Artek products are not one-of-a-kind handmade items, but are mass-produced in factories. However, the nature of the products, and especially the materials, are the polar opposite of a fully automated manufacturing process. Since the company was founded, Artek products have been semi-mechanized under strict quality standards. This means that while machines are used, many processes are still done by hand. Therefore, we do not believe that it is possible or necessary to make each product completely uniform. We do not see slight differences in materials or manufacturing processes as defects, but rather as a natural part of the individuality of Artek products.
The strength and beauty of Finnish birch comes from the fact that it grows in mixed forests with a wide variety of trees. To get more sunlight, the trees have fewer branches and stronger, taller and straighter trunks. They then mature slowly, becoming timber with a smooth, homogenous fibre.
The birch used in Artek furniture is selected from the highest quality trees that are approximately 50 to 80 years old. The trees are felled at the right time in their growth, in winter when the risk of pests is low, and then they are put through a drying process.
The felled timber is stored outdoors, away from rain and snow, and slowly dried for up to 12 months. This natural drying process preserves and sets the characteristic light colour of Finnish birch, also known as "blonde birch".
The wood is finally selected by skilled artisans: smooth birch without knots or discolouration is used for the surfaces such as the stool seats, while flawed birch is used for the seat filling and for the parts to be lacquered.
Wood bending techniques
Finnish bent wood technology using natural materials - "L-Leg"
The L-Leg is a bending technique developed by Alvar Aalto in the early 1930s and patented at the time. The technique involves making cuts at intervals of a few millimeters from the tip of a solid piece of wood to the part to be bent, sandwiching and gluing a thin plywood between the cuts, and then bending the piece while applying heat . The L-Leg is a simple process that allows thick solid wood to be bent, resulting in a stronger and more stable finish. Alvar Aalto called the L-Leg "the younger sister of the column in architecture." By systematically applying L-Leg in various sizes as standard parts, a wide variety of products in the Artek product collection were created, including the Stool 60, the 69 Chair, the 153 Bench, and the Aalto Table.
Alvar Aalto
The Nordic Sage Alvar Aalto (1898-1976), one of the most influential architects of the 20th century and whom architectural critic Sigfried Giedion likened to the "Nordic Sage," was born in Kuortane, Finland. During his lifetime, Aalto designed over 200 buildings, all of which are known as masterpieces with their exquisite combination of organic form, materials, and light. Alvar Aalto believed that architecture and furniture complement each other, so he naturally designed furniture to match the buildings he designed. His first furniture designs, developed for the Paimio Sanatorium in 1931-32, attracted worldwide attention, and in 1935 he founded Artek with the aim of selling furniture, lighting fixtures, and textiles designed by Alvar Aalto and Aino Aalto worldwide. The organic forms created by Alvar Aalto became models for later architects, and the furniture and glass items he designed played a major role in spreading Scandinavian design around the world. Highly regarded not only as an architect but also as a product designer, Aalto's products incorporated cutting-edge ideas with mass production in mind, such as the standardization of parts with a view to rationality and the development of new techniques for bending wood.
Artek
The name Artek is a combination of the words "art" and "technology," which are the keywords of the international modernist movement that emerged in the 1920s. In 1935, four young people, Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen, and Nils-Gustav Hahl, founded the company in Helsinki with the aim of "not only selling furniture, but also promoting modernist culture through exhibitions and educational activities." In its founding manifesto, it can be seen that the company considered its "cultural mission to go far beyond the commercial aspect." Today, Artek's collection includes furniture, lighting fixtures, and home accessories by Finnish masters and globally active architects and designers. They are all designed with functionality and poetic clarity. Inheriting the spirit of its founder, Artek continues to stand at the intersection of design, art, and architecture today and pave the way for the future.Artek Product Warranty Period
| We guarantee that our products will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 2 years from date of delivery. However, this does not apply to defects, damage, or malfunctions caused by the following actions: - Products that have been soiled or damaged due to use other than their normal purpose - Products that have been improperly used, mishandled or altered (such as using inappropriate chemicals to care for the fabric) Repairs for products that are out of warranty period will be charged. |
