Highlights

History

The operations of the Friitala Leather Factory began in 1892 when 18-year-old Arthur Hellman (1874–1937) purchased a tannery workshop that had already been operating in the village of Friitala, Ulvila. The workshop quickly expanded, growing from leather tanning to further leather processing. As production increased, the factory complex was expanded in several phases over the decades, with the latest additions completed in 1936 and 1950. A new office building was constructed near the factory in 1971. From 1972 onward, the company operated under the name Friitala Oy.

During World War II, the factory produced goods for the Finnish Defense Forces, including leather suits, military coats, pilot caps, medical and gas mask bags, saddles, and harnesses. The 1960s and 1970s marked a period of internationalization for the company. By the mid-1970s, Friitala Leather Factory had become the largest leather company in the Nordic countries and one of the most modern leather factories in the world. Its high-quality products were in demand in Europe, the USA, and Japan. The factory’s operations were divided into two main areas: basic leather production and further processing. Leather was produced for the garment, shoe, bag, and furniture industries. Further processing included the production of clothing, bags, and gloves. Friitala became particularly well known for its high-quality leather garments.

The leather factory was a major local employer. As production grew, the need for workers increased year after year. In the early 1970s, the factory employed up to 1,000 people. Although employment began to decline during the 1980s, Friitala still had around 800 employees in 1985.

The late 1980s brought significant changes and the need to adapt to a shifting market. The clothing industry was hit hard by cheap imports from the Far East, and rising production costs made leather manufacturing increasingly unprofitable. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent decline of exports to the East also severely impacted the Finnish shoe industry, which in turn affected leather production. The factory had to scale back operations, and layoffs were unavoidable. Leather production at the Friitala factory ended in 1993.

Leather garment production was continued by Friitala Fashion Oy, founded in 1989, employing around 300 people. However, this chapter came to an end when Friitala Fashion Oy declared bankruptcy on September 3, 2010, ending leather garment production in Ulvila. The Friitala brand was later purchased by a Helsinki-based couple working in the leather industry.