024
The main fabric of all backpacks is made from recycled PET bottles with GRS certification.
- 2025
BECKMANN backpacks are recommended by the Japan Chiropractic Association.
- 2018
- 2026
80 years and still the same question
BECKMANN is turning eighty. And it still asks the same question Olav asked in 1946: how do you make a backpack that fits children, that they enjoy and that lasts?
Showcase: backpacks from the BECKMANN archive
Leather, checks, patent finish and denim. Browse backpacks from the BECKMANN archive – some shapes are timeless even after decades.
What has changed in BECKMANN backpacks over 80 years
| Size to fit the child | Then1970s: blue backpack in three sizes by age | NowFor first-graders, four models: Classic 22 l, Classic Max 28 l, Active AIR FLX 20–25 l and the Premium AIR 20 l satchel – for children 116–150 cm tall |
|---|---|---|
| Back support | Then1970s: spring steel in the back and a carrying frame | NowShaped aluminium stay, chest and hip belts that transfer the weight from the shoulders to the hips |
| Testing | Then1946: samples were tested by children from the family and the neighbourhood | NowRobot testing with the Norwegian NORCE institute, IGR certification, development with a chiropractor |
| Material | Then1960s–80s: synthetic leather from Germany, later leather | NowSince 2024, the main fabric of all backpacks has been made from recycled PET bottles (GRS) |
| Production | Then1990s: sewn right in Kristiansand | NowDesigned in Kristiansand, made in 7 audited factories under Fair Wear Foundation supervision |
What has stayed the same: three values from 1946
- Scandinavian designThe backpacks are still created in Kristiansand, by an in-house design team. Some designs are hand-painted in watercolour by a designer.
- Ergonomics firstFrom age-based sizes in the 1970s to laboratory tests: with the hip belt fastened, the shoulders carried only 38% of the weight of the Active AIR FLX.
- Quality that lastsWe give a 4-year warranty on our backpacks, automatically and without registration. And if something gets damaged, we'll help with a spare part or a repair.
„…první batoh jsme dceři kupovali do 1. třídy a nyní je ve 4. (…) Batoh po 4 letech stále vypadá téměř jako nový, nic není zničené, jen mírné oděrky z běžného nošení.“Kristiansand, 2026
BECKMANN today: the leading school backpack brand in Scandinavia
The headquarters and the design team have stayed in Kristiansand in southern Norway. From there, BECKMANN supplies backpacks to more than 30 countries.
From a brand for Norwegian schoolchildren, it has become a brand for the whole family – from a preschool backpack to a backpack for work. Martin Beckmann still works in the company. That's why we still call BECKMANN a family business, even after 80 years.
From Kristiansand to the Beskydy Mountains
BECKMANN in the Czech Republic: from one pallet to three stores
We discovered BECKMANN backpacks when we were looking for a first school backpack for our own daughter. Today we are the brand's exclusive distributor for the Czech Republic – a family business from the Beskydy Mountains.
- 2014We order our first pallet of backpacks from Norway
- 2016The whole family travels to Kristiansand to meet Martin Beckmann
- 2018We open our first store in Ostrava
- 2025Stores in Prague and Brno follow
Your questions about BECKMANN history
Didn't find your answer? Write to us or give us a call – you'll find our details on the Contact page.
Where does the BECKMANN brand come from?
From Norway. The family company was founded in 1946 by Olav Beckmann and is now based in Kristiansand in the south of the country. That is also where all the backpacks are designed.
Who founded BECKMANN?
Olav Beckmann. In 1946 he designed and sewed the first school backpacks himself at home. The samples were tested by children from the family and the neighbourhood.
How long has the BECKMANN brand existed?
Since 1946; in 2026 it celebrates 80 years. Over that time it has gone from synthetic leather bags, through a leather backpack exported to the USA, to ergonomic backpacks made from recycled PET bottles.
Where are BECKMANN backpacks made?
They are designed in Kristiansand, Norway, and made in 7 audited factories with which BECKMANN has a direct contract. Since 2020, working conditions there have been checked by independent Fair Wear Foundation audits.
Is BECKMANN still a family business?
Yes. The brand bears the name of its founder Olav Beckmann, and Martin Beckmann still works in the company – we have met him on our visits to Kristiansand too.
Where can I buy BECKMANN backpacks in the Czech Republic?
From us. We have been the exclusive BECKMANN distributor for the Czech Republic since 2014. We sell the backpacks in our online store zdravybatoh.cz and in our stores in Ostrava, Prague and Brno.
The story continues
Your child will write the next chapter
You can try on a BECKMANN backpack in our stores in Ostrava, Prague and Brno. Or order it online and have it delivered to your door.
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