Pattern Bakery

On a cold and sunny winter afternoon, Spot on Finland met Minttu and Maria from Pattern Bakery in their beautiful studio and workspace in Helsinki.

The four young designers behind Pattern Bakery met at Helsinki's University of Art and Design during a pattern design class. As part of the course the students went to a trade fair, where they got some promising attention and decided to start their own business.

Pattern Bakery was founded at the end of 2007. The company is run by the four designers themselves. Though Minttu, Salla, Miia and Maria always had much fun attending trade fairs, they are now represented by agents, because all four of them want to concentrate on what they say is the best job in the world: designing patterns for fashion, paper and interiors.

Each of the designers creates about 100 different patterns per year for the Pattern Bakery collection, which is launched annually.

Those patterns are sold to companies all over the world and then those companies use the patterns on their products. Asked about their top three best selling patterns, Maria laughs "flowers, flowers and flowers", and "geometrical designs and birds", Minttu adds.

Sometimes, it’s a bit hard to explain what they do, Maria says, "because we sell designs, not concrete products."

We truly like the diversity of Pattern Bakery’s designs, especially the idea of the Pulmu-Do-It-Yourself-Kit, a bird-shaped cushion cover.

So, the next time you buy a mug, a pair of rubber boots or stationary, chances are, that their patterns were "baked" at Pattern Bakery.

More aboutPattern Bakery here

Don't forget to check out and their blog here

If you are in Finland, you also buy your own Pulmu directly at:

Goodis, Laivurinrinne 2, Helsinki

Grape Station, Hämeentie 32, Helsinki

IhanKiva Design, Koskikatu 1, Joensuu, Finland

Costo

In 2006, some friends were sitting in a bar thinking they wanted to start a design company. Anders Bengs was studying clothing design, Lauri Köngäs was a tailor and Hannes Bengs an interior designer so it was time to put all these skills to use for a company of their own. The trio did not have any money so they got their hands on some recycled materials and decided they would start making accessories - hats, bags, wallets and such. Their first products were sold to a store in Helsinki's Design District in December 2007 and Costo has enjoyed success ever since. The company attended Berlin's Bread and Butter fair last summer and Costo hats were such a hit the event organisers asked the company to design an event product for them in 2010.

The guys made all the first products themselves but now their famous hats and other products are made in Estonia, where high-quality craftsmanship is more readily available than in Finland. Costo selects its materials mainly from among deadstock fabrics but other channels are also considered. Costo's guiding principle in terms of ecology is durability and quality - durable materials and high-quality craftsmanship. What's more, both their suppliers and the factories where their products are made are close to Helsinki, which cuts out needless shipping.

Costo always experiments with new patterns, materials and techniques. The company doesn't have seasons or collections, products are designed all the time. The colourful bobbles are attached to the recognisable hats with a button, so the hats can be worn with or without the bobble and colours can be swapped around - the customer actually puts the finishing touches to the design.

Costo's customers range from small kids to elderly ladies. Everyone can wear a Costo hat, even though the brand is so strong. Costo accessories have been such a huge hit the company has not needed to hire an official sales person - retailers contact Costo asking for products. Costo also manufactures all sorts of custom-made products for companies, from bags to menu holders. One recent project was hats for the Funky Elephant festival in Helsinki. As Costo is still a three-man operation, it will take time for the company to grow.

Free delivery worldwide and prices are the same online as in shops.

Costo blogs here

Plan B

Helsinki recycling centre employee Irina Aardemäe kept seeing new outfits in cast-out clothes and started refashioning reject threads into new trends. An ad agency saw promise in the idea and Plan B was born in 2006. The operation is now run from the basement of the Lönnrotinkatu second-hand shop, where three seamstresses and three students work with Irina creating wild yet totally wearable outfits and accessories out of the never-ending stream of banished possessions.


Each piece is unique, as Irina finds it much more challenging and interesting to work on something new every day. The tailors each create at least one new fashion item a day. Most of Plan B’s clothes are for women and girls, Irina loves dresses, but the collection is starting to branch out into menswear and boys’ hoodies were sold out in no time at all. The brand’s creations are very affordable indeed, considering they are all handcrafted unique pieces, as Irina finds it important they still be affordable for young people as well.


