Igor Klaja founded the sportswear brand 4F in a garage in Krakow over 20 years ago, and today it competes successfully with global giants in the athletic apparel market. For many years, 4F served as a sponsor for the Polish Olympic Committee, operating over 350 stores and numerous partnership stands across Poland. The brand is also expanding into international markets, although it has faced significant challenges along the way.
Before building his successful business, Klaja drove a Fiat 126p and sold clothing at stadiums across the country. The son of a journalist and a store manager, he studied marketing and management at a private business school in Krakow, ultimately earning his diploma from the Academy of Physical Education in Krakow. To support himself, Klaja worked as a salesman in a sports store, gaining initial business experience. However, the journey was not easy; just two weeks before his high school graduation, he lost his father, leaving him with a monthly pension of 500 PLN and a small car, which he later replaced with a Lada Samara.
From Sleeping Bags to National Teams
Klaja’s first significant business venture in the 1990s involved manufacturing and selling sleeping bags and fleece jackets under the Outhorn brand. In 2003, he created the 4Fun brand, which operated under Horn Partner (now OTCF S.A.), and later evolved into 4F, the name under which the sportswear brand operates today.
Rather than selling clothing to hypermarkets like Outhorn, Klaja recognized a shift towards specialized stores and decided to pursue that route with 4F, despite previous challenges faced by other outdoor brands like Alpinus and Campus.
“Few people in the market dared to take such a step. We are globally one of the few sports brands that heavily invested in our own monobrand sales network. It paid off,” Klaja stated in a 2023 interview with “Puls Biznesu.” He also highlighted several crisis moments in the brand’s history, including the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. “I sometimes wish to live in a stable business situation, but in practice, I don’t know any conditions other than crisis,” he remarked.
A pivotal moment in 4F’s history was its collaboration with various sports organizations, including the Polish Ski Association. Associating the brand with athletes like Adam Małysz and Justyna Kowalczyk helped establish the 4F logo’s recognition beyond Poland’s borders. The brand’s popularity soared with the addition of Robert Lewandowski as an ambassador in 2021.
Klaja’s company also played a significant role as a sponsor for the Polish Olympic Committee, providing competition and representation uniforms for several Olympic Games, including Vancouver in 2010, Sochi in 2014, Pyeongchang in 2018, Beijing in 2022, and summer games in London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016, and Tokyo 2020. Furthermore, 4F outfitted Polish teams at the European Games in Baku 2015, Minsk 2019, and Krakow Małopolska in 2023, among other major sporting events. Over time, 4F has evolved into a sports brand that not only sells clothing but also sets trends in fashion, similar to global brands like Nike and Adidas.
1.5 Billion PLN Revenue with Potential for More
Igor Klaja was listed among Poland’s wealthiest individuals for several years. In 2022, he ranked 74th on Forbes’ rich list, with an estimated fortune of 1.15 billion PLN. Although he later dropped off the list partly due to the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine, he remains part of Poland’s elite wealthy. His company generates annual revenues of 1.5 billion PLN and sells in nearly 50 countries, including Romania, Qatar, the UK, Germany, Singapore, the USA, and Australia. This was a crucial goal for Klaja, who expressed his ambition for broader market expansion in interviews, saying, “We have done wonderful things in Poland, and this is our business foundation, but I am interested in a much wider market.”
“I dream of 4F becoming an international brand, and I see myself as the head of a global holding,” Klaja said in a conversation with “PB.”
Recently, Klaja has spent less time in Poland, reportedly owning a home in Portugal where he spends several months a year. He also visits China, which he has referred to as “my second home” on social media.
Regarding the brand’s future, Klaja has new plans focusing on specialized products and a shift from lifestyle back to sports. He also intends to make a strong entry into motorsports and volleyball.
For entrepreneurs facing crisis moments, Klaja advises continuous learning about business and never becoming complacent. “I think I perform best under pressure, in conditions that require stepping out of my comfort zone. Comfort would demotivate me,” he concluded in his interview with “Puls Biznesu.”
