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Textile Industry and Design:
Pioneer in ecological fashion seeks
INTELLIGENT CUSTOMERS
Anne Linnonmaa puts design at the top of her priorities for
her knitwear. Then comes a good price-quality ratio. Ecology
runs like a red thread through the production, from the cultivation
of the raw material to the final touches. Her clothes are
targeted at those who possess environmental awareness.
Anne Linnonmaa Oy uses only Peruvian, hand-picked combed
cotton as the material for its products. Defoliants, which
are essential with mechanized harvesting, are not used in
the cultivation. “The cotton comes to Finland from carefully
chosen family plantations, as a result of which we can check
the quality and we always know where the consignments originate
from,” says Anne Linnonmaa. There are also other issues
relating to the family plantations that Linnonmaa thinks important:
the cultivation of combed cotton improves the farmers’
income and sidelines other options such as growing tobacco
or cocaine.
The knitwear is produced entirely in Finland, these days
at Anne Linnonmaa Oy’s own factory outlet. The material
has been awarded the KRAV certificate and the Nordic countries’
Swan environmental symbol, which are guarantees of the natural,
non-toxic cultivation. Only standardized reactive dyes that
contain no harmful ATSO compounds, formaldehydes or optical
brighteners are used. The Biotouch® enzymes used for finishing
are eliminated in the process and are biologically degradable.
The production method, which took years to develop, is considered
to be unique, but it is also complicated and involves a great
deal of handwork. “My employees are real professionals,”
says Linnonmaa, expressing her gratitude.
When you know what you want
The ecological way of thinking has been as inborn in Linnonmaa,
who graduated from the Department of Clothing Design at Helsinki
University of Art and Design in 1977, as the knowledge that
she would be a designer. “My own company and the ecological
perspective are the sum of many things. It started with the
idea of what I myself want to promote. When you’ve done
work for a long time, you know what you want and what’s
worth doing. If you believe in what you’re doing, you’ll
do so much better,” claims Linnonmaa.
Having worked in several Finnish and foreign companies in
her chosen field, Linnonmaa set up her own company to market
her knitwear collection in 1991. Initially the production
went out to a sub-contractor, but in 1999 Anne Linnonmaa Oy
acquired its sub-contractor, and so the entire production
was transferred to her own company. These days the company
has 35 women on the payroll. The turnover in 2002 was 2.3
million euros, of which exports accounted for 18 per cent.
Besides being the managing director of the company, Anne is
also the main designer. She is assisted by specialists in
knitting technology, production and sales.
Design always kept in mind
Design is Anne Linnonmaa’s favourite pastime. The starting
point for a new collection is always the target group: the
intelligent woman who understands the global effects of her
choices. Linnonmaa says that ideas for her collection come,
in the classical phrase, “from the air we breathe”.
“Design is always in the mind and I keep a record of
thoughts all the time. Influences come from everywhere in
the environment: nature, current events and phenomena as well
as predictions of international trends.”
Linnonmaa is a designer and businesswoman who has won numerous
awards, the latest being in 2003 when she received the Golden
Hanger, which is presented annually at Finland’s biggest
fashion fair. Linnonmaa’s main principles are summed
up in the basis on which the award is made: “The products
are classical. My own policy has remained in the collections.
The production is in Finland and the company’s effect
on employment is good. Also exports have increased.”
The latest newcomers to the Linnonmaa product range are terry
products: bath and hand towels and bathrobes. Although Linnonmaa
talks a lot about women, men and children have not been forgotten:
their own collections are already on the way. Now the company
is on the lookout for new export countries.
“For example, I’ve been looking at Norway and Japan
for a long time, but there are other countries in my sights,”
Anne Linnonmaa reveals.
Photo: Anne Linnonmaa lives as she teaches. In addition
to the design, the ecological perspective and a global way
of thinking are important matters in clothes design.
Published 2004
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