The Sustainability Issue
Marimekko and its Sustainable Growth
In a world where fast fashion has become the norm, Marimekko continues to stand for sustainability, diversity and inclusion in all that it does - with CEO & President, as well as Aalto Business School graduate, Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko leading the way.
By Niamh Ollerton
“There is a saying in Finland, that if you do not have much money to spare, you should only invest in good quality.”
"Curiosity and constant learning is the spice of life. When we get to do things that are meaningful we can flourish."
“We want to create products that will stand the test of time, both in terms of aesthetics and longevity,” Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko tells QS Insights during a trip to Aalto University School of Business in the heart of Helsinki.
Alahuhta-Kasko is of course speaking of beloved Finnish design house Marimekko, which she became CEO of in 2016, having previously held the role of CMO at the age of 30, with her career at the organisation now spanning more than two decades.
She says: “I found an organisation that aligned with my values.”
Founded in 1951, Marimekko has become so ingrained with Finnish culture, it’s hard to imagine a time before the brand existed.
Alahuhta-Kasko encapsulates this beautifully, noting it would be difficult to enter a home in Finland without finding a piece of clothing, textiles or crockery from Marimekko - often with the Unikko design, created in 1964 and is still one of Marimekko's most loved prints.
“Our founder, Armi Ratia, had actually forbidden Marimekko designers from creating floral prints, because she felt that flowers would always be more beautiful in nature.
“But this famous Marimekko designer, Maija Isola, felt strongly about creating something inspired by flowers, and she did something completely different from the small, romantic flower prints that everybody else was doing then. She created Unikko, an avant-garde, simplified expression of a flower, and that completely changed our founder’s mind,” Alahuhta-Kasko told The PEAK Magazine.

Today, however, Marimekko´s print archive boasts over 3,500 prints and counting as it continues to add new artworks from artists from a variety of disciplines into its roster.
But Marimekko has been brightening up the lives of customers with its bold artistic prints and colours since the beginning, with Alahuhta-Kasko noting that Marimekko was born to re-energize and bring optimism to people after the difficult time period in Finland.
Alahuhta-Kasko tells QS Insights: “Marimekko´s design wasn’t about chasing fashion; 1950s Finland was a poor country.
“There is a saying in Finland, that if you do not have much money to spare, you should only invest in good quality. Since the beginning, Marimekko’s design philosophy has been based on timeless, functional and high-quality products that bring people long-lasting joy.”
Sustainability is at the heart of Marimekko’s design philosophy and operations and the company believes that in the future, timeless and high-quality products will be made in balance with the environment in line with the principles of the circular economy.
Alahuhta-Kasko says Marimekko is making a determined transition from traditional materials to certified, organic, and recycled materials and focuses also on the recyclability of its products. “Sustainability starts at the designers board.
“Design choices, such as materials, play a crucial role. We create long-lasting products, both aesthetically and in terms of durability. Marimekko products are bestsellers in the second cycle market, especially in Finland and Sweden, with items still being used even from the 1960s,” Alahuhta-Kasko says.
An example of Marimekko’s commitment to supporting innovation is the organisation’s pilot project with Origin by Ocean, which tested substituting Marimekko’s current synthetic thickener with Origin by Ocean algae-based thickener within the print paste.
The company says testing the use of bio-based thickeners in the printing process helps them toward their goal of reducing the amount of chemicals used in their supply chain.
Marimekko is committed to continuously driving innovation in technologies, materials, and business models through collaborations to lead the entire industry forward and reach their ambitious long-term vision of leaving no trace.
Expanding the brand overseas
Together with the entire Marimekko team, Alahuhta-Kasko has transformed the Finnish design house by modernising the brand and collections, accelerating international growth and awareness, digital business and omnichannel experience.
After becoming CEO nine years ago, Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko’s focus has been on modernising the company and its offerings, as well as growing its overseas presence - with Marimekko’s expansion into Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam being the latest accolade.
But how did Marimekko succeed in expanding into new markets?
“To speak to a wider global audience, we needed to sharpen our creative vision, be clearer about what we are the best in the world at, and pair that with deep understanding of the lives, styles, needs and preferences of our target customers in each market.”
“The home market has a rich understanding of our history, but with expanding into the international market as a new brand, you have to be crystal clear and sharpen the translation,” Alahuhta-Kasko says.

