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Iittala

Iittala

Founded in 1881 by Swede Petrus Magnus Abrahamsson in Finland, Iittala, has since come to establish itself as one of the leaders for glass production. Bought in 1917 by A.Ahlstrom who also owned the Karhula glass factory it later became known as the Karhula-littala glass factory which specialised in the production of chemist bottles.

Within the 1920s and 30s, the early years of modernism and functionalism, Iittala began to expand its artistic vision transitioning from decorative dinner sets to progressive Scandinavian design. Its first success included the Aino Aalto designs which paved the way for later products, which have stood the test of time, such as 'Kartio' by Kaj Franck and 'The Bird' collection by Oiva Toikka launched in 1972.

Iittala was joined by Timo Sarpaneva in 1950 who created a new glass collection for the company as well as the distinctive Iittala logo with an 'i' in a red circle.

Iittala are praised for their innovative modern glassware favouring sustainability over consumption. The creation of timeless, man made objects for everyday use are the main principles of the brand, famously quoting 'lasting everyday design against throwawayism'. With a strong market within the Scandinavian countries Iittala also has a renowned reputation internationally, supporting Finnish designers to create sustainable and interesting designs which have a positive effect on the living environment.

Iittala are part of The Fiskars Group, a leader of homeware products from the nordic countries. It has a broad range of respected brands such as Arabia, Fiskars, and Hackman.

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