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Aarikka

Aarikka is a Finnish company with long traditions, founded in 1954 and famous in Finland and around the world for its unique design and products. The design is characterised by clean Scandinavian lines, round wooden beads and wood in general. Aarikka's products have been designed by Kaija Aarikka, Pauliina Aarikka and Anu Penttinen, among others.

For decades, Aarikka has supported and employed domestic workers that have struggled with becoming employed. This has been done through social employment workshops and by employing homeworkers. The products are assembled in neighbouring areas in Finland, which enables transport distances to be kept short. In addition to local production, the environmental friendliness of Aarikka's products is enabled by avoiding unnecessary packaging and by preferring organic raw materials, such as wood. Finnish handicraft skills are a valuable part of Finnish identity and culture. Aarikka is constantly working to promote it by employing numerous Finnish artisans.

Pauliina Aarikka

Aarikka, founded by my parents, was 5 years old when I was born. There was always unfinished woodwork at home, piles of buttons and wooden balls in different colours. I still think the most wonderful smell in the world is fresh sawdust. I always enjoy my work when I get up to speed and when ideas are flowing. I can see that craftsmanship is increasingly appreciated and the use of natural materials is gaining popularity. Ecological footprint is more and more in focus, but also individual solutions and personal style are favoured. All these trends are very much in line with Aarika's original philosophy and ideology.

Anu Penttinen

For me, Aarikka means naturalness, familiarity and homeliness, but also renewal and a fun way to use wood, in particular, in interior design. Right now, I am fascinated by different collages that combine different shapes of the same material or combinations of different materials. I like to use bright accent colours combined with earthy tones. Broken pastels have also gradually become observable in my work.

Kaija Aarikka

It all started with a button. And it all started from a true need. Kaija Aarikka, a textile art student, could not find any suitable buttons for the costume she had designed. So, she made them herself. The story of fun, distinctive wooden buttons quickly continued into jewellery. From the beginning, Kaija Aarikka was inspired by the round shape. Buttons and wooden jewellery were followed by silver jewellery, candlesticks, toys, gift items and interior decoration.