Jart Skateboards: The European Brand That Revolutionized Skateboard Manufacturing

Jart Skateboards is one of the most important and respected European brands in the history of modern skateboarding. Over the years, the Spanish brand has built an outstanding reputation thanks to its top-quality boards, in-house production, and authentic skateboarding that continues to evolve at the highest level.

When we talk about Jart, we’re not just talking about a skateboard brand. We’re talking about one of the companies that has completely changed the perception of “Made in Europe” boards. Today, countless skaters around the world associate Jart with quality, durability, pop, and professional reliability.

The brand’s history officially began in 2001 thanks to the Iraola brothers, two skateboarding enthusiasts who grew up in a family with deep roots in the timber industry and industrial woodworking. This background allowed them to quickly enter the skateboard manufacturing industry with a significant advantage over many other emerging brands of the time.

From the very beginning, the Iraola brothers’ goal was very clear: to control every stage of production to create skateboards that were increasingly high-performing and meticulously crafted down to the smallest detail. Jart’s early productions were still far from today’s perfection, but they already showed a clear direction and a tremendous desire to improve year after year.

The first boards quickly began circulating in Spanish skate shops and subsequently throughout Europe. Many skaters immediately noticed the sturdiness of Jart decks and their incredibly competitive value for money.

Over time, the boards became increasingly lighter, more responsive, and more durable, eventually reaching production standards now considered among the best in the world.

HLC Distribution: the European giant born from Jart Skateboards

With Jart’s growth, HLC Distribution was also founded, now one of the largest and most influential skateboard distributors in Europe. The HLC project likely represents one of the most significant industrial developments ever to occur in European skateboarding.

Thanks to the experience gained in building Jart boards, the Iraola brothers gradually began producing for other international skateboard brands as well. Production quality reached such high levels that many historic brands decided to entrust their manufacturing to HLC’s factories.

Among the brands produced or distributed by HLC are major names like Plan B Skateboards, Flip Skateboards, Sk8mafia, Cruzade, Sovrn, and many other international brands. When companies of this caliber choose to manufacture in Europe with HLC, it means the quality standards achieved are truly exceptional.

Today, having a “Made in Europe” board represents enormous added value. HLC production is known for rigorous quality control, precise pressing, long-lasting pop, and modern constructions designed for increasingly technical and heavy-duty skateboarding.

Decks must be lightweight yet durable, responsive yet stable, sturdy yet with a crisp, immediate pop. Jart and HLC have managed to strike this near-perfect balance thanks to years of research, development, and continuous investment in production technologies.

In addition to decks, HLC also produces wheels, bearings, grip tape, hardware, tools, and skateboarding accessories of the highest quality. Brands like Mosaic Bearings have become famous precisely because of the quality developed within the HLC universe.

Jart Skateboards: Production Quality and Graphic Identity

One of the aspects that has always set Jart Skateboards apart is its ability to combine high technical performance with a strong graphic and stylistic identity. Over the years, Jart’s collections have consistently featured clean, modern, and instantly recognizable graphics.

The brand has collaborated with renowned entities such as Playboy, Pool Before Death, and many other artistic projects that have helped build a strong, international image.

Jart boards are produced with various concave profiles designed to suit every skateboarding style. From softer, mellow concaves to more aggressive high-concave versions, every skater can find the ideal feel based on their technical preferences.

Over the years, Jart has continued to invest heavily in materials research and production technologies. New presses, advanced glues, and drying processes now allow for the creation of extremely sturdy boards that are resistant to chipping and have a longer lifespan than many traditional products.

All boards are individually inspected during the pressing and sanding stages. This type of manufacturing allows HLC to maintain extremely high quality standards even on very large production runs.

A team that has raised the bar higher and higher

The Jart Skateboards team has been one of the strongest and most respected in the European scene for years. The brand has always championed technical, fast, and aggressive skateboarding, building a team composed of top-tier riders.

