How Finland's Iconic Jewelry House Kalevala Found Its Future In Myth

Forbes

23-07-2025

Kalevala Jewelry House Courtesy of Kalevala
In recent years, Finland has been quietly redrawing its place on the global map. Once known primarily for its harsh climate, northern lights, and stoic forests, the Nordic nation now finds itself at the intersection of geopolitics and digital transformation. Its recent membership in NATO has strengthened its security posture, while leadership in emerging technologies like AI, virtual reality, cybersecurity, and soon, 6G, has positioned Finland as a rising force in the EU's digital future. Yet, even as Finland accelerates toward the future, the country remains deeply tethered to its past, most notably through The Kalevala , the 19th-century national epic compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian rune-singing traditions. One of the most recognized texts in Finnish culture, The Kalevala has inspired more than just a required college reading course. Today, an eponymous brand, Kalevala Jewelry, is writing a new kind of Finnish story, this time as a female-led, sustainably crafted, and increasingly global Finnish jewelry house. To understand how the brand is balancing historic legacy with reinvention, while expanding far beyond Finnish borders, I sat down with Kalevala's CEO, Kirsi Paakkari.
Kirsi Paakkari, Kalevala's CEO Courtesy of Kalevala
Kalevala company traces its birth to an initiative by writer Elsa Heporauta, who aimed to raise funds for a monument honoring women of the Kalevala epic. To raise money, replicas of ancient Iron Age jewelry were created and became an unexpected sensation after they debuted in 1937 at a tea party hosted by Kaisa Kallio, the First Lady of Finland. The success of those early designs led to the founding of a jewelry house, aptly named Kalevala. Rooted in myth and adorned with nature-inspired motifs, this unique jewelry offered Finns a way to wear their heritage and own a piece of history. However, over time many of these heirloom pieces were quietly tucked into drawers, losing their shine as well as relevance, waiting to be rediscovered.
When Kirsi Paakkari joined Kalevala in 2019, the company was struggling with declining sales and weak profitability for decades. 'I was hired to make the company successful again,' she said. What followed was a full-spectrum transformation for Kalevala as a company: an updated visual identity, renewed product portfolio, followed by a revamped distribution and cutting-edge digital presence. These necessary changes culminated in 2020 with a bold global relaunch, and by 2022, Kalevala saw its Japanese-language online store come online with a debut in Tokyo, one of the world's most discerning fashion capitals. 'International interest in our brand has been growing,' said Paakkari.
Fast forward to today, Kalevala is the largest jewelry manufacturer in the Nordic countries. Its headquarters and production remain in Helsinki, where all jewelry is crafted domestically. 'All Kalevala jewelry is handcrafted in Finland at our factory in Helsinki—just like it has always been,' said Paakkari. Kalevala also found success partnering alongside some of the biggest Finnish brands like Marimekko as well as rising Finnish fashion stars from Rolf Ekroth to Ildar Wafin, a young jewelry designer who recently won the New Talent category at the Finnish Fashion Awards.
One of the most emblematic examples is the Männyt collection, Finnish for 'Pines.' Inspired by the ancient trees of the country's archipelago, the line reflects the brand's ethos: 'Its inspiration and themes are timeless and grounded in our Finnish origins, yet its aesthetic is distinctly modern and resonates with today's world.' Courtesy of Kalevala
Despite its transformation, Kalevala hasn't turned its back on its roots. 'Our design language finds its strength in the untamed beauty of Nordic nature and its four seasons,' Paakkari explains.
One of the most emblematic examples is the Männyt collection, Finnish for 'Pines.' Inspired by the ancient trees of the country's archipelago, the line reflects the brand's ethos: 'Its inspiration and themes are timeless and grounded in our Finnish origins, yet its aesthetic is distinctly modern and resonates with today's world.'
Some pieces from Kalevala's archives seem to transcend time altogether, its most iconic 'Planetoid Valleys' necklace worn by Princess Leia in Star Wars is still one of the best selling items. 'The Planetoid Valleys could have been designed just yesterday—even though it is from the 1960s. It is so contemporary! This is a design philosophy to which we are committed,' said Paakkari. Forbes Sustainability Meets Style In Finland's Creative Renaissance By Stephan Rabimov Sustainability In Finnish Jewelry
For a company that works in precious metals, Kalevala is unusually grounded in environmental ethics. 'Our target is to use 100% recycled precious metals,' Paakkari shares. 'The recycling rate for gold is 100%, and for silver it's over 99%. We also recycle all surplus from our own factory.'
Rolf Ekroth x Kalevala collaboration Courtesy of Kalevala
But its sustainability initiatives don't end there, Kalevala has recently launched the Preloved program - a standout in the jewelry industry's slow shift toward circularity. 'Our jewelry is of such high quality that it can withstand use and maintenance from one user to the next and from generation to generation,' Paakkari explained.
The Preloved allows customers to both sell and purchase second hand and refurbished Kalevala and Lapponia jewelry (a brand Kalavala acquired in 2005) —two brands synonymous with Finnish craftsmanship. Through the service, customers can exchange their used jewelry for a Kalevala gift card, others can shop for meticulously restored vintage treasures, some dating back decades. Each piece undergoes professional inspection and cleaning at Kalevala's Helsinki factory before it is reintroduced back into circulation.