Plan B clothes, bags, jewellery and furniture are now sold at four Helsinki recycling centre stores in the Greater Helsinki Region and the brand will attend the Recycling Factory held at Helsinki’s Cable Factory every spring (this year on 24-25 April). Plan B creations will also be seen in the Recycling Factory fashion show. The company offers “deluxe fashion packages” for companies and groups of ten – so get some friends together and design your own trashion!

Find Plan B here
Lönnrotinkatu 45, Helsinki

Helsinki Reuse Centres

Recycling Factory

Irina at work

Finnshop.at

While visiting the beautiful city of Vienna, Spot on Finland took the opportunity to meet Heidi from Finnshop.at.


Heidi is originally from Helsinki but she left her hometown to study economics, tourism and culture in Germany and Vienna. She worked as a consultant for many years. 11 years ago, Heidi and her husband settled down in Vienna after having spent five years in Berlin. She says she got the idea to start her own business after homesick Finns, typically displaying the urge to eat salmiakki (salty liquorice), frequently asked her: "Where in Austria can I buy this?" and she was forced to reply "nowhere." So, Heidi decided to put her experience as a consultant to good use. Finnshop.at was launched in 2004.

Mustard from Turku, Elovena porridge, Lapin Kulta (beer) and Moomin biscuits,
some of the various treats that can be found in Heidi's shop.

Iittala glass, kids' clothes and Marimekko's "Kaiku" birch fabric in the background.

Fazer's Marianne sweets in Iittala bowls.

Marimekko, in the back, the ever-famous Uunikko design from 1964.

Iittala glassware, Marimekko dishes and tablecloth, Necklaces by Aarikka.

Marimekko dishes and textiles.

Marimekko bags, kids' clothes. Stylish bibs also by Marimekko for the small messy moments.

"Finnish design is becoming more and more popular,” says Heidi. "Many clients wanted to see fabrics, clothes and dishes in person." After the success of her online shop, she decided to open a shop, also called Finnshop, in Vienna. The shop opened in October 2008. Nowadays, only 10% of Finnshop’s sales are from foodstuffs. Heidi has chosen to sell Finnish brands that have a long tradition. Her selection includes brands like Fazer (chocolate), Iittala (glass), Marimekko (textiles) and Aarikka (wood design) to name a few.

Marimekko T-Shirts and pencil cases.

When asked to name her top selling items she smiles: Marimekko's "Unikko" design and Alvar Aalto's vases have been, and still are, the bestsellers. Heidi's shop offers customers the opportunity to see and touch what they buy. Finnish design is functional and simple and demand is on the increase.

While we are in the shop, a young couple takes their time to inspect all shades of blue of one of the popular Iittala carafes. Heidi vanishes for some time and finds the last blueberry blue version of the carafe, a colour that is no longer in production. It turns out that this is exactly what the couple was looking for. A Finnish lady enters the shop. Both Heidi and the lady quickly switch to Finnish and discuss the weather and news. Then Heidi shows her client the new Marimekko fabrics.
A young Finnish student enters the shop with his Austrian girlfriend and explains to her that Salmiakki "is not for you, believe me" and buys a pack for himself and a "pipo" for her.





Finnshop Vienna
Erdbergstrasse 10, in the courtyard
1030 Vienna-Austria

Tue- Fri 10am-6pm
Sat 10am-4pm


For those who cannot go to Vienna, you can visit the online shop at www.finnshop.at

Suvi

Name: Suvi
Age: 26
From: Helsinki
Marital status: Single
Profession: Optometrist
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation? No
Would you like to live forever? No.
Do you have a favourite object? My telly, no... I have a teddy bear that's dear to me.
Do you have any hobbies? Not really, not at the moment.
Where would you like to be in 20 years? I'd like to own my own business.

Esa

Name: Esa
Age: 38
From: Mikkeli
Occupation: Teacher of wood technic at MAMK/Mikkeli University, married, 4 kids.
Where were you at the age of 21?: Mikkeli, studied to become a carpenter.
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation?: Fell couple of times during bandy matches and hit his neck badly.
Hobbies: Hiking, fishing, bandy.

