Company history

Solid in traditional upholstery, forward-thinking in attitude

Johann Bretz founded the company in 1895. Since then, every piece of upholstery to leave the workshop in Gensingen, Rhine Hessen, has been a handmade one-of-a-kind. A great deal of passion and courage have been key to ensuring the business’s ability to withstand long-term the challenges of history; from the total destruction of the factory in World War 2, through the economic recession of 1986, to the rescue of the company by the brothers Norbert and Hartmut Bretz in the following year. In 2010, Hartmut’s daughter, Carolin, came on board, initially as a designer. At the time, she didn’t realise that her passion would grow to such an extent that one day she would not only design the product, but also shape the company’s culture and future. Since 2018, she has shared the management of the company with her uncle Norbert.

1895

Johann Bretz went into business manufacturing mattresses and set up his first factory in Gensingen in Rhine Hessen. His son, Alexander, expanded the product range to include upholstery. After World War 2, he had to rebuild the factory, completely destroyed by war, from scratch.

1973

Karl-Fritz Bretz, Alexander’s son, experienced both the company’s heyday in the mid-70s, when it had 1600 employees, and its subsequent demise in 1986 due to the economic crisis.

1987

Karl-Fritz Bretz founded the company with 5 employees, ushering in a new era.

1992

THE TRANSFORMATION

‚Actually, it was absolutely crazy‘, says Norbert Bretz on the decision to rescue the company together with his brother, Hartmut, in 1992. The brothers‘ involvement marked the beginning of the fourth generation. They believed in soft contours and strong shapes, making the company what it is today: a luxury brand and a champion of overstatement – super king-sized, super colourful, extravagant and, as such, successful and distinctive all over the world.

2017

GERMAN BRAND AWARD 2017 GOLD INTERIOR & LIVING
In Berlin, at the end of June, Bretz was awarded the German Brand Award Gold in the category
‚Industry Excellence in Branding‘, the highest accolade for successful brand launching in Germany.

2018

Carolin Kutzera, Hartmut Bretz’s daughter, replaces her father in the management of the company. Now in the fifth generation, the design graduate, already working in the company as Creative Director, joins the management on completion of her MBA and runs the company together with Norbert Bretz.