Marimekko, the textile brand, is an essential part of any discussion of Nordic design. It's truly a national brand of Finland, with the famous Unikko pattern appearing on the fuselage of Finnair aircraft flying from Japan to Helsinki.



Marimekko's headquarters is located near Herttoniemi Station, about a 20-minute subway ride from central Helsinki. The first floor of the two-story building houses a boutique and outlet shop, making it a popular tourist spot. In addition to its headquarters function, the building also houses a working printing factory. We were given a special tour of the building's interior, which we were curious about!



After passing through the entrance, your first stop is the second-floor showroom, where colorful textiles stand out against a minimalist space. This space showcases the latest collections, inheriting the identity of the historic brand founded in 1949.



In stark contrast to the tranquility of the showroom, we found a vast printing factory on the same second floor. It's said that this factory still prints 1 million meters of fabric annually. This is the heart of Marimekko, which began as a fabric printing company and has grown into a global fashion brand.



The familiar Unikko pattern fabric was printed on a huge machine. While they apparently have factories in neighboring Estonia, all of the fabric used for pouches and bags, as well as fabric sold by the unit, is produced at this Helsinki factory.



Having the design office and factory in the same building facilitates communication between designers and print artisans. The 10 base ink colors offer endless combinations, allowing for repeated test prints to achieve the ideal fabric design (a maximum of 12 colors can be used in one pattern). Apparently, the metal frames used for silkscreen printing were once made of wood. I'm truly impressed by their long history and development, as well as the meticulous craftsmanship that remains unchanged to this day.



After the factory tour, head to the employee cafeteria, "Maritori," on the first floor. This restaurant cafe is open to everyone, not just employees. They serve coffee and muesli for breakfast in the morning, and a daily lunch buffet at lunchtime. The tableware and table decor are, of course, all Marimekko-themed!



Currently, approximately 120 employees work in the office and approximately 50 in the factory. While this varies depending on the position, the factory starts at 6:00 AM, the office starts between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM, and everyone leaves by 5:00 PM. On average, the majority of employees are women of child-rearing age. As modern Japanese people, we have much to learn from the Finnish work style, which values work-life balance.

The Helsinki factory, located next to Marimekko's headquarters, occasionally holds tours open to the public. Information on how to participate and other details is posted on the official website. If you're lucky enough to be able to apply, it might be worth taking the plunge and visiting the factory in Finland!

>>【Series】See Fashion in Finland