Kalevala x Marimekko Collaboration Courtesy of Kalevala
'Our Kalevala Preloved service brings forgotten jewelry from decades ago within everyone's reach again,' Paakkari explained. 'It's about honoring the timeless beauty of design—and making sustainability feel personal, emotional, and beautiful.' While only available in Finland right now, Kalevala Preloved has quickly gained popularity and now accounts for 15% of sales in the channels where it is offered. With plans to expand internationally, the program represents a powerful model for how heritage brands can lead in the reuse economy while preserving their own legacy. Preserving Artisans and Feminism
'It's rare for a jewelry factory of this level to be located in a country's capital city,' Paakkari noted. In this facility, new meets old: laser-guided machines hum alongside master artisans, some of whom have worked there for more than 30 years. 'Even after retirement, many of them gladly return to our factory to lend a helping hand during busy times,' she shares.
To ensure continuity of these artisanal skills, Kalevala has launched an internal Master-Apprentice program. 'It's important to transfer the skills our goldsmiths have to the next generation,' said Paakkari. 'We also offer traineeships and supplemental education for goldsmith degrees in collaboration with institutions such as Salpaus Further Education.'
To ensure continuity of these artisanal skills, Kalevala has launched an internal Master-Apprentice program. 'It's important to transfer the skills our goldsmiths have to the next generation,' said Kirsi Paakkari, CEO of Kalevala. 'We also offer traineeships and supplemental education for goldsmith degrees in collaboration with institutions such as Salpaus Further Education.' Courtesy of Kalevala
Paakkari is the eighth consecutive female leader at Kalevala. 'We are very proud of our women-owned and women-led history,' said Paakkari. Kalevala commits one-third of its profits to personnel and charity—particularly those that benefit women and girls. 'Promoting better living conditions for disadvantaged girls and women is especially important to us,' she adds, referencing initiatives like the Kalevala Training Center, and charities like the Cancer Foundation's Pink Ribbon jewelry collection.
Kalevala also manifests its feminist values in how it shares its profits. From its beginning, Kalevala Jewelry has emphasized the role of women in preserving and modernizing Finnish heritage. In fact the company remains owned by the Kalevala Women's Association, ensuring that its feminist-led legacy is not just remembered but actively sustained.
Paakkari is equally passionate about cultivating a workplace driven by inclusivity. 'People are not just boxes on an organizational chart,' said Paakkari. 'Each person is the sum of their parts, and we believe that acknowledging the whole individual is key to building a thriving workplace.' Rising in the East: Finnish Jewelry in Japan
As Finland's geopolitical relevance grows, so too does Kalevala's cultural reach. The brand made its Tokyo debut in October 2022 with a direct-to-consumer strategy rooted in creative diplomacy. 'We started with a very focused target group in Tokyo,' Paakkari explained. 'These are confident, independent working women who appreciate craftsmanship, storytelling, and meaningful luxury.' Their products were an instant hit in Japan.
Kalevala Jewelry collection Courtesy of Kalevala
Part of Kalevala's popularity in Japan can be traced to a quiet kinship between two distant cultures. Finnish and Japanese aesthetics, though shaped by different geographies, share an elemental language, one that values simplicity over spectacle, and craftsmanship over convenience. In Kalevala's jewelry, the cool stillness of a Nordic forest or the weight of a centuries-old myth is rendered in clean, deliberate forms. These pieces speak to Japanese sensibilities of Shibui , which find beauty not in opulence, but in restraint. There is a shared reverence for the handmade, for objects that carry meaning across generations. In both cultures, design is not just an art form, but a living philosophy.
Rather than investing in brick-and-mortar stores, Kalevala built its Japanese presence through a fully localized e-commerce platform, supported by strategic pop-ups, PR activations, and high-touch storytelling events. The brand launched at the Finnish Embassy in Tokyo before a showcase at Spiral Art Center, a complex in Tokyo's Aoyama district. Since then, it has staged pop-ups at Newoman department store in Tokyo, a high-profile collaboration with Akikoaoki during Tokyo Creative Salon in March 2024, and its first Isetan appearance in December of that same year—where a limited edition of the Preloved concept was tested with great success.
In 2025, the brand expanded to Osaka with a pop-up at Hankyu department store and began showcasing select collections at the Osaka World Expo, now through October 2025. 'Japan is now our second largest market after Finland,' said Paakkari. 'Sales are growing nicely, and the response has been remarkable.' Kalevala In Numbers
Today, Kalevala is a €12.2 million company with 79 employees and a brand awareness rate of 97% in Finland. Its online store serves over 100 countries, and more than 22 million pieces of Kalevala jewelry have been produced since its founding in 1937. But beyond these numbers, it is the story that keeps living. 'Our company's mission and origin serve as a powerful source of motivation for many of our employees,' said Paakkari. 'It is truly rare to be able to work for a company that is driven by such a meaningful set of principles and history.'
As Kalevala approaches its 90th anniversary in 2027, it stands not only as a beacon of Finnish jewelry design but as a testament to the enduring power of great storytelling.