Carl Malmsten was a successful and well-known furniture designer when he in the 50’s ran his business from Stockholm, and the furniture he created were made in small series in small workshops. The furnitures became very expensive and thus inaccessible to most people. Carl then decided to select a number of manufacturers who could manufacture his furniture in larger volumes and at lower prices without sacrificing overall goals such as quality, handicraft and design. Carl traveled around southern Sweden to study suitable factories. In Tranås he came in contact with O.H. Sjögren which he considered fulfilled all the high demands he had on the manufacture of upholstered furniture. This company thus became part of the circle of selected manufacturers called "Nyckelverkstäderna” (The Key Workshops). The collaboration began with an exhibition at the Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg where “Nyckelverkstäderna” and the newly developed models were presented. In the future, Carl traveled to Tranås at least once a year to create new models together with Gustav and Olle Sjögren. Workshop work was interspersed with work on drawings. The manufacturing program became increasingly extensive and eventually became the majority of O.H. Sjögrens production. O.H. Sjögren was established in 1902 by the newly qualified saddler Oskar Herbert Sjögren. This was the start of one of the oldest companies in the furniture trade, which is now run by the fourth generation of the same family. O.H. Sjögren was originally a saddlery, producing harnesses, saddles, etc. for horses, as well as padding for seats in horse-drawn carriages. It was only a short step from this to producing furniture. When Oskar Herbert bequeathed his business to his two sons, Gustav and Olle, in the 1930s, the company turned its attention towards the production of upholstered furniture. The brothers were keen to produce furniture of the highest quality imaginable, which led to good client contacts such as the Nordiska Kompaniet, Svenskt Tenn and Carl Malmsten. O.H. Sjögren still focus on artisanal production methods and try to ensure the highest quality of production the Swedish upholstered furniture industry can offer.
