Marimekko and its Sustainable Growth

“We want to create products that will stand the test of time, both in terms of aesthetics and longevity,” Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko tells QS Insights during a trip to Aalto University School of Business in the heart of Helsinki. Alahuhta-Kasko is of course speaking of beloved Finnish design house Marimekko, which she became CEO of in 2016, having previously held the role of CMO at the age of 30, with her career at the organisation now spanning more than two decades. She says: “I found an organisation that aligned with my values.” Founded in 1951, Marimekko has become so ingrained with Finnish culture, it’s hard to imagine a time before the brand existed. Alahuhta-Kasko encapsulates this beautifully, noting it would be difficult to enter a home in Finland without finding a piece of clothing, textiles or crockery from Marimekko - often with the Unikko design, created in 1964 and is still one of Marimekko's most loved prints. “Our founder, Armi Ratia, had actually forbidden Marimekko designers from creating floral prints, because she felt that flowers would always be more beautiful in nature. “But this famous Marimekko designer, Maija Isola, felt strongly about creating something inspired by flowers, and she did something completely different from the small, romantic flower prints that everybody else was doing then. She created Unikko, an avant-garde, simplified expression of a flower, and that completely changed our founder’s mind,” Alahuhta-Kasko told The PEAK Magazine.

Today, however, Marimekko´s print archive boasts over 3,500 prints and counting as it continues to add new artworks from artists from a variety of disciplines into its roster.

But Marimekko has been brightening up the lives of customers with its bold artistic prints and colours since the beginning, with Alahuhta-Kasko noting that Marimekko was born to re-energize and bring optimism to people after the difficult time period in Finland.

Alahuhta-Kasko tells QS Insights: “Marimekko´s design wasn’t about chasing fashion; 1950s Finland was a poor country.

“There is a saying in Finland, that if you do not have much money to spare, you should only invest in good quality. Since the beginning, Marimekko’s design philosophy has been based on timeless, functional and high-quality products that bring people long-lasting joy.”

Sustainability is at the heart of Marimekko’s design philosophy and operations and the company believes that in the future, timeless and high-quality products will be made in balance with the environment in line with the principles of the circular economy.

Alahuhta-Kasko says Marimekko is making a determined transition from traditional materials to certified, organic, and recycled materials and focuses also on the recyclability of its products. “Sustainability starts at the designers board.

“Design choices, such as materials, play a crucial role. We create long-lasting products, both aesthetically and in terms of durability. Marimekko products are bestsellers in the second cycle market, especially in Finland and Sweden, with items still being used even from the 1960s,” Alahuhta-Kasko says.

An example of Marimekko’s commitment to supporting innovation is the organisation’s pilot project with Origin by Ocean, which tested substituting Marimekko’s current synthetic thickener with Origin by Ocean algae-based thickener within the print paste.

The company says testing the use of bio-based thickeners in the printing process helps them toward their goal of reducing the amount of chemicals used in their supply chain.

Marimekko is committed to continuously driving innovation in technologies, materials, and business models through collaborations to lead the entire industry forward and reach their ambitious long-term vision of leaving no trace.

Read the full article on QS Insights Magazine.