The team includes pros like Sergio Muñoz, Denny Pham, Adrien Boulard, Gustavo Ribeiro, Carlos Zarazua, Iván Rivado, and many other skaters who have helped propel the brand to an increasingly high international level in recent years.

Among the new generation, riders like Mark Frölich stand out—a German skater who has become famous for technical tricks, heavy handrails, and an extremely original selection of spots. His video parts perfectly showcase the modern evolution of European skateboarding.

Jart Skateboards’ videoography is impressive. Over the past 15 years, the brand has produced some of the best European skate videos ever made. Videos like “All You Need” from 2011 or “The Am Project” from 2014 have become true benchmarks for the international skate scene.

Tours across Europe, massive spots, technical tricks, and increasingly advanced skateboarding have solidified the Jart team’s reputation. The riders’ skill level continues to rise year after year, and today the brand stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the American skateboarding giants.

The new Jart Skateboards team: contests, street skating, and new global talent

In recent years, Jart Skateboards has completely revamped its team, building an international lineup full of young, technical riders who are already key players on the global skateboarding scene. The Spanish brand continues to invest in the future of skateboarding by supporting skaters with a modern, creative, and increasingly competitive style.

The team features Danny León, one of the most respected European skaters of recent years, famous for his incredible control, technical lines, and a fluid style that adapts perfectly to both contests and the most creative street skating.

Alongside him stands out Ginwoo Onodera, a very young Japanese talent who has already impressed the international skateboarding world with extremely technical tricks, incredible consistency, and major achievements despite his young age.

Jart’s modern roster also includes Gabriela Mazetto, a Brazilian rider making an increasingly prominent mark on the global scene thanks to her powerful, technical, and modern skateboarding, as well as Spain’s Joan Galceran, a skater capable of blending European style, creativity, and technical tricks on any type of street spot.

Representing the future of the brand is also Alain Kortabitarte, a very young talent who confirms Jart Skateboards’ and HLC’s commitment to continuing to build an international skateboarding scene that is increasingly advanced, technical, and progressive.

This new team perfectly demonstrates how much Jart Skateboards has grown in recent years. Today, the brand is not only one of the world’s leading skateboard manufacturers but also a company capable of developing top-tier international riders and competing globally in both contests and modern street skateboarding.

Why Skate a Jart Skateboards Deck Today

One of the main reasons to choose Jart Skateboards is that the brand directly controls its own production. Today, very few skateboard brands in the world actually manufacture their own decks in-house.

This allows Jart to have total control over materials, quality, shape, and the technologies used. With the level of modern skateboarding constantly rising, having high-performance and durable boards has become essential.

Jart has also been committed for years to environmental sustainability and sourcing wood from controlled and protected forests. European production also allows for greater control over environmental impact compared to many production facilities located in other parts of the world.

The new HLC factory located near San Sebastian uses modern presses and advanced technologies that allow for the production of decks with extremely precise and consistent final quality.

In addition to classic popsicle decks, HLC also produces top-tier cruisers, longboards, and surfskates. Brands like YOW Surfskate have completely revolutionized the world of surf training thanks to innovative systems developed right within HLC’s production facilities.

Today, Jart stands as one of the most solid, modern, and respected European players in the global skateboard business.

Jart Skateboards online shop at Pleasures Milano

At Pleasures Milano, you’ll find a selection of Jart Skateboards decks, complete skateboards, and accessories curated by real skaters with over 25 years of hands-on skateboarding experience.

If you’re looking for a high-performance, durable board built to some of the world’s highest manufacturing standards, Jart is one of the most reliable brands you can choose today.

Our team can help you select the ideal setup based on your skill level, your skateboarding style, and how you plan to use the board.

Pleasures Milano has been supporting skateboard culture since 1999 with authentic experience, technical expertise, and a genuine passion lived out every day on the streets, in skateparks, and during real sessions.