1881: iittala is Founded

iittala begins as a Finnish design brand, specializing in design decor, tableware, glassware and cookware.

1932: Aino Aalto Glassware

This pressed glassware design was created to mimic rings of water. The simple design allows stacking for space-saving storage, and has been a staple of the iittala brand for more than 80 years.

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1936: Alvar Aalto Collection

Designer: Alvar Aalto

The Alvar Aalto vase was introduced in this year, and presented to the Paris World Fair the following year. It's incredible, fluid design and iconic shape is still mouth-blown today, by a team of seven craftsmen.

Alvar Aalto himself is one of the most highly regarded names in the world of modern architecture and Scandinavian design.

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1948: Aarne Glassware

Designer: Göran Hongell

Göran Hongell was one of the pioneers in Finnish glass design, and created this mouth-blown glass collection which helped set the trend for essential glassware in the 1950's. Due to it's simple, clean design and universal appeal, this collection won the gold medal in 1954 at the Triennale in Milan.

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1952: Teema Dinnerware

Designer: Kaj Franck and Heikki Orvola

Each object in this sleek, traditional dinnerware collection is derived from three basic shapes: circle, square and rectangle. The Teema dinnerware is extremely versatile and comes in a range of colors, for endless design opportunities. As Kaj Franck put it, “Color is the only decoration needed”.

Not only can Teema dinnerware items be used table top, it can also be used in the oven to prepare a meal.

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1956: Kartio Glasses

Designer: Kaj Franck

This super simplistic design was created to capture the perfect balance between the material and the geometric form. These glasses, which come in a wide array of colors, are durable enough for everyday use, making them the perfect basic drinking glass with lasting style and elegance.

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1964:Kastehelmi Glass Dinnerware

Designer: Oiva Toikka

The Kastehelmi "dewdrop" collection has a bubbled texture, with tiny glass dots adorning each piece. The idea was inspired by two elements - fire and water - being combined. This collection of dinnerware alco includes decor items like a candle votive, which creates incredible reflections when lit.

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1968: Ultima Thule Glassware

Designer: Tapio Wirkkala

The Tapio collection takes its inspiration from nature - the design is meant to look like melting ice in Lapland. This design was originally carved into a graphic mold in the 1960s before being turned into glassware. This design is an exquisite reflection of the thousands of hours of glass blowing it takes to produce.

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1972: Toikka Glass Birds

Designer: Oiva Toikka

The Toikka glass birds collection is one of the most popular, unique and innovative collections that iittala has ever made. Created from Oiva Toikka's passion for art and inspiration from nature, these birds are individually mouth-blown so that each bird is one of a kind. Toikka has created more than 400 birds over the past 40 years for this collection.

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2001: Essence Stemware

Designer: Alfredo Häberli

The Essence stemware collection includes an array of the "essential" glasses for serving all types of wine. Each piece in the collection bears the same distinct shape, and offers a remarkable sense of balance. The ideal for these glasses is that they will make drinking fine wines more enjoyable.

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2006: Taika Dinnerware

Designers: Heikki Orvola and Klaus Haapaniemi

The Taika collection - "magic" in Finnish - features a set of intricately decorated dinnerware pieces in black and white and in color. The bold, enchanting design is an illustration of Haapaniemi's own imagination, and is meant to tell a story to the user.

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2012: Lempi Drinking Glasses

Designer: Matti Klenell

These universal drinking glasses, with a simple and straightforward design, are suitable for any and all occasions, whether you're drinking water, wine or anything in between. They're stackable, making storage easy, and come in a variety of colors.

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