Ekornes
Also called Ekornes Stressless, Stressless, Stressless by Ekornes, J.E. Ekornes
Norwegian furniture maker founded in 1934, renowned for the ergonomic Stressless recliner and cold-cured foam construction.
Founded by Jens Ekornes in 1934 in Sykkylven, Norway, Ekornes began as a spring factory before growing into Scandinavia's premier producer of ergonomic seating. The maker revolutionized modern sitting in 1971 with the launch of the Stressless recliner, engineered to respond naturally to body movement.
Ekornes seating features tubular steel frames, cold-cured molded foam, and patented mechanisms like the Glide and Plus systems for automatic lumbar and neck support. Hallmarks include laminated beech ring bases and supple top-grain leather. Authentic pieces can be identified by the Ekornes or Stressless mark on the side tension knobs, a metal frame badge, or the original maker tag beneath the seat.
Because cold-cured foam is molded directly over internal steel springs, an Ekornes chair preserves its contour, resilience, and ergonomic alignment over decades of daily seating.
