Birch bark, Locally collected
Birch as a bag material
Ulla & Veijo Haverinen
Birchbark
Natural materials for reuse
At Lovia, we draw inspiration from nature and are constantly looking for new ways to use natural materials. One example of this is the use of straw as a detail on our bags.
We get the birch bark used in our bags from Ulla and Veijo Haveris from Kuhmo. The use of birch bark has a long tradition in Finland, which has inspired Haveris to seek information and experiment with processing it into a new material. Now birch bark continues its life as part of Lovia bags!
FOUNDED: 2020
EMPLOYEES: 2
LOCATION: KUHMO, FINLAND
Nature's own material
Birch has been used for centuries in Finland for various purposes, such as in clothing like leather or fabric. It is even called the plastic of the past due to its durability and versatility. As a material, birch is flexible, durable and lightweight. So it sounds like a great material for bags, right?
But how does birch bark end up in the front panels of designer bags from the forest? Ulla and Veijo Haverinen have started collecting birch bark and getting to know the material in 2020. Removing birch bark from birch trees and collecting it must always be done with the landowner's permission. The birch bark used in Lovia bags is collected from the Haverinen family's forests. Together, the Haverinen family selects a suitable birch tree from the forest, of which smooth-surfaced sand birch is the best option.
A vertical cut is made into the birch trunk and the birch bark separates from the birch tree on its own. The birch bark sheets are then processed, split and cleaned. The birch bark sheets straighten under pressure for a few days and then they are allowed to air dry. After four weeks, the birch bark sheets are ready to continue their journey as bag material.
Greetings from Kuhmo
We want to give our partners a chance to have their voices heard, because without them the idea of utilizing a certain material would just remain, well, an idea. Here are some greetings from Ulla Haverinen and bits of information about working with the wood, just as it appears in Kuhmo.
"The way I saw birch bark working as a child has fascinated me for a long time. I have read books and articles about birch bark processing and learned the techniques for working with birch bark myself. One of the inspirations has been Lovia and the design products made with its braiding technique.
The process is not difficult as long as you are careful and allow enough time for it. I have learned to recognize the behavior of the birch bark during the thinning phase, and how the birch bark of the common birch and the common birch differs from each other. Similarly, there are differences in the color of the birch bark of different birch species.
"Cooperation with Lovia has been rewarding and uncomplicated. We feel that the Lovia team appreciates our work. It is very nice to see the result of our own work as part of a Lovia design product. It is great that we can continue the ancient tradition of using birch bark as a material for products."
-Ulla Haverinen
Where can we do better?
Together with Ulla, we have managed to find a way to further refine birch using traditional methods that have long since disappeared. In the future, we want to find processing methods suitable for small-scale production and bring old, traditional birch processing methods into the present day using modern means.
Ulla & Veijo haverinen
birchbark
Natural materials for reuse
At Lovia, we draw inspiration from nature and are constantly looking for new ways to use natural materials. One example of this is the use of straw as a detail on our bags.
We get the birch bark used in our bags from Ulla and Veijo Haveris from Kuhmo. The use of birch bark has a long tradition in Finland, which has inspired Haveris to seek information and experiment with processing it into a new material. Now birch bark continues its life as part of Lovia bags!
FOUNDED: 2020
EMPLOYEES: 2
LOCATION: KUHMO, FINLAND
Nature's own material
Birch has been used for centuries in Finland for various purposes, such as in clothing like leather or fabric. It is even called the plastic of the past due to its durability and versatility. As a material, birch is flexible, durable and lightweight. So it sounds like a great material for bags, right?
But how does birch bark end up in the front panels of designer bags from the forest? Ulla and Veijo Haverinen have started collecting birch bark and getting to know the material in 2020. Removing birch bark from birch trees and collecting it must always be done with the landowner's permission. The birch bark used in Lovia bags is collected from the Haverinen family's forests. Together, the Haverinen family selects a suitable birch tree from the forest, of which smooth-surfaced sand birch is the best option.
A vertical cut is made into the birch trunk and the birch bark separates from the birch tree on its own. The birch bark sheets are then processed, split and cleaned. The birch bark sheets straighten under pressure for a few days and then they are allowed to air dry. After four weeks, the birch bark sheets are ready to continue their journey as bag material.
Greetings from Kuhmo
We want to give our partners a chance to have their voices heard, because without them the idea of utilizing a certain material would just remain, well, an idea. Here are some greetings from Ulla Haverinen and bits of information about working with the wood, just as it appears in Kuhmo.
"The way I saw birch bark working as a child has fascinated me for a long time. I have read books and articles about birch bark processing and learned the techniques for working with birch bark myself. One of the inspirations has been Lovia and the design products made with its braiding technique.
The process is not difficult as long as you are careful and allow enough time for it. I have learned to recognize the behavior of the birch bark during the thinning phase, and how the birch bark of the common birch and the common birch differs from each other. Similarly, there are differences in the color of the birch bark of different birch species.
"Cooperation with Lovia has been rewarding and uncomplicated. We feel that the Lovia team appreciates our work. It is very nice to see the result of our own work as part of a Lovia design product. It is great that we can continue the ancient tradition of using birch bark as a material for products."
-Ulla Haverinen
Where could we do better?
Together with Ulla, we have managed to find a way to further refine birch using traditional methods that have long since disappeared. In the future, we want to find processing methods suitable for small-scale production and bring old, traditional birch processing methods into the present day using modern means.
birchwood treasures
hilla belt bag
hilla belt bag