A celebrated leader
Even from a young age, Alahuhta-Kasko says she had the courage to listen to her own voice and knew she wanted to inspire also others to find their own internal beacon.
And it was her studies years later - namely her time at Helsinki School of Economics (Aalto University School of Business) where she earned a Master of Science in Economics she says that taught her to ask the right questions, a skill that would hold her in good stead as the future leader of Marimekko’s global brand.
Her education didn’t stop there though, as Alahuhta-Kasko also has a CEMS Master’s in International Management from Groupe HEC Paris and Helsinki School of Economics, and has done further studies at Harvard and IMD Business Schools - and in 2024, Alahuhta-Kasko was awarded Aalto University Honorary Doctorate of Technology.
“Curiosity and constant learning is the spice of life. When we get to do things that are meaningful we can flourish,” she says.
You can tell how passionate Alahuhta-Kasko is about Marimekko when you meet her, making it no surprise that she has been celebrated countless times throughout her career.
Alahuhta-Kasko serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of Finnair as of 2019 and a Member of the Board of Climate Leadership Coalition as of 2022. She is also Vice Chair of Aalto University Student Union’s (AYY) Honorary Delegation and Member of IMD Foundation Board.
In 2021, Alahuhta-Kasko received Business Leader of the Year by the Finnish Businessmen’s Association as well as Finland’s Transformation Leader of the Year by the Boston Consulting Group. She was also awarded Young Leader of the Year 2015 by the Junior Chamber International Finland and acted as the patron of the competition in 2018.
In 2024, Alahuhta-Kasko was recognised as the best CEO in Finland in an annual study conducted by Finnish reputation and trust analytics company T-Media. The study examined the views of nearly 8,000 private investors on the reputation of the 80 largest listed companies in Finland.
Alahuhta-Kasko says: “I am truly happy and honoured by the confidence shown by private investors. The credit for this goes to all Marimekko employees for the long-term work we have done together to develop and grow our business."
To end 2024 on a high, Alahuhta-Kasko has been recognised with the Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland by the President of the Republic of Finland.
Recipients are awarded for exceptional merits in their professional field or in prominent positions in society, with this recognition officially granted on Finland’s 107th Independence Day, 6 December 2024.
“This remarkable honour is a recognition of the long-term excellent work and commitment of all Marimekko employees,” says Alahuhta-Kasko.
Her business acumen is demonstrable through Marimekko’s growth during her tenure as President and CEO.
The company has seen continuous profitable growth with net sales reaching €174m in 2023, doubling brand sales 2023 v 2015, extending to €377 million in 2023, and improving the comparable operating profit margin from 1.6 percent in 2015 to 18.4 percent in 2023.
Marimekko also rose to Mid Cap in NASDAQ Helsinki during this time, with the company’s share price now over 6 times that at the beginning of 2015.
Although Alahuhta-Kasko’s success as the leader of the now global brand is well documented, she credits the success of the organisation to the team around her.
“It is critical to be your authentic self, to be also vulnerable as a leader and build trust and psychological safety in the organization.”
But did she ever have doubts as a leader? “I didn’t doubt myself, as I never felt alone to take on this challenge – we are in this as a team, but I needed courage to be myself as a leader.”
“We have a very flat organization at Marimekko which supports working together as one agile team building on the diverse strengths of each other.”

Marimekko’s growth journey
Alahuhta-Kasko notes that Marimekko’s brand has a beautiful history dating back to its beginning in 1951, and today, consumers are looking for brands and entities that they find meaningful, that have roots and that resonate with their own values and preferences.
“Marimekko was built to be an antidote to the superficiality and exclusivity often found in the fashion industry. It was created to be inclusive and empowering,” Alahuhta-Kasko.
And in today’s society, inclusion, diversity and sustainability are sought by consumers across the globe.
To achieve this though and always be relevant, Alahuhta-Kasko says “It’s important to ensure the DNA and original ethos of the brand are translated in a way that is timeless, yet forward-looking and relevant for our consumers of today and tomorrow.”
“We embarked on a bold brand and collection modernisation journey some years ago. Together with our staff, we peeled the onion in terms of the brand, to really understand what is at the very core of our DNA. Then, we crafted a vision of its translation for the future.”
Armi Ratia said back in 1963: “I really don’t sell clothes, I sell a way of living. One has to dream, and one must stand out from the rest.”
With Alahuhta-Kasko at the helm, and the driven workforce around her, Marimekko will likely be enjoyed across the globe for years to come.