Woven journey
Our family’s journey in the world of textiles began all the way back in 1917 with Juho Annala, who founded a felt boot factory in Lapua and subsequently laid the groundwork for the founding of Lapuan Kankurit in 1973. So many years filled with exultant joys, heart-breaking hardships, remarkable friendships, bold breakthroughs, beautiful designs – so many years filled with more memories than a mind could possibly hold. The past is the cornerstone on which we ground our work and our mission.
Our woven journey continues.
Sales Days in our weaving mill in Lapua 1.8-2.8.2025
Our weaving mill will once again be filled with the joy of reunion and shopping at the beginning of August, as we will be hosting the awaited Sales Days in our weaving mill…
International Women’s day
Lapuan Kankurit has donated 20% of consumer sales to the Women’s Bank on International Women’s Day since 2018
Majamaja – Ecoliving by the sea
Ecoliving by the sea Majamaja is actually two conce under the same name: firstly, it is, both architecturally and design-wise, a state-of-theart and minimalist rental design villa situated in the gorgeous Helsinki archipelago.…
Harvest Season
The season’s bountiful offerings deserve the best textiles to preserve and present them. Earthy tones and natural materials provide a gorgeous canvas for your harvest feast.
Sauna and linen – Perfect pair
Linen is absorbent, lightweight and dries fast. It’s easy to see why we consider it the superior company to sauna. Let the sun shine and the steam rise in style and comfort with…
Symbolism of a Table Setting
Whether an abundant event with white linens and the best silverware, or a more mundane meal made special with a few attentive touches, a set table symbolises many things to the people that…
Waters of Life by Iina Kuustonen
“Water is the oldest of ointments, rapid-foam of remedies” goes part of a verse in the Finnish national epic Kalevala.For many Finns it’s merely a worn out proverb with little substance. For Iina…
Cosy Cocooning
We all need our safe spaces, our havens. Our cocoons to wrap up in to take a little breather. Some of us find it in nature and some in other people. We hope…
In Love with Linen
Linen is one of our favourite materials. It is ecological, comfortable on the skin and easy to use. Flax is one of the oldest and cleanest fibres in the world. The linen yarn…
Multipurpose Textiles for Multifaced Living
Life cannot be divvied up into neat little categories, and we believe you shouldn’t have to do that with the textiles in your life, either. Our aim is to create textiles that are…
Instead of Black Friday, Lapuan Kankurit raises funds during Good Spirit Friday
Lapuan Kankurit celebrates with good deeds. Instead of Black Friday sales, the company’s stores, outlet, Store & Studio, and online store celebrates Good Spirit Friday. On Friday, Lapuan Kankurit donates also this year…
Snow Day Cleaning
When temperatures drop to minus degrees and snow covers everything in sight, Finns gather their rugs, blankets, and clothes and take them outside. The coldest winter days are perfect for cleaning. The crisp…
Taking the Plunge
In a country where half of the year is spent in cold and darkness, how do the people keep their spirits up? While some begrudgingly accept wintertime as merely a necessary evil, others…
Lapuan Kankurit Outlet is a Shop of The Year 2024 Nominee
Lapuan Kankurit’s outlet in Lapua, Finland has been nominated in the SHOP OF THE YEAR category in Visualistit ry’s (Finnish Trade Union for Visual Marketing) Visu Awards 2024. We opened our gorgeous outlet…
Season for Sences
Finnish Christmas is steeped in traditions, many of which can be traced back hundreds or even thousands of years. For Finns, Christmas is the time of the quiet calm that only comes when…
All Wool and no Shoddy
It wasn’t too long ago that up to half of all Finnish sheep wool ended up in the landfill. However, thanks to spirited advocates and growing public awareness, wool is experiencing a new…
Inspiration lives on by Saara Obele
Saara Obele joined forces with Lapuan Kankurit during her studies in the Aalto University through the PatternLab program in 2022. Her organic, unique style was an instant match for the brand. – It…
Buying Finnish Sheep’s wool
We are buying good quality, pure and clean wool from Finnsheep and Kainuu Greys. We collect the Finnish sheep wool from local farms ourselves, in approximately 300-kilometre radius around Lapua. We have built…
Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale 2024
Design by Akira Minagawa for Lapuan Kankurit and Harri Koskinen for Parolan Rottinki. Lapuan Kankurit is participating in the third Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale! We are proud to share our veranda…
Lapuan Kankurit opens a shop-in-shop in Tampere’s Verkaranta
The roots of the picturesque Crafts Centre Verkaranta reach deep into the depths of the Finnish textile industry: the space once hosted the dye house of Tampere’s baize factory, which opened in 1858.…
Looking for new job opportunities?
