cinas' history
A story shaped by care, craftsmanship, and time.
“We must produce with care – for both the material and the people.”
Carl J. Nielsen
Once upon a time
It all began in 1895 – at Gammelholm in the heart of Copenhagen. Carl J. Nielsen and two friends founded the company, which in 1903 became known as Cinas – a contraction of Carl J. Nielsen’s Limited Company.
In its early years, the company imported bristles used to make brushes and paintbrushes.
Cinas was built around a simple but important philosophy: that production should always be done with care for both material and people.
The processing of brushes and paintbrushes first took place at the company’s premises at Gammelholm in Copenhagen, but over time, the company outgrew the space.
In the 1920s, Cinas therefore moved to Amager, but even there, space eventually became too tight.
In 1966, Cinas moved on to Birkerød, where it remained for many years. In Birkerød, things really began to take off, coinciding with the fact that, in the 1960s, it became too expensive to manufacture in Denmark.
Instead of importing raw materials for processing at home, Cinas began importing finished goods – still made from natural materials and always with respect for the craftsmanship behind them.
Imports came from many parts of the world, and Cinas was among the first in the Nordics to trade directly with China after its opening to the West – a collaboration built on trust and understanding. Many of the relationships established back then lasted for many years.
Through the 1970s and 80s, the range expanded to include everything from bamboo blinds and woven furniture to gift items – in part through acquisitions. But the care was always the same: Cinas didn’t just sell goods, but the results of good craftsmanship and with deep respect for quality materials. Leftover materials were reused, repaired, adapted, and refined – long before words like circular and sustainable became part of everyday language.
When Christian Wibroe joined the company in 1983 – and later bought and took it over in 1986 – a new chapter began. With experience from another import business and roots planted in a mix of tradition and an eye for new trends, Cinas grew to become one of the leading players in the Nordics in teak furniture and interior products – including the iconic seagrass mats that many remember from the 1980s and which, for a period, were among the company’s best-selling products.
Modern Times
In 1996, Cinas moved to Agenavej in Greve, near Copenhagen – and we are still here today.
Our current ownership team, the Wibroe family’s children (Peter and Mette), Ole Holse, and Simon Barrett, took over the company and its management during the 2000s.
With the new generation, the philosophy of focusing on materials has continued with fresh energy, and completely new materials have been added to the range – including bamboo.
Collaboration with Nordic designers has also gained momentum, and today, many of our products are developed in close dialogue between designers, producers, and our own team.
The result is product series where function, quality, and Scandinavian design language go hand in hand with materials not always found in northern forests.
The sister company Holse & Wibroe, which produces building materials in bamboo, was founded in 2004, and today the two companies are neighbors on Agenavej in Greve, collaborating closely.
Over the years, Cinas has traded with the Nordics, the Baltics, and many other parts of the world. Through crises and world wars, however, customers and markets have changed. Today, Cinas’ main focus is on the Nordics and Germany – and on producing furniture and interior products for both outdoor and indoor use.
As the world becomes more globalized, we now see more inquiries from other parts of the world, and we have therefore started to look further afield than we traditionally have.
The Future
More than 125 years after the beginning, Cinas still stands for the same thing: to create products that last – from materials that can withstand life – and in a design language that connects the craftsmanship of the past with today’s way of living.
We continue to work closely with the producers in Indonesia and China whom we have known for generations. But of course, new collaborations arise when we discover materials or production methods that we see potential in. Our working relationships are always based on trust, dialogue, and a shared understanding that quality is always important.
Whereas Cinas used to handpick natural materials and process them ourselves, today we focus on designing and importing finished products and on extending their lifespan – as our response to a “throwaway culture.” This is supported by an extensive spare parts inventory, making it possible to maintain and repair rather than replace – which can be seen as a modern interpretation of the care on which the company was founded.
We are proud of our history – and happy with the team we have today. Many of our employees have been here for decades. Together with the skilled craftsmen who produce for us in the Far East and our designers, they are the people behind – and around – the materials.