Knowing how products are made, where raw materials are sourced, and the ethical and environmental impacts involved is part of responsible consumerism. The majority of products is made at the a-factory in Turku, where Aalto furniture has been manufactured since the 1920s. Using birch wood that is grown, felled, and seasoned in Finland, modern production methods are combined with expert handcraftsmanship, balancing the best of human and machine to produce furniture to the highest standards.

Adhering to a straightforward construction logic, Artek classics can be easily maintained, repaired, and repurposed by the user. Components can be replaced or customised, legs cut, surfaces repainted, webbing upholstery renewed, or products taken apart and effortlessly reassembled with replaceable standard screws.

Thanks to a unique palette of materials, products become more beautiful over time. Wood, leather and linoleum age gracefully; untreated brass develops an appealing patina. Traces of use, like the flaws that occur naturally in wood, confer individuality to products that accumulate character as they age.

Since 2006, Artek has been buying back used Aalto furniture in order to make it available again. Today at Artek 2nd Cycle, Artek’s Helsinki based platform for pre-loved design, a wide range of re-discovered pieces is for sale, offering a second life cycle to Finnish and international design classics.