About us

Tissue spoon production
a craft

History Woven spoon manufacturing in Dalarna dates back to the 18th century, and has long since been limited to an area in northwestern Mora and southeastern Älvdalen. Farming did not provide enough for the family's livelihood, so when the mill rested during the winter, they went out into the country on a sales trip. The spoon maker brought materials and the necessary tools in a sweep box (woven spoon case) which was placed in a leather sack (bog). Before leaving, the teeth and moldings for the loom had been manufactured. The tying and polishing of the fabric spoon could then take place on the journeys. After being given shelter on a farm, they immediately started making spoons. After that, sales continued during the day and weaving spoon production in the evenings.

The craft that became industry

Gunnar Andersson and his father Mångs Anders were from the beginning weaving cloth salesmen. They thought that the manufacturers had too high prices, which is why in 1926 they bought their own machine and formed Gunnar Anderssons Vävskedsfabrik AB (GAV). Sales were now focused on retailers and the business grew gradually.

In the barns at Mångsgården you could finally see a solid assortment of weaving tools stored. On the shelves were shuttles, band spoons and fabric tensioners in neat rows. Spinners, winders, carders, wool shears and bobbins were also part of the sorting.

"We don't say no to any orders because we can make orders of all kinds. You just have to come with a drawing and description of how you want it," Gunnar Andersson is said to have said. In one way or another, the Masar have always been enterprising. They kind of have it in their blood, that thing of wanting to figure out how something should be done in the best way.

Glimmer field

In 1950, the two entrepreneurs Lennart Persson and Yngve Nilsson started the Glimåkra Textile Factory in Glimåkra in Scania. In 1975 the company was bought by the Bonnier group. With an international group's worldwide network behind it, Glimåkra became a well-known brand for weaving in large parts of the world. Gleaming looms were, and still are, sold almost all over the world. The record year 1980 produced as many as 12,000 looms at Glimåkra Vävstolsfabrik!

In 1999, GAV bought the loom manufacturing and the rights to the Glimåkra brand and moved the manufacturing to its factory in Oxberg in Dalarna. With Glimåkra looms in the range, GAV became one of the world's most complete manufacturers of equipment for weaving of all kinds. GAV manufactures pretty much everything a weaver needs in its own factory in Oxberg. In December 2006, the company was sold to Bengt Jonasson and Peo Dungel, both from Värmland, of whom Bengt has many years of experience in industrial woodworking.

Since 2016, Bengt Jonasson is the sole owner of the company.

The name

In order to make better use of the well-known Glimåkra brand and still show respect for the original name of the company, Gunnar Anderssons Vävskedsfabrik AB, the company has changed its name to GAV Glimåkra AB - a combination of the best.