Updated at: 08-11-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

We tracked down the manufacturer of Elna sewing machines and learned that they are indeed a business. See below for a more in-depth analysis of this Swiss manufacturer and an examination of the machines’ dependability.

Please feel free to peruse our article on Elna sewing machine threading for further information on how to set up the model. In the end, it’s all on the user to make sure the system delivers as promised.

Who Manufactures Elna Sewing Machines?

In the name of Elna, the company produces sewing machines. Overlock, sewing, and embroidery machines are all available from the firm, which has been around since 1940.

Elna claims they were the first to market with a portable electric sewing machine that allowed the user to alter the length of the machine’s arm. After the success of the Elna Lotus, Elna continued to introduce ground-breaking new items, such as the Elna Supranatic.

The Elna Lotus is a lightweight and tiny sewing machine that was featured in the Museum of Modern Art’s (MOMA) Design Collection. At present, Elna’s lineup includes several models, including the eXplore, eXperience, and eXcellence, each of which is a high-quality electronic or mechanical sewing machine.

History of Elna Sewing Machines

The first model of the Elna sewing machine, which debuted in 1934, was designed by Dr. Ramon Casas Robert. An innovative free-arm design was used in the manufacturing of this machine.

A free-arm sewing machine differs from conventional models in that its bed is not flush with the floor. This makes it simple to manipulate the leg of a pant or sleeve on the machine.

Dr. Robert’s brilliant invention was a sewing machine, but his business ideas for using them failed. The outbreak of hostilities in the Spanish Civil War compelled him to leave Spain. It was fortunate for Elna that he was able to safely land in Switzerland.

In the beginning, Dr. Robert and his new Swiss partners called their company Electra, but they eventually renamed it to Elna. In 1940, Robert joined forces with the Tavaro gun firm to form what would become his successful enterprise. Tavaro, a Swiss business, specialized in the production of firearms, and hence had the expertise to make complex systems.

Elna 1 was Tavaro and Elna’s first machine, and it was debuted in 1940. This machine’s superb reputation is attributable to its high level of functionality and the quality of its Swiss construction.

However, the company’s aspirations to extend production internationally were hampered by World War II, despite the fact that the Elna 1 sold successfully initially.

After WWII ended in 1948, The Elna 1 was exported to a wider audience. A production line had the machine in it until. They kept coming up with new machines, patenting them, and selling them. Among these are the Elna Supermatic and the Lotus models, which remained popular with buyers throughout the 1960s.

What Happened to Elna Sewing Machines?

In the past, Bavaro owned the Elna label, which was formerly owned by Bavaro. The business introduced many Elna devices with built-in computers in the 1970s and 1980s. This resulted in higher sales all over the world, but the good times ended suddenly in the late 1990s.

Elna, like many European businesses of the same era, discovered that the global market of today was not welcoming. People in general become used to the benefits of mass-produced goods. Numerous traditional manufacturing facilities that prioritized quality above output were closed.

Elna suffered double losses as a result of higher production costs and falling domestic demand for sewing machines. As a result, Tavaro’s production methods fell behind the curve. They filed for bankruptcy in 1995.

Is Elna the Same as Janome?

Janome spent money on After Elna went bankrupt in the early 1990s, Janome purchased the rights to use the Elna brand in 2006. The company once known as Elna no longer exists. Janome does indeed stock a wide variety of Elna machines.

Janome benefited from the acquisition of Elna. The Swiss-based, European design staff was made available to the Japanese company. It’s true that Elna is still profitable, or else Janome wouldn’t be churning out so many Elna machines.

The latest designs for Elna sewing machines continue to be based on the company’s Swiss roots. However, rather than being made in a Swiss factory, the products are assembled in a number of East Asian countries. As is the case with most contemporary machines, the new Elna machines do not feature any solid metal pieces.

Unfortunately, modern sewing machines have to settle for being either simple or durable. A new model’s lifespan is unlikely to be longer than ten years. There’s a good chance that a used model will last another century or more.

Where Are Elna Sewing Machines Made?

Elna is a Swiss company. They produced the Elna 2 (also known as the Elna Supermatic) in Switzerland for public display that year. The ability to undo stitches on a home sewing machine was a first.

Elna, a design firm, is based in Switzerland at now. Elna sewing machines, on the other hand, are produced in Asia.

Elna machines are produced in Janome’s Thai, Japanese, and Taiwanese plants, hence the widespread distribution of these products. By contrast, Janome was founded in 1935 and is a Japanese company.

Are Elna And Janome The Same Company?

Since Janome owns Elna, Elna Sewing Machines can be manufactured in Janome facilities located all throughout Asia. The fact is that the lower prices of East Asian imports compared to European ones caused Elna’s popularity to decline.

The domain name Elna was first filed for in 1995. In 2006, Janome acquired controlling interest in Elna through a stock purchase. Elna’s company is still successful and has stellar customer service despite this.

Is Elna A Good Sewing Machine Brand?

In the present day, Elna continues to be a dependable brand of sewing machines. Several notable institutions have purchased sewing machines from the firm, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Museum of Design, and the Tekniska Museet in Sweden.

