It Started with a Stick....... In 1995 Light My Fire's founder, Michael Odqvist, came across an age-old secret - "MayaSticks". He was fascinated by the sheer brilliance of this resinous kindling. Not only was it a quick, easy and reliable way to get a fire going, the sticks were also completely natural, produced from waste - the stumps left from felled pine trees - by locals in Guatemala. By starting fair trade production on a larger scale, Michael helped 400 of these descendents of Maya Indians make more money so that they were able to start sending their children to school. In 1996, they found the perfect match to - the magnesium fire-starter that was developed and used by the Swedish Army. Not only was the Swedish FireSteel a great product in itself, it also was an unbeatable combination with the TinderSticks.
Light My Fire also realized there was a lot more potential in the outdoor field. Most equipment was plain and drab brown, black and green. With the help of the legendary brand specialist Claes Andréasson (Absolut Vodka) and the successful copywriter Steve Strid, Light My Fire turned into a brand. At the same time, Calill Odqvist, Michael's daughter, who had worked for the company since the early days, became their CEO. From this point forward premium-quality outdoor products designed with a smile and a whole palette of color was their business.