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