Jollein
Jollein's story
The textile company in baby articles, for which the father (Wim Smits Sr.) of director Wim Smits worked, went bankrupt in 1973. He was married to Gonny and had some hungry mouths to feed at home. He stood
for a fait accompli: bread had to be put on the table. Wim Smits Sr. was not the type to give up. He bought a few rolls of beautiful fabric in Twente, where the Dutch textile industry was at the time, and brought them to a sewing workshop in Friesland. He refurbished an old bus and used it to visit his well-known relations with his first trade; the family business was born.
In the 1970s, a 'real' company emerged. The old bus had made way for a moving showroom where you as a customer could immediately choose your stuff. Wim Smits was now at primary school and when he got the chance he drove with his father and learned the tricks of the trade in daily practice.
When Wim Smits Sr.'s health failed in the 1990s, Wim, as an energetic youngster with a recently obtained truck driver's license, got behind the wheel himself. “Make customers happy again today!” his father invariably shouted every morning when he left.
The company grew and reinforcements were needed in the field of administration and customer contact. This is where Marrit came into the picture; according to Wim Smits Sr. the perfect candidate. It soon became apparent how right he was. She was the ideal match not only for the company, but also on a personal level the spark flew between Wim and Marrit. Since then they have been inseparable. They are married and the proud parents of three beautiful children.
Wim Smits Sr. and Wim Smits were on the road a lot and busy with sales. Wim's mother Gonny was always in the background as a silent force and Marrit did the administration and maintained contact with the customers. In 2010, Wim Smits Sr. took a step back in the company.
Marrit capitalizes on her sense of style and eye for detail by raising the appearance of the products to a higher level. This paved the way for Marrit to present Jollein as a real brand with its own face. The customers loved it. Mothers recognized Jollein and immediately felt familiar with the products. Marrit now heads the design team and together they run the company. And that for a long time no longer from one old Daf but from their business premises in Assen. What has never changed is the love with which they do this. Love for each other and their families, for the company and their entire team. This well-filled catalog is the result of this family feeling and every product contains the secret ingredient: family love.
Inventor of the baby sleeping bag
In Germany, mothers bought sleeping bags for their babies. Wim Smits Sr. thought that was a nice thing. With the sleeping bag in hand, he realized on the spot that - with a few minor adjustments - the sleeping bag could be an ideal baby sleeping bag. The pattern was worked out in his sewing workshop and the first baby sleeping bag in the Netherlands was a fact.
Jollein has a nice range of products with different prints.