Passionate about weaving, sales, or tech? We’d love to hear from You! Even though we’re not currently hiring, we’re always excited to connect with talented individuals interested in weaving, textiles, sales, or technology.…
The Butterfly Effect by Akira Minagawa
It all started with a Finnish jacket. Akira Minagawa, known for his brand minä perhonen, had his life’s course changed forever after one innocuous purchase in Rovaniemi nearly four decades ago. The jacket…
Playfullness
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Our theme for spring of 2024 is playfulness. This spring we want to explore curiously, we want to…
The Alchemy of Sauna – Kulttuurisauna
The ancient alchemists believed that by marrying together mythology, technology and philosophy, they would be able to perfect the human body and soul. Listening to Nene Tsuboi and Tuomas Toivonen, the co-owners of…
Lapuan Kankurit x minä perhonen
We are proud to launch our collection with the Japanese designer Akira Minagawa, founder of design brand minä perhonen, at the Maison&Objet Fair on the 18th of January, 2024. The collection features two…
Dear World of 2073
We hope you are doing well. As we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Lapuan Kankurit, it feels proper to not only gaze back to the past half a century, but to also…
Lapuan Kankurit wins “Audience’s Favourite” in the Entrepreneur of the Year Competition
The EY Entrepreneur of The Year competition, organized annually by EY, is an acknowledgement of entrepreneurs who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievements. In 2023, Jaana and Esko Hjelt from Lapuan…
Dyeing with Coffee and Woad
Lapuan Kankurit sources the Finnsheep wool fibre, utilized in their wool yarns, locally. The yarn made from this fibre is spun to be either natural brown or beige, and some are dyed further.…
Change Creates changes by Samu-Jussi Koski
The last few years have brought tremendous changes into the life of Samu-Jussi Koski. He parted ways with his brand, Samuji, to focus on designing smaller collections for Finnish companies, and to discover…
Sustainable Travel Finland Label to Lapuan Kankurit
Lapuan Kankurit Oy meets all the criteria set for the Sustainable Travel Finland label, and we have been granted the right to use the Sustainable Travel Finland label as proof of valuable and…
Lapuan Kankurit helping the Baltic Sea
The linen and wool weaving mill Lapuan Kankurit has begun a cooperation with the John Nurminen Foundation at 2017. The Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects advance the protection of the joint, unique marine…
Wool is wonderful outdoors by Anton Kalland
The cold, wind, and damp are the biggest challenges outdoors. If we don’t shield ourselves from these elements, we feel uncomfortable and will cut our visit to the wild short. This has not…
What the Mires Would Tell Us
What would the mires tell us if they had a voice? Perhaps they would whisper about the secret gatherings of the golden cloudberries, hiding where only the worthy may find them. Maybe they…
Lapuan Kankurit receives the Responsible Company Award
Lapuan Kankurit, Kyrö Distillery, and Lennol Oy have been recognized as pioneers in sustainability in South Ostrobothnia. The awards for exemplary sustainability efforts by these companies were announced on Thursday, June 8, 2023,…
The Essentiality of Freedom by Matti Pikkujämsä
When speaking with Matti Pikkujämsä, it does not take long for the value of freedom to come up in the conversation. From the liberty of a freelancer to choose the projects that inspire…
Respecting the past, weaving the future
A lot has changed for Lapuan Kankurit in their fifty years of business. And yet, to the owner Esko Hjelt, much more remains the same way it always has been. – Our family’s…
Immersed in Nature
I wake up when the rest of the house is still sound asleep. The soft breathing of dreaming children can be heard in the otherwise quiet house. Dressed only in my emerald green…
Regional Entrepreneur of the Year Award
The South Ostrobothnia Entrepreneurs Association awarded the 2022 Regional Entrepreneur of the Year award to Jaana and Esko Hjelt. Lapuan Kankurit, a family-run company led by the Hjelt family, has carried on Finnish…
