Our Story

HÄNSKA was founded in Berlin in 2014 by Nora Hänska, designer and maker.

When Nora founded the brand, she broke one of the first rules she had been taught and named it after her family. It has suited the brand ever since.

She studied product and fashion design in the UK and Berlin, and grew up in a family of architects alongside a mother who ran a small knitwear business in London. Structure and craft were always present, and the instinct to make things well and make them last came early.

From the beginning, the intention was not to follow conventions but to question them. HÄNSKA developed a reduced design language built on unconventional rules of construction and a genuine focus on function. The result is a quiet, minimal aesthetic and a collection of distinct, timeless essentials.

Our pieces are made for small and big people who move through everyday life with awareness. We work with renewable, carefully sourced natural materials chosen not for effect, but for their long-term performance and their ability to age beautifully.

Over the years, we refined not just what we make, but how we make it. That process led to a clear decision: today, everything is produced in our Berlin studio. We realised we could not hand our standards over to someone else, because the combination of high-quality natural materials and precise construction demands close attention at every step. From the first sample to the final stitch, we are present throughout the entire process.

Working within a small structure allows for direct exchange and constant adjustment, with decisions made quickly and processes that remain visible. We take full responsibility for every step.

Yun and Janine have long been part of the team. Between them they keep production running and the studio alive, and their commitment has helped shape what HÄNSKA has become.

HÄNSKA has grown into a niche brand, but our scale remains deliberate. We produce consciously, in limited runs, with care for detail and durability.

Berlin is not just where we are based. It is where our work is made.