Høidal explains that the furniture industry started in the 1920s, at a point in history when there was a lot of unemployment in the Norwegian cities. People in villages like Sykkylven had to create their own jobs, and this is a part of Norway where there are long traditions of entrepreneurship – building your own business from scratch.
A Norwegian saying claims that you can create gold from stone. One proof of this is the booming furniture village of Sykkylven.
Why is Sykkylven such a famous name in the Norwegian furniture industry? How has this small village on the west coast given birth to international businesses like Ekornes? To find out, one might want to visit the unique Furniture Museum, which is situated right here in Sykkylven. We met up with historian Eldar Høidal for a brief tour of their impressive exhibition.
