Nils "Nisse" Strinning was born in 1917. He graduated from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, where after his studies he focused mainly on methods of plastic surface treatment of steel wires. Which was later used in the design of the String system.
The famous and above all infinitely variable String shelf system was created at the initiative of the large Swedish publishing house Bonnier, which announced a competition for the best shelf design.
So, Nisse started designing with his wife Kajsa, also known as Katja. In 1949, a simple, minimalist and affordable design consisting of two metal sides and three shelves placed between them saw the light of day.
From almost two hundred designs, String emerged as the winner. Mainly for its variability, airiness and timelessness, the design later won more than 15 other world design awards, it also became known as one of the most famous designs of Scandinavian design.
In 1952, the couple founded a company called String. Due to its great popularity, String system began to be imitated by other manufacturers, which eventually led to a lawsuit and resulted in the patenting of the Strinning couple's idea in 1961.
The couple then worked on the design of other variants and components of the shelf systems, which were either floor-standing or wall-mounted. You can also find the String system on the official website.