Why clothing for photographers?

It was a mild spring day in April 2017 when adventure photographer Benjamin Jaworskyj was looking for functional clothing for his next photo trips in a large outdoor store in Berlin. It had to be water repellent, breathable and visually appealing. As he made his way through the packed shelves, past neon green softshell jackets, baby blue fleece jumpers, and gray/yellow striped short-sleeved shirts, he paused and chuckled. "Who's wearing such clothes?" Either generation 50+, just before the camping season or category "cruise ship trip“. To be fair, there were also some young visitors who were primarily looking for a backpack, probably just before a year of work and travel.

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When he finally discovered a jacket that appealed to him visually and in terms of material, the euphoria disappeared with a glance at the price tag.

"600€ for a rain jacket? Are they mad?"

The prices for the other jackets were also somewhere between 150€ and even 800€! And that's only for one jacket. When it gets colder you need a thicker jacket again!

He sullenly tried on the 600€ rain jacket in size XL and it actually fit quite well. Maybe a bit too tight if you wanted to wear something underneath, like a fleece, but otherwise ok. Well, the two zip pockets on the front, one vertical on the chest and the inside pocket, were not great for storage either, but they were ok.

"Do you have this jacket in a bigger size?“ he asked one of the sales assistants, who was just folding a dark blue jacket with poison green pockets.

"Unfortunately not", she shook her head. He tried many more jackets that afternoon, but somehow the price-performance ratio was not right for him as a photographer.

"Isn't there any outdoor clothing that looks normal, is reasonably priced and still functional?" His head started to rattle.

"Why is there no outdoor clothing for photographers?"

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The first prototype for the Haukland Explorer 5-in-1 jacket for photographers

The idea was born.
Jaworskyj sat down at a table with a team of fashion professionals from Germany to develop the first prototype of the Haukland Explorer 5-in-1 jacket for photographers. Not a project that you realize from one day to another. One year passed from the first sketch to the first prototype. It was tested in various outdoor conditions for several weeks and was then further optimized. About 1.5 years after the first draft and another second prototype, which was mainly tested in winter outdoor conditions, the final version was ready.
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The first prototype for the Haukland Explorer 5-in-1 jacket for photographers

Where does the name Haukland come from?

Haukland is a sandy beach north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. The Hauklanda Stranda is not only a particularly beautiful beach on the Lofoten archipelago, it is also the beach where adventure photographer Benjamin Jaworskyj photographed Northern Lights for the first time in his life. An experience you don't forget. For Jaworskyj it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Crystal clear, azure-shimmering water, a long sandy beach surrounded by a steep mountain panorama.
The big mountain to the right of the beach, with the small offshore island, is also the silhouette that can be seen in the logo.
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What is the goal of Haukland?

Haukland's first goal is to create apparel for photographers

a) that is functional

b) where the price-performance ratio is right

c) that looks amazing.

Haukland's second goal is to establish a brand to support future photography and video projects that are worth supporting, but which lack budget / sponsors.

Haukland's third goal is to produce sustainably. In doing so, we already make sure that the high-quality products are manufactured by ISO-certified companies and ensure responsible action towards business partners and production countries. We support the development of improved working conditions and the promotion of the Öko-Tex standard. All our materials are already produced according to Ökotex100 standards and the factories undergo regular social audits such as BSCI and SEDEX.