KKNEKKI

KKNEKKI is a hair-accessory brand specialising in woven hair ties, owned and operated from Oslo by the Norwegian family company Bon Dep AS. The brand carries the tagline "the original" and the marking "EST. 1987," a date that points to the weaving technique's beginnings in South Korea rather than the present Norwegian company [2]. According to the company, the original idea was to make a hair tie that is at once gentle and long-lasting, and the brand frames itself today as a meeting of Korean haircare heritage and Scandinavian design.

The brand remains active. Its products are sold through roughly 6,000 retail stockists, most of them in Europe, alongside direct sales through its own website [2]. Public visibility rose sharply after the Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland was repeatedly photographed wearing the ties, and in April 2024 he acquired a minority stake in the parent company [10].

KKNEKKI describes two distinct points of origin. The company states that the hair tie's weaving method "was originally founded in South Korea" in 1987, where the aim was a band that held firmly without snagging or breaking hair [2]. The present company, Bon Dep AS, is a separate and later venture: it was established in Oslo in 2012 by Vibeke Grønseth, initially as a wholesaler of interior goods [10]. The Telegraph reported that the company "came to hair-ties late," having first sold "pillows in Liberty fabric, knobs, and small toiletry bags" before moving into accessories [10].

These two dates sit in tension. The brand presents 1987 as its founding year, tied to the Korean weaving operation, while the Norwegian entity that owns and runs KKNEKKI today dates to 2012 [10]. The brand site does not name the original Korean founders; the founder credited in press coverage is Vibeke Grønseth of Bon Dep AS [11]. The brand is, in this sense, bi-origin: a Korean production heritage now carried by a Norwegian owner.

The core range is hair ties in two main forms. The company describes the Regular tie as its original design, suited to all hair types and offering a non-slip hold without pulling or breakage, and the Slim tie as a thinner version for finer hair with the same snag-free qualities. The line is offered in a wide spread of colours and seasonal editions, with the company citing more than 700 colour combinations and new collections twice a year.

Production is the brand's central story. Each tie is made on vintage knitting machines from the 1960s that were originally built to weave durable upholstery bands for furniture, maintained, the company says, by a dedicated machine maker. Every tie is woven from more than 60 individual threads, a construction the brand presents as the source of its durability and softness. The assembly glue is imported from Germany, which the company explains by saying it settles "for nothing less than the best." The finished ties are manufactured in Vietnam and China at factories the brand says specialise in durable design [3].

KKNEKKI positions itself as a premium independent brand built on intentional craftsmanship rather than fast fashion. The company describes its identity as a fusion of "the innovative spirit and beauty heritage of Korean haircare" with "the clean lines and thoughtful approach of Scandinavian design," and states that "every element is intentional," from its South Korean roots to its Scandinavian direction and European materials. Its stated values centre on products that are gentle, made with care and made to last.

The parent company addresses sustainability through Norwegian and international compliance frameworks rather than product certifications. Bon Dep AS states that it complies with the Norwegian Transparency Act, which concerns business respect for fundamental human rights and decent working conditions, and that it follows the ten principles of the UN Global Compact across human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption [4]. Suppliers are required to sign declarations covering areas such as social dumping, health and safety, climate and diversity. The company frames quality and longevity as its main environmental argument, with the stated aim of reducing the waste generated by the fashion industry. No third-party certification or vegan or cruelty-free claim is made on the brand's pages.

KKNEKKI's wider recognition is closely tied to football. Erling Haaland, the Norwegian Manchester City striker, has worn the ties since his time at Borussia Dortmund, and the brand's visibility grew after Manchester City and Premier League social accounts shared close-up images of his hair in 2023 and 2024. In April 2024 Haaland became a minority shareholder in Bon Dep AS, a move covered by The Telegraph, OneFootball and others; reporting at the time put the company's annual revenue at the equivalent of around £7 million and credited the investment with helping drive that growth [10]. Announcing the stake, Haaland said the product "has been my go-to hair tie for years, and it is undoubtedly the best in the world" [10]. The same coverage linked a broader "man-bun" trend among footballers to rising sales across Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. A 2026 lifestyle feature in nss sports also noted other footballers, including Michael Olise and Anthony Gordon, in connection with the brand's wider culture [8].

KKNEKKI is active. As of 2026 it was sold through roughly 6,000 retailers, maintained active Instagram and TikTok accounts, continued seasonal product releases and carried a current copyright notice on its site, with recent editorial coverage appearing in May 2026 [8].