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Glerups: How a Pair of Slippers Sparked a Global Business

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Post by Nanna

Interview: Glerups

It all began with a pair of slippers made with love. Today, Glerups is a global brand—and with pensopay as their payment partner, customers from around the world can shop with ease and confidence.

 

What is Glerups?

Glerups is a Danish company that produces wool slippers using natural materials and traditional craftsmanship. It all started when Nanny Glerup, owner of Glerups, felted wool from her own Gotland sheep to make a pair of slippers for her husband, Ove Glerup, the company’s founder. Word quickly spread, and today Glerups ships its slippers to customers across the globe.

We visited Glerups' headquarters, set on a beautiful countryside farm just outside Gedsted—right where the adventure began.

Joakim Johansen and Christina Flindt Bjerg Albæk, who now lead the company’s finance and marketing operations, share the story of Glerups, their values, and how they run a modern online business rooted in Danish entrepreneurship.

See our visit to Glerups.

How Glerups Slippers Became Outdoor-Ready

The first slippers were simple and soleless. Later, a leather sole was added for more durability and comfort. But it wasn’t until a group of surfers in California fell in love with the slippers that the need for a sturdier option arose. After long days on the water, they wore the slippers to warm their feet—but sand and salt water were tough on the leather.

That’s when the idea of a natural rubber sole came to life—resulting in a comfortable slipper with outdoor durability. Today, it’s a favorite among surfers, campers, and anyone who wants to take their cozy slippers beyond the living room.

“The Old Lady” and the Pandemic: Two Unexpected Milestones in Glerups’ Journey

Glerups has hit many milestones over the years, but Joakim and Christina point to two that were especially pivotal.

The first came with the purchase of a legendary felting machine—now affectionately known as “The Old Lady.” Nanny Glerup discovered the machine during a trip to England at a hat factory that had gone bankrupt. Convinced of its potential, she called Ove and suggested borrowing money to buy it.

Ove immediately saw the opportunity. Instead of borrowing the 40,000 DKK needed, they borrowed 50,000 to cover transport too. The investment proved invaluable. “The Old Lady” is still in use today—now at Glerups' factory in Romania—alongside “The New Lady” and their latest addition, Dilo, a high-tech upgrade. These machines allow Glerups to maintain its signature production process and deliver high-quality slippers to customers worldwide.

A Digital Breakthrough During the Pandemic

Another major milestone came during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world shut down and working from home became the norm, Glerups got unexpected media exposure.

A New York Times journalist received a pair of Glerups as a gift and loved them so much that she wrote an article titled “The Best Gift I Ever Got.” Shortly after, a Forbes writer tested various slippers for home office wear and crowned Glerups “Best Home-office shoe/slipper.”

Traffic to the Glerups website skyrocketed—just when consumers were shifting their spending from party clothes to comfort. “People weren't buying outfits for parties they couldn’t attend. It was all about takeout and cozy homewear,” says Christina Flindt Bjerg Albæk, Glerups.

The pandemic became a digital gamechanger for Glerups, giving e-commerce a central role in the company’s growth strategy.

Joakim and Christina also share several milestones and exciting details about how Glerups has evolved over the years – watch the full interview here.

A Legacy of Respect for Animals, People, and Nature

For Glerups, it's never just been about making cozy wool slippers—it’s about doing so with respect for animals, people, and the environment. Wool, or as they call it, “nature’s gold,” has always been at the heart of the brand’s identity. Founders Ove and Nanny Glerup believed in self-sufficiency and using natural materials in their production.

 

“The philosophy of simplicity and respect for materials still shapes everything we do. Even here at the office, the wood in the shelves came from the old chicken coop, and the wire holding the slippers once belonged to the sheep fence.”
 
- Christina Flindt Bjerg Albæk, Glerups.


Working with honest, natural materials remains a core value at Glerups—one that still fills the team with pride.

Why Glerups Chose pensopay

At Glerups, long-term relationships matter—just as they do here at pensopay. So when the time came to choose a new payment partner for their online store, the match felt natural.

“We value honesty and direct communication—and so does pensopay. That fits perfectly with a Northern Jutland company like ours,” Joakim Johansen, Glerups.

The partnership began through a network referral—and has since grown into much more than just a tech solution

1. Secure Payments & a Smooth Customer Experience

For Glerups, a payment system should do more than process transactions. It should run seamlessly and ensure a safe, friction-free checkout experience every time.

“When our customers are eager to get their slippers, the system has to work—no excuses,” Christina Flindt Bjerg Albæk, Glerups.

2. Collaboration & Expert Advice Add Value

The real difference, Joakim explains, lies in the close dialogue and helpful advice they get from pensopay.

“What we really appreciate is the ongoing guidance—both for existing and new markets,” Joakim Johansen, Glerups.

3. Reliable Support in Everyday Operations

Expectations are simple: it has to work—always.

“We expect it to run smoothly at all times. And if there’s ever trouble in paradise, we know pensopay will jump in and solve it fast,” Christina Flindt Bjerg Albæk, Glerups.

A big thank you to Joakim and Christina for welcoming us and sharing your story. We're proud to call Glerups our partner—and we’re excited to follow your continued journey.

Best of luck on the road ahead—we’ll be cheering you on!

Team pensopay

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