We continued talking about Berlin and Pritzwalk, where Esa has friends. We also talked about the famous Finnish writer Mika Waltari. We at Spotonfinland are very interested in knowing more about Esa's work at the University in Mikkeli and find it truly nice of Esa, that he provided his details to us.

Jussi

Name: Jussi
Age: 36
From: Espoo
Occupation: Project Manager, currently on parental leave.
Where were you at the age of 21?: Studied Business at Helia in Helsinki.
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation?: Violence at home during christmas 1994. Later, car crash in Helsinki.
Hobbies: Reading, badminton, football, karaoke.
If you could chose a super-power, which one would you choose?: Time travelling, preferably to the times of the Roman Empire.
What's your favourite object?: None, is not interested in material objects.

Janne

Name: Janne
Age: 44
From: Helsinki
Where where you at the age of 21?: He studied Car engineering in Tampere.
If you could chose a super-power, which one would you chose?: Stop growing older.
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation?: Three weeks ago, on his way home from a bar, 200m away from his home, Janne was robbed by three men. They took his phone and wallet. He did not get hurt physically.
What's your favorite object?: VISA card and passport.

Janne travels to Estonia regularly, because he bought a house there. Unlike his daugher Anna, he enjoys going to Tallinn.

Anna

Name: Anna
Age: 12
From: Helsinki
Occupation: Student
What do you want to do when you grow up?: She wants to become an architect.
If you could chose a super-power, which one would you choose?: Anna would like to fly, not like planes fly, but like birds.
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation?: Christmas 2004, Anna and her family wanted to go to Thailand. Their departure from Helsinki was booked just one day after the Tsunami. So, she was "almost" in a dangerous situation.
Otherwise, she twisted her ankle while playing football when she was 6 years old and her little finger on a swing about a year ago.
Are you happy?: Anna would be more happy, if she didn't have to go to Tallinn so often.
What's your favourite object?: Her horse. She is helping out in the stables too. That way, she contributes to this quite expensive hobby.

Anna's dad helped interpreting my questions and Anna's answers.

Tommi

Name: Tommi
Age: 35
From: Helsinki
Occupation: Bartender on a ferry (Helsinki-Tallinn-Helsinki).
Education: HoReCa school in Helsinki.
Where were you at the age of 21?:
I worked in restaurants and hotels in Spain, Lanzarote and Tenerife, for two years.
Hobbies?: Travelling. Partying. Rollerskating: We have about 5h free time in Tallinn, before we are heading back to Helsinki. I am using that time for some roller skating in Tallinn. Surfing.
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation?: Once, while surfing in Lanzarote, I lost my surfboard. I knew the situation was very dangerous. The waves were high. Another surfer found me. I still love surfing.
Do you have a favorite object?: My backpack. It's been with me for over 20 years.
Do you have any plans for the near future?: Next year I will go on a long trip: Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Thailand.
Would you like to live forever?: No.

Timo & Kirsi

Name: Timo and Kirsi
Age: 52 / 46
From: Helsinki (Timo) Lived all over Finland (Kirsi)
What do you do? "I work for the railroad" (Timo). Sales consultant (Kirsi)
Hobbies? Dance
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation? No (Timo) Car accident (Kirsi)
What would you tell your 21-year-old self? "Dance!" (Timo) "Lighten up. Don't have to be so serious all the time!" (Kirsi)
Do you have a favourite object? "My dancing shoes." (Timo) "No, nothing." (Kirsi)
Would you like to live forever? No, only as long as my head works! (Both)

Timo also wanted to encourage all young people to take up dancing!

Leena & Kalle

Name: Leena and Kalle
Age: Both in their 70s
From: Originally from Ostrobothnia
What would you say to your 21-year-old self? "Study, study, study" (Leena), "I wouldn't change anything" (Kalle)
Have you ever been in a dangerous situation? "My first husband almost killed me." (Leena) "I was stabbed, being from Ostrobothnia and all..." (Kalle)
Hobbies? Swimming and dance (Leena). Music, dance, singing (Kalle)
Do you have a favourite object? "Not really. My swimming gear?" (Leena) "My violin!" (Kalle)