The history of Fritz Hansen begins in 1872, where the enterprising cabinet-maker Fritz Hansen from Nakskov obtains a trade license in Copenhagen. 1885 is a decisive year, where he starts a furniture production company of his own and two years later he has managed to establish a flourishing workshop in Christianshavn – a central part of Copenhagen. Fritz and his son Christian initiated the high quality level, which has been the trademark of Fritz Hansen’s products ever since.

Early on in the century, the forward-looking Christian E. Hansen, son of Fritz Hansen, starts to experiment with steam bending beech. In the 1930's, the technique is so refined that Fritz Hansen is among the world leaders in the field, which later evolves into the firm’s speciality: Furniture created in laminate wood.

As an adjusted variant of Germanic functionalism, the purer lines and the lighter, more practical approach became the breakthrough style in Scandinavia. At Fritz Hansen, the first Danish steel furniture was launched.