CTH Ericson 140 years
CTH Ericson's 140-year history began in 1885 when Carl Theodor Ericson left Lindesberg to start his own hat and cap factory in the emerging community of Borlänge, Sweden. Carl Theodor was then the fourth generation of hat and cap makers after his great-grandfather Eric Forsberg, who was a master hatter already in the 18th century.
The factory grows
The business developed rapidly. In 1902, Carl Theodor had a new hat factory built and further extensions were made in 1906, 1927 and 1942. In these premises - in the same block where it all began - CTH still exists.
To understand the scale of production, it is worth noting that by 1926 the factory was already producing around 1,000 hats a day and had a turnover of SEK 1 million. After the Second World War, especially in the early 1950s, CTH reached its greatest size.
Girl power
In the 1950s, the factory was Borlänge's largest workplace for women, while Domnarvet's ironworks was the equivalent for men. In 1952, the hat factory had around 220 employees. Many women in Borlänge have worked at CTH at some point, often before they got married and started a family. Even today, stories are told about relatives who worked here, often with warmth and with memories of a workplace with good cohesion.
The hat is the main thing
Over the years, CTH has produced caps, hats, uniform caps, student caps and a range of other headwear. The factory has supplied uniform caps to, among others, SJ, Televerket and the Swedish Armed Forces. CTH Ericson has also been a supplier to the Royal Court and manufactured, among other things, King Carl XVI Gustaf's student cap when he graduated in 1966.
Local production in Borlänge
Until the early 1990s, most of the headwear was produced in Borlänge, but then more and more of the production was moved to the Baltic region to meet the increased competition. Three decades later, the trend has reversed, and parts of the production have moved back home. Today, two tailors work full-time sewing headgear in the factory in Borlänge. Sweden. 
Industrial heritage of the year
Visitors entering the CTH factory building are often struck by the feeling that time has stood still. In 2006, the hat factory was named Industrial Heritage of the Year - a testament to its cultural significance. Sewing machines, cutting machines, specialized equipment, templates, badges and hat stocks are preserved and showcase a unique piece of Swedish industrial history.
Guided tours and the book about CTH
CTH offers guided factory tours where visitors can learn about the company's history, the people and the emergence of industrial society in Borlänge. The tour looks at how hat fashion has changed over the decades, and sometimes anecdotes are shared - for example, the story of how Borlänge Elverk could see on the electricity meters when all the machines at CTH were started in the morning.
More captivating stories and more in-depth facts about CTH Ericson's activities from 1885 to 2004 are collected in the book Mössor och människor by journalist and author Ann-Louise Ebberstein.
CTH Ericson today and in the future
CTH Ericson has been owned since 1985 by the Morin family, which today represents three generations with varying degrees of involvement in the company. The second generation, Ann-Sofie and Markus Morin, are responsible for the day-to-day operations - an honorable task to manage the legacy of founder Carl Theodor Ericson and previous owners, including Tord Morin, who was CEO between 1985 and 2015.
Visiting the CTH factory, 140 years after Carl Theodor Ericson started his business, much feels familiar. Uniform caps are still made here, new collections are planned, boxes filled with caps are sent to retailers, fabrics are purchased and customers visit the factory shop.
But time doesn't stand still at CTH. For the company to continue to thrive for another 140 years, innovation and sustainability are essential. Wear-and-tear thinking should be a thing of the past - the aim is for every product to last a lifetime and be repaired if necessary. A future dream for CTH is also to be able to offer hats and caps from Swedish wool.
Next 140 years
Today, 140 years after the factory opened, not much has changed, really. And in that we take a lot of pride!
CTH Ericson will continue to be a leader in classic Swedish headwear by combining craftsmanship and sustainability with innovative design - to create products and heritage that lasts over generations.
Finally, a big thanks you to you as a customer for supporting us on our way to the next 140 years.
Ann-Sofie & Markus Morin