Yrjö Kukkapuro’s Remmi chair returns back to its roots to Finland

Classic chair Remmi by Finnish design legend Yrjö Kukkapuro (born 1933) returns to its roots to Finland. Yrjö Kukkapuro Collection, which distributes Yrjö Kukkapuro furniture brand, has now started to produce Remmi chair in Finland. Returning the classic chair’s production to home after eight years, is a tribute to Yrjö Kukkapuro and to Yrjö Kukkapuro’s furniture and a significant cultural act for Finnish design.

Yrjö Kukkapuro created Remmi already in 1969, and it has been one of the most popular Yrjö Kukkapuro products. Yrjö Kukkapuro Collection wanted to re-establish the popular Remmi, as locally produced and environmentally friendly. The new Remmi collection has transparent and traceable production chain. The collection has been awarded with the Finnish Key Flag certificate.

Remmi chairs and footstools are the second furniture series by Yrjö Kukkapuro Collection, that are produced in Finland. In 2020, the company launched its first Finnish-made Moomin Furniture series.

The chairs are locally produced and the production methods value environmental sustainability. The chairs have high-quality leather upholstery by Swedish Elmo. Elmo leather is tanned in Sweden with so called “Clean water tanning” technique. The leather material is also traceable straight to a farm. The steel frame is produced by Summanen in Lahti, Finland.

The three corner stones of Yrjö Kukkapuro’s design philosophy are ergonomics, aesthetics, and ecology. The idea is that the furniture designed by him, can be fixed, renewed, and used from one generation to another. As all the parts are replaceable, the resale value of the classic product stays high.

The birth history of Remmi happened during a time when Kukkapuro had designed only plastic chairs for almost ten years. Yrjö Kukkapuro tells:

“I had started to long something new and exciting to my design. In the 60s´ functionalism was not appreciated, although the chairs by greats, such as Mies van der Rohen and Marcel Breuer, are highly popular nowadays. So, I rediscovered the despised pipe frame chairs. I returned to a structure in which vertical parts, such as vertical pipes and strings holding the chair together, were the frame of the chair. By chance at the time, I met a Danish agent who represented these metal strings to me. Suddenly, I realized this was a simple and elegant solution to a minimalistic metal frame.

Ergonomics in the chair is formed by the cushioning, that is designed to support lumbar and neck. The chair got its name Remmi after long reflection and was named after “mäystin” leather bindings used in old cross-country skis. Remmi is formed by two basic elements, hard steel frame and soft cushioning. It is like Yin and Yang, the other doesn’t exist without another.”

“Domesticity is important for me. I appreciate my Finnishness, although as a creative designer I’m a world citizen”, says Kukkapuro.

Remmi became a success especially after the oil crisis in 1973. The price of plastic materials rapidly rose, and critic was raised against wasting nature’s resources. Remmi has been selected to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum’s and Design Museum’s collections. It has also been voted as the best chair for music listening.

Remmi chair is a sustainable choice, which supports Finnish work and lasts from one generation to another. With the new locally produced furniture series, Yrjö Kukkapuro Collection can respond faster and in agile way to clients´ needs. Remmi chair is packed to Finnish-made plastic-free package and delivered with certificate of authenticity. Products have 10 years warranty (does not cover product’s normal wear and tear).

The new Remmi series can be easily purchased from www.yrjokukkapuro.com online store. The brand also aims for international growth and has formed a companionship with the highly successful Finnish online design retailer Finnish Design Shop. Remmi collection is produced by Modeo.

Welcome to the new age – Get acquainted with the Remmi collection