Here is a quick rundown of the evolution of their groundbreaking creations:

Elna 1

As its first model, the Elna 1 was green, it was nicknamed the Grasshopper. Introduced to the public in 1940, it experienced immediate commercial success.

Supermatic

Following the debut of the Elna 1 in 1940, Elna introduced the Elna 2 (also known as the Supermatic) in 1952. In contrast to the cumbersome machinery of the time, the Supermatic was the first gadget to use lightweight metal to enable portability.

The first backstitch sewing machine was the revolutionary Supermatic. The first sewing machine to backstitch was the Supermatic.

Elna Star

From 1964 until 1971, Elna produced the Elna Star series. Different needle locations, automated stitches, speed regulation, and six-function machines were all firsts for the era.

Elna Lotus

the Elna Lotus was created by designer Marcel Frezard. For the Museum of Modern Art, this miniature sewing machine was an unprecedented show.

The Elna Lotus has a hinged lid and a foldable, adjustable handle, allowing it to be incredibly portable. Because it unfolds like a lotus flower, that’s why it’s called a lotus.

Elna 5000

The Elna 5000 is the first fully computerized model from the company. Starting in 1986, the firm began producing overlocking machines, which they continued to do until the mid-1990s, when demand for European sewing machines began to decline.

Elna 6600

Janome started making models under their Swiss brand with the Elna6600 in 2004. Janome’s quilting machine is the Elna 6600.

Elna 7200

Elna unveiled their Elna 7200, a computerized sewing machine. Elna is a reputable name in the business world and the manufacturing sector.

Are Elna Sewing Machines Still Made?

Elna sewing machines are still being produced as recently as 2017, according to the company’s official website. Elna is a brand name associated with sewing machines in that price range. Production of Elna machines was taken over by Janome in 2004.

Janome’s founders made a good commercial decision by keeping the company’s design and production operations in Switzerland, which is located inside Europe. They’ve been able to take advantage of Elna’s stellar reputation for customer service and produce high-quality models thanks to this.

The Elna brand of sewing machines, which includes the Lotus series, is still being manufactured by the same business today. Models A and B show two distinct alternatives. Both include a variety of useful sewing features, making them great choices for any home.

Is Elna a Good Sewing Machine?

Products from the Elna Sewing Machine Company Testers of sewing machines to establish their quality, design, performance characteristics, and more have nothing but high praise for the Elna sewing machine range. The general view is that this machine has the same great quality and craftsmanship as when it was initially produced in the 1940s.

There has been an ongoing Elna Lotus series for almost 50 years. The fact that Janome has taken care of the high-quality machine that Elna produced says a lot about the company’s standards.

Sewing machines by Elna are often constructed of aluminum, making them more long-lasting than their plastic-made rivals. Metal, most likely steel, was used to construct the earliest machines, ensuring their durability and longevity.

The speed, tension, and ease with which it can be threaded have received nothing but praise. If the people who claim to benefit from Elna’s use are telling the truth, it’s clear that this is a fantastic piece of technology.

How Much Do Elna Sewing Machines Cost?

See what your local Elna dealer charges for their models by using their website’s dealer finder. There is no mention of price on the Janome or Elna websites, though you can read all about the model’s features and characteristics.

Elna’s official website is also a good resource for learning about the company’s discounts and deals. You may find information on their website about when sales and other promotions begin and conclude, including dates that may be extended for a few days.

Learn how to get the most out of your money by researching the features you need in a sewing machine.

Do Janome Bobbins Fit Elna Machines?

Finding the proper bobbin for your machine requires knowing its specifications. Class 15 bobbins, which are 11mm in height, should fit your Elna sewing machine if it was manufactured by Janome.

Do Elna as well as Janome the same firm?

For those who are familiar with the brand, they are a US-based manufacturer. Janome America, headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey, is the parent company of Janome America, which in turn owns the Swiss label Elna. All of the firm’s apparatus is manufactured at a single facility.

Old Elna Sewing Machine Parts

A good place to hunt for hard-to-find parts for your Elna sewing machine, like the cams for the Supermatic, is on internet marketplaces like eBay or sewpartsonline.com. The catch is that it can be difficult to locate the necessary components if you don’t know exactly what you need and want.

This is because finding a certain component for a sewing machine in an internet store usually requires knowing its exact name. In most cases, you’ll need to be able to provide the model number of the device in question.

The sewing machine manual that came with your old Elna should have some suggestions for fixing this. Check out the Elna installation guide in this thread if you don’t know where to find one. The handbook is a great resource for learning more about the sewing machine and its parts. There may also be Elna sewing machine part diagrams that might assist you figure out what each component does.

If you know your Elna machine’s version number, you can search YouTube to see if other home sewers have dissected your model. For those who get their kicks from seeing machinery in action, this should be a treat.

Conclusion

A conclusion has been reached. We recently learned that Elna, Inc. is the manufacturer of Elna sewing machines.

Elna sewing machines are now manufactured in Janome plants around Asia after the company bought the company. Yet Elna was a forward-thinking company that produced both groundbreaking sewing machines and museum-quality displays.