The lessons in laziness taught by the garden by Stella Harasek
The atmosphere reminded me of a secret garden in a nostalgic resort village. An atmosphere that, to me, seemed to suggest a more resort-like and relaxing living.It seemed to me that, living in…
Through the eyes of tradition by Katja Lösönen
Katja Lösönen has worked with Lapuan Kankurit for nearly 13 years as a masterful storyteller through her words and pictures. Originally hailing from the countryside of eastern Finland, she left the bustling life…
Natural dyes put finishing touch to sustainable production
Dyeing with natural, plant-based dyes is a long-time Finnish textile tradition. However, apart from traditional knowhow, industrial-scale natural dyeing also requires production development such as new recipes and creating a whole new dyeing…
Ecocompass Certificate
Lapuan Kankurit has received the Ecocompass Certificate 8.7.2022. For us, environmental responsibility means concrete actions in our own operations. We are committed to saving natural resources and increasing the positive impact on the…
Lapuan Kankurit x Lapua Pride
Love is woven into the very core of Lapuan Kankurit. We are defined by the love for our craft and tradition, for the environment that sustains us, for the people we surround ourselves…
Tunnustustuoli Award
Tunnustustuoli, awarded by the Association of Interior Journalists, is awarded as a recognition for excellency in the field of interior decorating. The association’s executive committee chooses the winner from three to four nominees…
Textile and Fashion Award
At the Textile & Fashion Forum Helsinki event on April 7, 2022, the Textile and Fashion Award was presented to Lapuan Kankurit. The Award Winner Grows and Evolves While Honoring Tradition The Textile…
Brand of the Year Award
We were honoured to win the brand of the year award by the Finnish chamber of commerce. For the third year, the Chamber of Commerce awarded the brand of the year. This year…
All the Mistakes I’ve made: Garden by Kirsikka Simberg
Our society doesn’t really love mistakes. It’s ok to have minor mishaps, but you should always try to quickly redeem yourself, learn from your errors, try again — and succeed. But just to…
Aallokko for saving The Baltic Sea
Lapuan Kankurit has been part of the John Nurminen Foundation’s Baltic Sea rescue team since 2017. Together with our customers, we have already donated 58 000 euros to support the Foundation’s valuable work…
Master class of spinning
In the very heart of Lapuan Kankurit, there is the desire to maintain and develop traditional weaving skills and culture and bring them to modern times. In 2022, our own wool spinning mill…
Lapuan Kankurit pledges to carbon neutral textile sector 2035 commitment
The aim to keep our global warming under 1,5 Celsius degrees requires radical measures. The Finnish Textile and Fashion Organization’s Carbon Neutral Textile Sector 2035 -commitment has summoned together the companies who wish…
Investing in high-quality Finnsheep wool
The atmosphere in the sheep barn of Reino and Raija Louko is peaceful. Only a stray bleat blends in with the even buzzing of the shears. The brown, black, and white Finnsheep curiously…
The versatile wool blanket by Anton Kalland
At its most simple and yet versatile, the wool blanket brings out the best properties of wool outdoors. Ever since humans domesticated sheep 8000 years ago, the wool blanket has retained its shape…
Designing the good life by Elina Helenius
Elina Helenius, nominated as Finnish Textile Artist of the Year 2012, has won several design competition awards, and her textiles are on display at Helsinki Design Museum, Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg, and the…
Innovations for the Future
Lapuan Kankurit weaving mill is going through times of constant change. Over the past ten years, the weaving facilities have expanded thrice and the equipment has been modernised. Currently, a new wool production…
Lapuan kankurit invests in its own wool spinning mill
Lapuan Kankurit continues to invest in Finnish sheep’s wool. With the upcoming wool spinning mill, we can control the entire production chain of wool and make unique product development with Finnish wool. At…
Local Finnsheep wool
