Iittala craftmanship


OUR COMMITMENT TO CRAFT

Our dedication to craftsmanship is unwavering. Since establishing our glass factory in Finland in 1881, we have been pioneers of avant-garde design and coloured glass. That heritage empowers us to be daring and playful in our experimentation. Each piece is not merely an object but a testament to the skilled hands that shaped it.
Iittala craftmanship


FACTORY

Glass is in our nature and our glass factory is at the heart of what we do. Skilled craftsmen bring design to life. The pressed glass line shines with all the colours of glass and skilled glass blowers leave their own handprint on art glass and vases. What started as a glass factory in 1881 now celebrates generations of design, art and culture.
Iittala craftmanship


OUR GLASS BLOWERS

Our ability to produce glass colours from light shades to strong and opaque colours is rare. It requires a deep understanding of the material and countless experiments. Iittala's colour experts and glassblowers, together with our glass specialists, make the impossible possible. But more is needed to pioneer coloured glass; you need skilled craftsmen and women to bring it to life. Glassblowing requires sensitivity, strength and precision.

CRAFTSMANSHIP IS WHAT BREATHES THE SOUL INTO AN OBJECT.

Iittala craftmanship

Iittala craftmanship

Iittala craftmanship

Iittala craftmanship

TIME TO CELEBRATE!

Knowledge, techniques and skills related to handcrafted glass were added to UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and we could not be happier.

The application of Finland and five other countries has been approved in an Unesco meeting in Botswana on 6.12.2023. In Finland, the nomination process was supported by 17 actors in the field of glass.

Since establishing in 1881 our glass factory in Iittala, Finland, we have created pieces that are not merely objects but a testament to the skilled hands that shaped them. We are proud that such an essential part of our work has made it onto the UNESCO list.
Iittala craftmanship

Iittala craftmanship

“The knowledge, techniques, and skills associated with handcrafted glass were added to UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 6th, 2023. Iittala was one of the 17 entities in the field of glass supporting the nomination process from Finland. We take pride in seeing this integral aspect of Iittala's work recognized on this prestigious list, and we want to even accelerate bringing creativity to life in the amazingly skilled hands of our master glassblowers and in the workshop of the Iittala Glass Factory. The most unique designs often emerge when traditional craft methods are used to create something entirely original and new,” says Janni Vepsäläinen, Creative Director of Iittala.