About Sanasella
Lena changed her chair instead of her career.
Meet the woman behind the chair
Hear Lena tell her story
Lena explains why she created the chair and who she made it for.
The founder's story
Ten years of pain led Lena to design her own chair
Lena has worked as a hairdresser for more than 20 years and has co-owned two salons. She knows neck, shoulder and back pain all too well. As an employer, she's also had to cover for staff on sick leave. She's felt the strain herself and seen what it costs a salon.
After years of physiotherapy, she was close to leaving hairdressing. She sat down with her father, a design engineer, and they began designing a chair that would let her keep doing the job she loved.
Norwegian hairdressers, ergonomics specialists and physiotherapists helped test and refine the design. It took many trials before Lena was satisfied that the chair could address the strains hairdressers face at work.
Sanasella is a Norwegian company supported by Innovation Norway. The chairs are designed and made in Norway, with more than 1,000 sold so far.
The expertise behind the chair
Lena's professional background
Lena rarely talks about her qualifications. But they help explain the chair she created. Sanasella was designed by someone who knows what a full day behind a salon chair feels like.
- Trade certificate in women's hairdressingCompleted vocational training in hairdressing.
- Trade certificate in men's hairdressingQualified in both disciplines, before Norway combined men's and women's hairdressing into a single trade around 2010.
- Member of the hairdressing trade examination boardAssesses practical trade examinations for new hairdressers on behalf of Agder County Council.
- Co-owner of two salons in southern NorwayMore than 25 years of experience behind the chair and as an employer. She knows both sides of running a salon.
- Development support from Innovation NorwaySanasella was developed with ergonomics specialists and physiotherapists.
Manufacturing and service
Designed and made in Norway
Lena's husband, Geir Staddeland, leads manufacturing and service. Every Sanasella chair is assembled by hand in Norway and tested before it leaves for a salon.
Making the chairs ourselves gives us control over their quality. It also means you can speak to the people who made your chair when you need help.
Try the chair that saved Lena's career
We make Sanasella because no one's health should suffer because of their job.