Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Sunday 7 July 2024

The famous Finnish design company Aarikka turns 70 years old.

The topic of the news week is Finnish design.

In June, we told about Marimekko’s Unikko pattern, which turns 60 years old. Now we are talking about Aarika, who turns 70 years old.

Design firm Aarikka turns 70 years old

![Kaija Aarikka in front of the store in Copenhagen in 1968. Photo: Gunilla, Ved Bellahøj 4, Denmark Photo: Gunilla, Ved Bellahøj 4, Denmark](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_962, w_1723,x_0,y_1184/ar_1.7777777777777777,c_fill,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1.0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1694176229/39-116944664fb133fa7bd7)

The famous Finnish design company Aarikka turns 70 years old.

Aarikka was founded by Kaija Aarikka. In 1954, he needed just the right details in his art studies. We couldn’t find any, so Aarikka carved the buttons herself.

Others also became interested in them, and soon the production expanded to jewelry. This is how the design company was born.

Wooden jewelry is still in fashion

![Aarika still has wooden bead jewelry in its selection. Photo: Petteri Bülow / Yle Photo: Petteri Bülow / Yle](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_3009,w_5351,x_0,y_462/ar_1.777777777777777,c_fill,g_faces,h_431, w_767/dpr_1.0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1716194614/39-1287854664b08060f4f5)

Aarikka is best known for wood products. Kaija Aarikka already started using domestic wood such as birch and pine in 1959.

Kaija Aarikka started developing colorful, moving and multi-part wooden jewelry. They were different from the previous jewelry tradition.

Aarikka wanted bright colors for the wooden ornaments. He wanted the grain of the wood, i.e. the wood’s own patterns, to be visible. Aarikka developed a dyeing method in her own kitchen, which is still in use.

The dyeing process is still a secret.

More than just wood

![The striking silver rings were among Aarika’s selections from the 1970s. Photo: Jukka Vatanen Photo: Jukka Vatanen ](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_1062,w_1888,x_0,y_944/ar_1.7777777777777777,c_fill,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1. 0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1694176662/39-116945164fb157723927)

Aarika’s wooden jewelry was also of interest around the world. In 1955, the French fashion house Dior ordered Aarika’s wooden jewelry for its selection.

Aarikka also sold silver jewelry, wool blankets and even clothes. Wooden toys went on sale in the late 1960s.

Kaija Aarikka also designed door curtains, plates, trays and candlesticks.

Aarika’s perhaps most famous decorative item is the Ram, of which there are many types.

![Pässi was born in 1973 from a pile of wooden balls. Photo: Petteri Bülow / Yle](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_3375,w_6000,x_0,y_465/ar_1.7777777777777777,c_fill,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1.0/ q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1716194671/39-1287866664b0811e5928)

70-year-old Aarikka and the new owner

![Aarika CEO Riia Sandström in a Raisio store in May 2024. Photo: Samuli Holopainen / Yle ](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_3510,w_6240,x_0,y_40/ar_1.7777777777777777,c_fill ,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1.0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1718625988/39-1304565667024581531e)

In the 1980s, Aarikka did well because there was a boom in Finland. There were many more stores. There was an economic recession in the 1990s, but Aarikka survived.

In the 21st century, Kaija Aarikka’s daughter Pauliina Aarikka continued as artistic director.

Kaija Aarikka died in 2014, and the company was left to 3 daughters. Since 2017, Aarika has been owned by the Finnish company Martinex Oy.

Repeat

The topic of the news week was Finnish design and Aarikka. Let’s repeat the most important things.

The famous Finnish design company Aarikka turns 70 years old. Aarikka is best known for wooden jewelry and wooden products.

Their dyeing method is still a secret.

This was Uutisviikko in plain Finnish, see you again. Goodbye!