Positive change through fairness and equality

It’s deeply rooted in our company DNA to promote fairness and equality in the world around us. We strive to continuously improve transparency and drive positive change through our own operations and industry collaborations.

Equality

A proud history

Since the 1950s, our dream has been to empower people to be happy just as they are. And this strong belief in inclusivity and equal rights shines through in our actions as well as our designs.

There can be no joy without fairness and equality

There can be no joy without fairness and equality

In the late sixties, Annika Rimala wanted to create a design that would suit everyone regardless of age, size, or gender. The result became the immensely popular Tasaraita (Even Stripe) pattern; a true Marimekko mainstay since 1968.
 Bringing the full picture
The textile industry is a truly global one that flows across borders and continents. Despite the many links of a global supply chain, we aim to provide full transparency in the long run. It’s a complex task, but one that we are determined to complete. 

Meet our suppliers

We are proud of our supplier partners and wish to share as much background information on our products as possible. We will also extend our audits to fabric suppliers in countries outside the EU.

Behind the patterns
Since 2019, Behind the Patterns have been a regular feature on the Marimekko Instagram page. Here, we invite our community to engage with us and ask any questions they might have, for example, about sustainability, traceability, or product design. Check out our Instagram page to join the next event.

Partnerships

Positive change through engagement

“Promote fairness and equality towards everyone and everything.” This is the principle we build our value chain around. We select our supplier partners with care and actively engage with them in supporting their development.

Cultivating mutually beneficial relationships allows us to grow together year after year. That's why some of our partnership connections have flourished for over 20 years.

Handcrafting mugs at the Oiva ceramics factory in Thailand

Partnership highlights

Better Cotton Initiative
The mission of Better Cotton is to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment. In 2022, 7% of the cotton purchased by Marimekko was conventional cotton, 81% Better Cotton, and the rest organic or recycled cotton. Better Cotton is sourced via a chain of custody model called mass balance. This means that Better Cotton is not physically traceable to end products, however, Better Cotton Farmers benefit from the demand for Better Cotton in equivalent volumes to those we ‘source.’ You can learn more about Better Cotton at: bettercotton.org/learnmore  
Amfori BSCI
Our sourcing practices (how we buy our products and materials) are guided by a strict set of principles. Since 2011, we have been a member of amfori BSCI, an international initiative which promotes the monitoring and improvement of working conditions in global supply chains. To work with us, suppliers must comply with our Supplier Code of Conduct, based on the International Labour Organization Conventions and the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct. 
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Our sustainability work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We particularly focus on 7 specific goals where we as a company can achieve the biggest positive impact. These being Goals 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) 5 (Gender Equality), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

Discover more about
sustainability at Marimekko