Our history
Founded in 2013 in beautiful Thy
Our first seed was planted back in 2013 when Lukas L. Leszczynski and Lars Riis shared a vision and a hope to make better fashion. To create a company with heart and where the passion for the good product and the unique story should be paramount. Built on a model of testing, learning, failing and developing, the first years of ELSK were spent as a sideline. In 2015, the foundations were laid, and since then ELSK has grown steadily. At a pace where we can participate and be true to our values. Because ELSK does not have to be the world's largest fashion group. We must be a company that can be rebellious in our own Thy way, and our company must reflect the values that we also live with in our every day. There must be room for play, expression and creativity. The pursuit of profit must come after the pursuit of the good product.
ELSK told in other people's words
When we talk about ELSK and what we have done over time, the story is only told from our end of the table. Our angle. One perspective. However, we love to see things from as many sides as possible, and we believe that this is how you expand your horizons, understanding and knowledge. That is why we have made a list here of what others have said about us over the years.
1:1 med Lars Riis: “Lige så snart du gør som flertallet, er det måske tid til at gøre noget modsat”
Video > viguer.dk
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Et fåtal af smv'er arbejder med grøn omstilling, og det provokerer direktør: “Selvfølgelig kræver det ekstra ressourcer, det er dyrere og mere besværligt”
Læs > borsen.dk
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Lars Riis savnede nogle grundlæggende værdier i sin hæsblæsende koncernkarriere.
Derfor etablerede han modetøjfirmaet Elsk, hvor fokus er meget mere end jagten på kroner og øre.
Læs > berlingske.dk
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”Hvis folk vidste, hvordan deres tøj bliver lavet, ville de nok holde op med at købe det billige lort”.
Disse ord falder i samtalen mellem ELSK, Lars Riis, og podcastvært Steffen Max Høgh
Lyt > Bæredygtig Business
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2023
1:1 with Lars Riis: "As soon as you do like the majority, it might be time to do something opposite"
Video > viguer.dk
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"If people knew how their clothes are made, they would probably stop buying the cheap crap".
These words occur in the conversation between ELSK, Lars Riis, and podcast host Steffen Max Høgh
Listen > Sustainable Business
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Lars Riis missed some basic values in his tumultuous corporate career.
That is why he established the fashion clothing company Elsk, where the focus is much more than the pursuit of kroner and øre.
Read > berlingske.dk
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Tired of working in an industry that didn't align with his personal values. Lars decided to build something that did.
Video > The Graygency
2022
And yes, they have boycotted Black Friday by closing their webshop on the day, and have themselves moved away from using the word "sustainable".
Listen > Format podcast
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Love gets the green label: Launching t-shirts with a sustainable badge of honor
Read > nordjyske.dk
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Lars Riis was to be promoted to the position of chief executive in London. Nevertheless, he resigned and moved to Klitmøller
Read > vigeur.dk
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Here, the employees have maximum freedom:
"It would be a shame to miss out on good surf waves"
Read > lederstof.dk
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New certification for ELSK: Launches first Swan-labelled collection.
Read > limfjordsupte.dk
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Clothing business going against the grain: Opening a store in times of crisis.
Read > tvmidwest
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The clothing brand ELSK is located far up in the north-west Jutland soil. Here, the landscape is known for white sand dunes, big waves and national parks. This allows each other in the company to remember which values the area is based on.
Read > flexbuy
2021
A small number of SMEs work with a green transition, and this provokes the director: "Of course it requires extra resources, it is more expensive and more difficult"
Read > borsen.dk
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#26 This is how the clothing brand ELSK communicates sustainability - interview with CEO Lars Riis
Listen > Format | podcast
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Recreate adventure on the occasion of Black Friday: Here you can buy an 'invisible' t-shirt
Read > tvmidtvest.dk
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"This year's Audience Award and DKK 25,000 went to ELSK. At the same time, ELSK has proven that they have great support among those who use and love their clothes"
Read > dmogt.dk
Read > ritzau.dk
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How can a clothing brand in Thy sell packages with unknown contents for DKK 2,500 in record time?
Read > Danish Fashion & Textile
2020
ELSK and keep decency
Read > appetize.dk
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Beach cleaning during working hours:- We do it out of pure frustration
Read > tvmidtvest.dk
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The Audience Award of the year – i.e. the award whose winner was not found by the jury, but proclaimed by Salling's own customers via an online vote – instead went to the Thy-based brand ELSK
Read > alt.dk
Read > fashionforum.dk
Read > naturfonden.dk
2019
Lars Riis and the fashion brand ELSK have made a name for themselves throughout Denmark. And especially in Thy, where Lars Riis was awarded the prize as "Thybo of the Year 2019" on Friday 3 January 2020
Read > sparthy.dk
Read > nordjyske.dk
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Black Friday is celebrated in an unconventional way in several places. in Thisted, a company donates its revenue to environmental organisations
See > tv2nord.dk
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2018
We talk about his career, life choices and about moving back to Thy.
Listen > soundcloudcom
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2017
MOOT meets ELSK, the clothing brand that wants you to buy a little, but well.
The entrepreneurs behind the Cold Hawaii clothing brand will be at the forefront of the fight for a more sustainable fashion industry with a focus on quality rather than mass production.
See > Moot.video
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Fashion manager went from million dollar sales in London to zero income in Klitmøller
Read > finans-dk
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"I remember that when I was sitting on the subway, you just sat by yourself and looked at your iPhone.
In Klitmøller, we look each other in the eye and say good morning, good afternoon or good evening - even if we don't
know each other."
Read > thisted.dk
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2016
A small clothing company in Klitmøller aims to lower its customers' clothing consumption by focusing on sustainability and quality.
Read > tv2nord.dk
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Christmas fever and record year at Elsk
Read > nordjyske.dk
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Jysk clothing brand boycotts Black Friday: We are shutting down the webshop
Read > nejlek.tv2.dk
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Clothing brand boycotts Black Friday.
Closes the webshop on the day and donates money to charity.
Read > retailnews.dk
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Financial Accounting
We would rather not hide anything from you out there. Instead, we want to be as transparent as possible, so that you always know what goes on behind ELSK's closed doors. Therefore, here you get an insight into the number-oriented part of ELSK.
If you want to know more about the key figures behind ELSK, you can find the numbers nerd here: PROFF
Ownership and distribution of work in ELSK ApS:
Share 40% - Lars Riis
(Manager)
Responsible for overall operations, sales, purchasing and marketing.
Share 30% - Per Kalstrup Christiansen
(semi-active employee, not employed as a salaried employee)
Contributes with collection development and production and sales in dialogue with Lars.
Share 30% - Henrik Dam
(semi-active employee, not employed as a salaried employee)
Financial and strategic sparring, as well as sparring and help with general tactical and operational tasks, in relation to the development of the company and achieving the budgets and strategies set.