Behind the Design with BeSafe

With over 100 years of history, BeSafe are more than just a family-owned business.

They have been creating car seats with a uniquely strong focus on rear-facing safety travel systems since 1963 which is why the all-new BeSafe Stretch car seat is transforming the way little one's ride on car journeys. 

There’s so much to discover about BeSafe’s design process, which is why we’ve spoken to the team behind the brand to unveil all that’s gone into making the BeSafe Stretch car seat…

The BeSafe Story

The BeSafe story started in Norway, 1919 with the Torgersen family who first produced horse saddles.

It wasn’t until 1959 that this family-owned company began creating products for car interiors and soon the BeSafe name that we know, was born.

Since then, BeSafe pride themselves on creating high quality child car seats with a precise focus on safety and comfort. They’ve been able to meet customers' needs in changing with the times and adapting to the modern lifestyle.

From humble beginnings, they’ve made sure innovation has always been at the forefront of their operations, and still operate from their main office in Norway today.

BeSafe Stretch

With over 50 years of expertise in car seat manufacturing and championing rear-face riding, BeSafe’s latest line the Stretch, is impressively designed for little ones 6 months up to 7 years making it a multi-stage car seat.

Safety

The BeSafe Stretch has safety at its core, with excellent scores on the toughest crash tests such as the Swedish Plus Test. Designed to perform well in crash tests, even with the heaviest test doll. The external frame of this product bears force during a frontal impact and doesn’t allow any damage!

Comfort

Yet it offers fantastic legroom space of 125cm to accommodate older children. In fact, the BeSafe Stretch is the first car seat to bear the weight of 36 kg and enough leg space for older children.

Sustainability

The BeSafe Stretch includes durable materials such as aluminium meaning it has a longer life cycle of around 15 years. After this time, the materials used are recyclable and easy to disassemble.

Flexibility

Brilliant for using with children of multiple ages, the BeSafe Stretch is a flexible solution. As a belt-installed car seat, it allows for more room to fit car seats side by side for siblings, as well as avoiding the need for an ISOFIX compliant car.  Plus, it’s also great for grandparents who need a car seat to cater for different aged passengers.

Q&A with Okke van Mourik, Director of New Product Development at BeSafe

How would you best describe BeSafe design?

BeSafe is brilliant in safety performance, with a high focus on usability and comfort for parents and child. Safety is our main driver, always!

How is the safety of a product integrated into the design process?

The safety performance is the starting point of the development process, we start to develop the chassis of the seat which should fulfil all safety requirements in 3D CAD programs and test it in virtual crash test simulations.

When we have proven the required high safety level, we continue with all the functionality and design.

Tell us about sustainable innovation and how it also plays a part in BeSafe's design process?

Sustainability is an integral part of the complete development process, where we focus on materials, easy repair, and easy possibility for refurbishment to enlarge the lifetime of the product.

For BeSafe Stretch we can now guarantee 15 years lifetime which is the best way to make it more sustainable.

BeSafe's latest R129 and Swedish Plus Tested car seat is named the Stretch, why is this?

The name of the Stretch refers to the long usage time, from 6 months till +/- 7 years; during this usage period, we stretch the usage period, by stretching the headrest to a high position and the leg space by stretching the front brace to facilitate more leg space.

The BeSafe Stretch is described to offer market-leading leg space, how does this provide long-lasting safety for little ones?

Creating comfort is very relevant to convince children and their parents to remain sitting rear facing as long as possible. 

By offering enough leg space (and enough space and comfort in the seat) you tick off all the boxes to have the arguments to keep your children really rear facing till they are 125 cm. (+/- 7 years old).

What state of the art functionality does the BeSafe stretch offer families?

Superior safety performance by a specially developed Exo frame which transfers all forces in a crash situation in the most effective way.

BeSafe Stretch also offers long time usage till 125 cm and not to forget the stature height (with the leg space and with the necessary high weight limitation of 35 kg.)

Further, Stretch offers an easy belt installation with unique tensioner for very stable installation.

Want to find out more?

Connect with one of our nursery specialists if you have any questions on the BeSafe Stretch car seat. You can do this either through our chat function or via one-way video call and all from the comfort of your own home!

You can also visit the Surrey store to receive your free car seat fitting service with a variety of BeSafe car seats including the BeSafe iZi Flex Fix, BeSafe iZi Go Modular and the BeSafe iZi Turn B.