8/7/2019 Iittala is a Finnish Design Company

1/3

Iittala is a Finnishdesign company specialising in houseware objects made on the principle

of "modern Scandinavian design". [The official logo of the Company is all in lower case - iittala.(See

the link to the Company's webpage at the end of this article.) Using upper case for the initial i cancause some confusion as it may be mistaken for an L.] The Iittala Group consists of a number ofbusinesses within its portfolio of operations: Arabia, Hackman, Iittala, BodaNova, Hgans Keramik,Rrstrand and Hyang-Polaris.

The most famous products to be fabricated by the Iittala company are the glassware designs ofFinnish architect Alvar Aalto, such as the so-called Aalto Vase (or Savoy vase) from 1936, and theglassware designs ofTimo Sarpaneva, who started designing glassware for the company in 1950. In1956 Sarpaneva designed the Iittala i-logo. The company also sells glass birds designed by OivaToikka.

Brief history

The founding of the Iittala company is said to date to 1881, when a glass factory was founded

by Swede Petrus Magnus Abrahamsson. The first workforce had to be brought from Sweden due tothe lack of skilled glassblowers in Finland.

In 1917, the company was bought upby timber refinery company A. Ahlstrm,who also owned the Karhula glass factory.These combined to become the Karhula-Iittala glass factory up until the 1950s. Atfirst the factory specialised mostly in bottlesfor chemists and for holding lamp oil,though there was also some production ofdomestic items.

In the 1920s and 1930s, the companyexpanded into more experimental andartistic ventures, as well as producing moredomestic products. One of the first majorsuccesses was the glassware designed byAino Aalto, followed later by the glasswareof Alvar Aalto.

During the Winter Warand the Continuation War, part of the Second World War, productioncame to a halt due to shortages of materials and workforce. Production restarted in 1946. Iittalaenjoyed continued success up until the oil crisis of the mid-1970s, when it had to cut back on itsoperations. Sales of their products in Finland were also continuosuly under competition from the evergrowing import of foreign glassware.

In 1987, A. Ahlstrm sold Iittala to the Wrtsil company, which owned the greater share oftheNuutajrvi glass factory in Urjala. Iittala was combined with the Nuutajrvi glass factory tobecome the Iittala-Nuutjrvi company. This company was bought by the Hackman company in 1990 -and at the same time they also bought other homeware manufacturers, Arabia and Rrstrand-Gustavsberg. In 2003 the company became known as Iittala, and in 2004 they came under theownership of ABN AMRO Capital. Since 2007, Iittala is 97 percent owned by Fiskars, while itsoperative management holds 3 percent of the shares.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabia_(company)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BodaNova&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6gan%C3%A4s_Keramikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B6rstrandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=H%C3%B8yang-Polaris&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvar_Aaltohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aalto_Vasehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timo_Sarpanevahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oiva_Toikkahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oiva_Toikkahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahlstromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karhulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aino_Aaltohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuation_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahlstromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%A4rtsil%C3%A4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nuutaj%C3%A4rvi&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urjalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiskarshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_designhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabia_(company)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BodaNova&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6gan%C3%A4s_Keramikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B6rstrandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=H%C3%B8yang-Polaris&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvar_Aaltohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aalto_Vasehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timo_Sarpanevahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oiva_Toikkahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oiva_Toikkahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahlstromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karhulahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aino_Aaltohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuation_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahlstromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C3%A4rtsil%C3%A4http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nuutaj%C3%A4rvi&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urjalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiskarshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland

8/7/2019 Iittala is a Finnish Design Company

2/3

Iittala Design Philosophy

For a long time, Iittala has been part of anongoing revolution. This is based on the beliefthat all human beings can make conscious choicesin everyday life. Choosing objects that will last indesign and quality will please our senses andcreate harmony in our everyday lives. Fortunately,this is also a choice for a more sustainable society,and against buying short-lived things destined forthe rubbish bin.

The heart ofIittalas design philosophyis formulated along Kaj Francks early thinking.According to Franck, objects should always beappropriate, durable and functional. This is why one of the most important functions of design is tomake sure that objects designed for everyday use should be universally usable.

Even earlier than Franck, Alvar Aalto made waves in the 1930s when the now iconic Aaltovase was first presented at the Paris World Exhibition. With this mysterious form he made arevolutionary statement against industrial production that failed to meet human needs.

The Iittala design philosophy defines the principles behind our product development. Theseprinciples include, in addition to pure functionalism, the qualities of essentialism and emotionalism,which ensures that all objects are both highly usable and that their design will remain relevant in thelong-term. For lasting everyday design against throwawayism, we create eternally relevant andcontemporary design that responds to universal human needs.

It is in the natural flow of things, however, that all objects will not last forever; they mightbreak or colors and sizes in the assortment might change. But as all Iittala objects are designed to becombinable, even though all variations might not be offered all the time, any new purchases will stillfit with existing and future Iittala objects. This allows you to build and refresh your own personalIittala collection endlessly over time.

Today

The Iittala Group is a leading company in modern Scandinavian design. The Group has a

strong position on its home markets in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark with its brands

Arabia, Hackman, Iittala, Fiskars, BodaNova, Hgans Keramik, Rrstrand, Raadvad and Hyang-

Polaris. Internationally, Iittala Group focuses on creating growth through the Iittala brand and the

Iittala stores and employs approximately 1,400 employees. Iittala Group is part of the international

Fiskars Corporation.

Started near a lake in the Finnish village called Iittala in 1881 were the factory was built and

also were all essentials were close to their hands; such as wood, water and sand those were theiringredients. Today iittala continues to create glassware that is as attractive as it is functional. Its brand

encompasses a range of glassware, cookware and art pieces that continue to push boundaries in the

name of ingenuity.

Opinions

As we all know Iittala has a really great history that has been shared with the people fromFinland for more than one hundred years. During this time the personnel working at Iittala tried to

http://www.finnishdesign.com/images/stories/iittala-philosphy/iittala-anio-500.jpghttp://www.finnishdesign.com/images/stories/iittala-philosphy/iittala-ruby-500.jpghttp://www.finnishdesign.com/images/stories/iittala-philosphy/iittala-teema-origo-mix-500.jpghttp://www.finnishdesign.com/images/stories/iittala-philosphy/iittala-essence-500.jpg

8/7/2019 Iittala is a Finnish Design Company

3/3

enchant our eyes with beautiful designs made by hand. Even if the products are a little expensivesometime everyone wants to have a Iittala in their home especially the Finnish people, because thiscompany rememeber them of traditions and time.

Now after so many years Iittala is a international company that has stores more than Finland,such countries as: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Japan.

So people for seven countries can experience the inspiring world of colors, shapes andmaterials of Iittala and see first-hand how they can easily combine objects from the differentcollections. This objects are also available at fine homeware and interior design stores, the companytrusts in objects made for the home that are honest, functional and inspired by everyday life.

Iittala belives in lasting design and that is why their designers and craftsmen create simple andtimeless objects that will never be thrown away. The objects are forever useful, adapting to all themoments making them special because when people use Iittala you make your own and give story.The company believes that this kind of thought is needed more than ever in todays life.