Celebrating six generations at Van Buren

Once upon a time… there was a man called Sjoerd van Buren in Oosterlittens, a village south-east of Leeuwarden.

He separated wool from hides and traded both as semi-finished products – quite a feat in the mid-19th century. In 1903, the family business moved to Bolsward, where it remains to this day. With each new generation, its horizons broadened. After Sjoerd came Rients Sr, then Thomas, followed by Johannes, Rients Jr and, more recently, Jolt. Each saw the world change: new techniques, new markets, new applications.

When the focus shifted to tanning hides in 1969, this led to the creation of high-quality finished products: sheepskins, decorative wool and leather goods, such as pouffes and seats, as well as slippers and mules. The essence of the company remains the same today: offering comfort and radiating warmth, all based on an entirely natural product and manufactured in the Netherlands’ only sheepskin tannery.

Today, Van Buren brings together the best of both worlds: craftsmanship and innovation go hand in hand. The past is not abandoned; technology is embraced. Craftsmanship has a future. After 165 years – an anniversary the company celebrates this year – the scale and dynamics of the business may have changed, but Van Buren remains synonymous with family and Friesland. And you don’t need to head straight to the warehouse where the family displays its various product ranges: you’ll soon be able to see them in Brussels too.

Van Buren can be found at the Brussels Furniture Fair in the Patio.