Summertime ideas

In Finland, the land of the midnight sun, where summer days are virtually endless, there is no lack of delightful ways to keep oneself entertained throughout the summer months.

Enjoy the summer and all the fun that comes with it to the full with these five Finnish companies and brands.

PLAY FINNISH MÖLKKY: TACTIC GAMES

Ask a Finn what makes a perfect weekend at a summer cottage aside from food, sauna and dips in the lake, and the answer will be playing Mölkky. This easy-to-learn skittle-throwing game offers players a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family in a fun and laid-back manner.

A Finnish invention, Mölkky has been growing in popularity in other parts of the world as well and even has its own annual world championship tournament. Tactic, the company that currently owns the rights to the trademark, sees huge global potential for Mölkky, as the game has universal appeal while staying true to its Finnish roots.

“It’s not high tech, yet it’s ecological and somewhat exotic,” Tactic Games’s sales director, Juha Nieminen, told us earlier. “The materials from pure Finnish nature and a simple approach to spending time outdoors with friends are universally appreciated.”

FEED BUTTERFLIES: BELIGHTFUL DESIGN

Butterflies are not only a wonderful sight in summer, but also pollinators that play an essential role in guarding biodiversity. With the butterfly population in Europe declining alarmingly in the past few decades, this ecological design company is doing its part in bringing butterflies back to our gardens.

Belightful Design’s core product, Butterfly Oasis, is an award-winning feeder made from an oil-free and bio-based recyclable material. Filled with nectar and hung in a garden or on a balcony, Butterfly Oasis is a beautiful and meaningful way to support nature.

“When we founded the company our aim was to provide people the possibility to support nature through joy-bringing and environmentally friendly design,” co-founders Miia Liesegang and Taina Tallala said. “Studies show that nature is a fundamental resource for wellbeing, and that’s why Belightful Design wishes to bring outdoors closer to everyday life.”

SPICE UP YOUR GRILLING: POPPAMIES

Grilling outdoors is a summer staple, and here in Finland the love for barbecuing is so overwhelming that BBQ grills can be borrowed from libraries. The next time you fire up the grill to cook that mouth-watering food, consider a quality sauce that boosts rather than hides the taste.

Established in 2008 and located in Kangasala, Poppamies is a seasoned expert in chilli and BBQ sauces, some of which have received international acclaim. Additionally, Poppamies offers a wide range of seasonings and rubs, as well as chilli-flavoured sweets.

The company invests heavily in product development and pursues international growth. Its products are currently exported to over a dozen countries, with a special focus on the Baltic and Nordic countries.

“Hopefully we will then be the most respected food brand in Europe,” CEO Caj Sjöman commented on the company’s 10-year vision. “Bill Gates once had a vision that every home should have a computer. My vision is that there is Poppamies in every recipe.”

CHOOSE SUSTAINABLE SWIMWEAR: HALLA HALLA

As the warm summer season is ramping up, more and more people are heading to the water to cool down. This Finnish fashion brand has something special for those planning to update their beachwear wardrobe. Halla Halla bikinis and one-pieces not only look chic and are comfortable to wear, but are also designed with the environment in mind.

The brand uses a fabric made of recycled plastic waste from bottles, bags and fishing nets, collected from landfills and oceans all over the world. The founders, Hanna Chalvet and Salla Maisonlahti, design all the pieces themselves, and the swimsuits are ethically manufactured at a factory in Bali, Indonesia.

“It was clear to us from the start that we wanted to combine eco-friendliness and fashion in our swimsuits. These were two things we didn’t want to compromise on,” the duo told us a few years ago.

ENJOY A SMOOTH BOAT RIDE: Q YACHTS

What could be better on a beautiful summer day than taking a boat ride? Emerged from a desire to transform boating into a more eco-friendly sector, this Finnish company specialises in developing fully electric boats with sleek minimalistic designs and excellent performance.

Founded by Janne Kjellman, Q Yachts first started taking the world by storm in 2018 with the launch of the Q30, an all-electric day cruiser that offers environmentally conscious boating enthusiasts a unique experience where the “journey becomes the destination”. Since then, this quiet, comfortable, stylish and energy-efficient boat has become a global sensation.

Q Yachts believes that its innovative concept for electric day cruisers will only become more and more popular as a result of improved technology and charging infrastructure.

“The Q Yachts concept of silent, pollution-free and simple charging electric motorboating has proven itself as a fully functional concept,” Kjellman said. “We look forward to being able to offer our customers an even greater motorboating experience in the future.”