Anna's vision

Shyness was founded in 2009 by Anna Bilén, who has many years of experience in the textile industry. She was looking for an alternative to the conventional manufacturing model, which is heavily driven by profit margins and the constant introduction of new collections. Her idea was to demonstrate that manufacturing models could be changed through thoughtful decisions about design and textile production processes, from the initial concept all the way through to the finished product reaching the customer. The result was Shyness, which has been creating collections of long-lasting textiles for the bedroom and the dining table since 2009.

From the very beginning, Shyness adopted a model based on collections with timeless designs, created to be used and appreciated for many years. For us, it is important to select the right materials for each product while keeping transport distances as short as possible to minimise environmental impact. Our promise is that our designs and textiles will last for many years. The timeline below illustrates how our patterns have evolved over time and how they reflect this philosophy.

Responsibility and longevity

Shyness's philosophy is to take a long-term approach in every aspect of our work. We consider the relationship between the environment, ethics and economics, and our ambition is to continuously improve and become more thorough in everything we do. As the world changes and new technologies emerge, we remain attentive to these developments and incorporate relevant advances into our collections and throughout our business, striving for meaningful and lasting improvements.

We are constantly looking for new solutions to further refine our materials and production methods. This is an ongoing process, working with focus and close collaboration to achieve improvements throughout the entire production chain.

Design and Product Development We are proud to offer timeless design and durable materials. These form the foundation for a product's long lifespan, which we consider essential to reducing overconsumption. Our designs are timeless yet feel contemporary, making them equally suited to modern homes. Throughout our design and development process, we set a number of requirements that each product must meet to become part of our collection:

• Each product must have a design and an expression that stand the test of time, allowing it to remain relevant for many years.

• New additions to our collections must complement our existing range. This means that customers wishing to add, for example, a new pillowcase can continue using their previously purchased textiles while easily incorporating new designs.

• Our textiles must withstand repeated washing while retaining their colour and shape. For our bed linen, it is equally important that sleeping comfort is maintained over time, ensuring that the products remain comfortable to use for many years.

Packaging We choose to keep our packaging as simple as possible, using it only for textiles that require protection during transport or in-store handling. Our duvet covers and pillowcases are therefore supplied in a thin plastic bag and folded around a cardboard insert.

By minimising our use of packaging, we make transport more efficient, avoid transporting unnecessary materials and reduce packaging waste. The thin plastic bag should be sorted for plastic recycling, while the cardboard insert should be sorted for paper and cardboard recycling.

Manufacturing Printing and sewing of Shyness textiles take place within the EU. Our range of bed linen and table textiles is predominantly produced in the Baltic States. This proximity allows us to maintain close oversight of quality and human rights, ensuring that our manufacturers meet the high standards we set and comply with our Code of Conduct.

Locating printing and sewing within Europe offers several advantages:

• Short transport distances.

• Short lead times, allowing us to adapt production to demand and thereby avoid excess stock.

We maintain close dialogue with our manufacturers and have a thorough understanding of the production process, from fibre to finished product. Requirements concerning chemicals and dyes form part of our work with suppliers and are followed up through inspections and checks.

For products certified according to OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, information about the certification and the corresponding certificate is available on each product page. The certification means that the product has been tested for harmful substances according to OEKO-TEX® criteria.

Engagement We engage in matters concerning the future of the textile industry to expand our knowledge, share our expertise and continually develop our own work.

In 2026, Shyness is participating in a Nordic project focusing on digital product passports, together with 25 other brands from the fashion, furniture and interior design sectors. As part of the project, we have developed our first digital product passport prototype for our Destiny Superior bed linen. The prototype is featured in an exhibition at the Textile Fashion Center in Borås. Find out more here >>

Our engagement goes back many years. In 2019, Anna Bilén, founder of Shyness, participated in a scientific study on sustainability conducted by Sara Lindeberg, a textile engineer and Master's student at the Swedish School of Textiles in Borås. Read the report here >>

Shyness and Anna have also participated in the Swedish government initiative Textile & Fashion 2030. Find out more about this work through Textile & Fashion 2030.

Read about Anna's journey and the challenges she has faced in the article “Terrified? That's OK”, published by Textile & Fashion 2030.