Lapuan Kankurit continues to invest in Finnish sheep’s wool. With the wool finishing and spinning mill, we can control the entire production chain of wool and make unique product development with Finnish wool.…
The Wool of Finnish Sheep will be utilised for Industrial Purposes and bring New Investments to Lapua
A large portion of the wool of Finnish sheep is wasted, but now this wool will finally be utilised for industrial purposes Lapuan Kankurit is investing in a new finishing mill. This mill…
Dreaming in Iceland by Jopsu Ramu
So we are a family of six, me Timo, my wife Jopsu, and our kids are Mimi 9, Muusa 7, Vili 5 and Iggy, who just turned 2. Our gang has always had…
Love for Linen
Absorbent, fast-drying, durable and ecological. There are many good reasons to choose linen towels from Lapuan Kankurit.Creating the best linen towels in the world has been our goal since the very beginning of…
Wild about Greens
In summer, Finnish nature is filled with hundreds of edible plants, flowers, and herbs. Wild greens are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and have been used for centuries as food, and to…
Horizon Views by Aoi Yoshizawa
Harakka island is a place of culture and nature just offshore Kaivopuisto in southern Helsinki. A former chemical laboratory, the main building of the island has been colonised since 1988 by artists and…
Woven together
Lapuan Kankurit is a small, tight-knit family business woven together by skill and community. The clang of weaving machines fills the air. The weaving mill in Lapua is the focal point of the…
The Most Recommended Brand of 2020
Lapuan Kankurit – the most recommended brand 2020The survey of economic research – Taloustutkimus, included 536 brands, and Lapuan Kankurit was the most recommended brand with NPS result +52. The NPS number shows…
Weavers of Good Life
The weaving mill of Lapuan Kankurit in Lapua, Finland is filled with the enchanting rhythm of weaving machines as thousands of yarns interlace, twisting, entwining, and turning into beautiful fabrics. Their family has…
Pattern Lab 20 x Lapuan Kankurit
Pattern Lab is a year-long study project at Aalto University of Art, Design and Architecture. The project gives students a possibility to experience what it is like to work as a professional freelance…
When being is Enough – Forest Bathing
As Finland is the most heavily forested country in Europe, it’s no wonder that our myths and stories are saturated with forest spirits, elves and sacred animals. Our dense forests have given us…
Intelligent Nature
Authentic, natural materials are close to our heart at Lapuan Kankurit. We love weaving with linen and wool because of their unique qualities. Linen is a truly ecological material. It grows with rainwater…
The Intuitive Weave by Helmi Liikanen
The daughter of a textile artist, and granddaughter of a skilled craftswoman, designer Helmi Liikanen grew up watching her mother and grandmother experimenting with different weaves, dyes and materials. The valuable tradition of…
In co-operation with the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation
SAIMAANNORPPA – SAIMAA RINGED SEAL Lapuan Kankurit has released the SAIMAANNORPPA collection in cooperation with The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) year 2019. One of the FANC’s aims is to protect the…
Designs for a Simple Life by Tong Ren
Designer Tong Ren finds inspiration from nature and his travels. Before beginning his studies in Aalto University, Tong Ren worked with industrial design. He became familiar with the craft early in life: his…
Lapuan Kankurit opens Flagship Store in Tokyo
Lapuan Kankurit opened their first flagship store in Omotesando, Tokyo with their long-term distributor in the beginning of October 2019. With this store Lapuan Kankurit strengthen their presence in Japan and bring their…
Embracing Positive Materialism
When you care for your things, they care back, says Hanna Linkola. “I wish people looked after their senses”, says Hanna Linkola, concept designer for the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC). After…
An Oasis in Torikorttelit, Helsinki
We have combined traditional Finnish elements with Japanese minimalism to create a light infused and peaceful environment in our completely renewed Helsinki Flagship store. Locals and Tourists of Helsinki are now able to…
