Press release: Utua goes international
Utua bags travel the world
The Raahe bag brand, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary next year, has taken a big leap towards internationalization.
Founded by Piia Vähäsalo in 2014, Utua has been one of Finland's three largest leather bag brands for years, known for its colorful leather bags and superior value for money. Now the company has launched an English-language online store, through which it will serve an international customer base and make the brand known beyond our country's borders.
– Certain areas have been selected as target markets, from which positive signals have already been received, says Chief Designer Vähäsalo.
The brand has already become familiar to a large number of Finns and international tourists. Products have been sold in our own stores on Aleksanterinkatu in Helsinki, in Raahe, in our own online store and in Sievi Shop's stores and online store. Corona changed the sales channels and with the new strategy and encouragement from Kasvu Open, we are now exporting this international consumer brand abroad.
Colour as a selling point
Utua bags are entirely handmade and are not produced in large quantities. Functionality, diverse collections and a wide range of colors distinguish the bags from their competitors. The quality of the bags is comparable to luxury brands.
“We have noticed that the ever-increasing trend of responsible purchasing in Europe favors Utua and the ideology of slow consumption,” says Piia Vähäsalo. Utua’s design is minimalistic and Scandinavian. The products are timeless and classic, not fast fashion.
Responsibility across the board
Material efficiency, service life optimization, and product repairability are taken into account even during the design phase of the bags. This ensures that the production of the bag range has the least possible impact on the environment.
All Utua products are manufactured within the EU, ensuring proper production conditions and that the people who make the products receive appropriate compensation for their work.
The leather products are made from surplus materials from food production. The hides come mainly from the Nordic countries and are processed into bag leather in Italy at a factory that has a gold medal rating from the Leather Working Group.
The bags are sewn in a small Greek family-owned atelier, whose employees are well-known to the people of Utena.
In addition to quality, ecological and ethical values have been essential criteria when selecting partners.
In addition to genuine leather bags, belts and wallets, Utua offers mulesing-free merino wool products and mohair hats and scarves, which are completely domestically produced in Ostrobothnia.
www.utuabags.com
Additional information:
Piia Vähäsalo, 044 597 9693
piia.vahasalo@utua.fi
Bag in the picture: Minerva Exclusive vegetable-tanned handbag, designer Piia Vähäsalo
Photographer: Jaana Koskipaasi
Model: Iiris Piuva
