Known for its orange-handled scissors, Fiskars celebrates its 375-year journey together with Cozy Publishing. 'Extraordinary Days in Fiskars Village – 13 Stories' takes the reader to the company's birthplace in the Fiskars ironworks village, offering a unique glimpse into the lives of its residents.
FINLAND'S OLDEST COMPANY, Fiskars, marks its 375th anniversary this year. Celebrations have so far included a special edition of their iconic orange-handled scissors, and now, Cozy Publishing is releasing a commemorative book titled Extraordinary Days in Fiskars Village – 13 Stories. While Fiskars' nearly four-century history includes a vast array of events, the book is not a chronicle of the company, but a dive into its roots: the Fiskars ironworks village and its community.
“We want to honor our heritage with a sharp focus on the things that make us Fiskars”, says Nathalie Ahlström, President & CEO of Fiskars Group.
Today, Fiskars is a widely recognized lifestyle brand, but it originated as an ironworks established in 1649 along the Fiskars River, within what is now the area of the town of Raseborg, or Raasepori in Finnish.
Since then, the ironworks environment has evolved into a communal, warm-spirited village. Many of its residents are craftspeople, artists, or designers from various fields. The charming village of Fiskars is also a popular summer travel destination where visitors come to admire its historical ambiance or perhaps the art at the Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale, first held in 2019.
Published by Cozy Publishing and edited by Hanna Jensen, this book offers its readers get a glimpse into the daily life of Fiskars' creative community within the village's historic setting. It shares the life stories of various residents, including a carpenter, a food artisan, a veterinarian, and the entrepreneur couple running Café Bar Pesula, known as the village's living room.
The book features a total of nine inspiring stories from Fiskars residents who have opened their homes for this publication – contrary to the busiest tourist season when they have to remind overly curious tourists: we do actually live here. Apparently, some visitors even mistake Fiskars as a museum village and the residents as actors!
One of the villagers sharing their daily life is ceramicist Karin Widnäs, who has lived in Fiskars for 30 years.
”When I moved to Fiskars Village in 1994, there were hardly any people on the streets. We were pioneers! Ingmar Lindberg was the Deputy CEO of Fiskars Group then and he’d been instructed to ‘do something’ with the village. He told me how he woke up in the middle of the night and knew exactly what to do. Artisans and artists should be invited to live here in Fiskars Village”, says Widnäs in the book.
• Read also: The home of Karin Widnäs is a marriage of ceramics and architecture >
A small word of caution to end with: after reading this book, you might find yourself browsing through Fiskars properties for sale, available plots, or at the very least, accommodation options for a summer trip!
Alfredo vase
Taika scissors
Emilia mug
Nordic Homestead
Bernadotte jug
Pastoraali vase
Iconic Atelier
Edge knife block
Nordic Garden Design
Aalto vase 250 mm
Classic 375 scissors
Storia stool
What: Fiskars Group
• Founded in 1649 as an ironworks along the Fiskars River
• The first orange-handled scissors were manufactured in 1967
• Portfolio also includes brands such as Iittala, Arabia, Rörstrand, and Georg Jensen
See also:
• Extraordinary Days in Fiskars Village – 13 Stories
• Fiskars products >
• Booka by Cozy Publishing >
Edit: Emmi Ratilainen Images: Viola Minerva Virtamo