The Joy of Creativity
Anu Jokela seeks flow with things that bring her joy. Interior designer and entrepreneur Anu Jokela describes her past relationship with hobbies as secondary. When work life was hectic, duties often took over…
Classics in the Making by Anu Leinonen
Natural materials are dear to designer Anu Leinonen. When designer Anu Leinonen travels to her cabin to work, the surrounding nature immediately takes effect. “I can feel my energy changing here”, Anu describes.…
Hvitträsk– a gem of design and architecture
A collaboration between The National Museum of Finland and Lapuan Kankurit resulted in a sauna collection designed by Reeta Ek. Hvitträsk was built between 1901–1903 by famous Finnish architects Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren…
Growing up into Business
CEO and hat designer Liina-Maaria Lönnroth follows family footsteps into hat making.Designing hats truly is a family affair for CEO, textile and fashion designer Liina-Maaria Lönnroth. In 2015, she took over the family…
Gathering Around the Breakfast Table
What better way to begin a beautiful day than by enjoying a delicious breakfast?In Finland, breakfast time is filled with wonderful flavours and natural ingredients. Enjoying a hearty breakfast offers a moment’s pause…
The Magic of Sauna by Kirsikka Simberg and Anna Pirkola
During the past few decades the number of saunas in Finland has grown quite rapidly. There are now over 1.5 million saunas in this country of five million people. Bathing in sauna is…
Editor’s choice
TERVA Linen-Tencel one of Editors’ choises 2014The new linen-Tencel is a material like no other! The Association of Interiors Journalists has selected the 12 best Finnish interior design products yearly from 1999. 2014…
Learning by Weaving
Students from Aalto University challenge their designs at the Lapuan Kankurit weaving mill.The weaving mill in Lapua, Finland is full of life, as students from Aalto University gather to learn about industrially woven…
Ornamo Sphere Award
This year’s Ornamo Sphere will be presented to Finnish weavers Lapuan Kankurit for their long-standing commitment to the Finnish textile industry during a period of sustained change and for their skill in making…
Collecting Stories with Bread by Malin Elmlid
Stories are always present in author and blogger Malin Elmlid’s life, from baking bread to sewing clothes from authentic materials. Malin started her project The Bread Exchange simply because, living in Berlin, she…
Moments of Revelation by Reeta Ek
Textile designer Reeta Ek (Young Designer of the Year 2017) sees patterns in places others might overlook. Surface, structure, rhythm. These elements are at the heart of textile designer Reeta Ek’s work, and…
Finding the light in Finland and Kenia by Mifuko
Design company Mifuko merges Finnish and Kenyan elements to keep tradition alive. “Kenya is an important part of our life and business”, says textile artist and designer Minna Impiö. “It’s also where we…
The Wonders of Wilderness by Teemu Järvi
Artist and designer Teemu Järvi’s work captures the wild simplicity of nature. Teemu Järvi describes his work as observing and interpreting nature. “I want to capture that moment of coming face to face…
Eija Koski – The Skymaker
The Finnish word “himmeli”, which is a form of straw art, originates from the sky. People also often ask if there is something holy in himmelis. Certainly there is something in it.The rye…
Authenticity that spans generations
Johanna organises an annual craft fair where artisans and customers meet in 18th century historical surroundings, and sews historically accurate clothing from linen fabrics. “I grew up on a farm, so the landscape…
Muoto Award – CORONA blanket
The CORONA blanket in 100% wool designed by Finnish textile designer Marja Rautiainen was awarded with the Finnish MUOTO 2015 prize. MUOTO is a timely cross-section of the best Finnish design. The annual…
TAITO-FINLANDIA Award
The linen weaving mill Lapuan Kankurit has won the Taito-Finlandia 2014 award. The award was presented on November 14th at the Finnish Craft & Design Fair in Tampere. The recipient was selected by…