History
Arctic Doll has a long and colorful history. It was founded in the autumn of 1953 in a barn belonging to the vicarage in the Finnish town of Vihti and called Dollytex. At the beginning of the 1960’s a new factory was built on the riverbank in Vihti. Then in 1976 the dolls came to Lapland when the factory moved to Rovaniemi and changed its name to Polardolls. Between 1986 – 1997 the company worked under the name of Napapiirin Muovi.
The current owner started in 1998 under the name Arctic Plast OY. Currently our doll factory and souvenir manufacturing operates under the owners trade name Matkamuistovalmistamo Erkki Juopperi. Products are sold under the brand names Arctic Doll and Arctic Charm. Arctic Dolls are manufactured in the only working doll factory in Finland or Northern Europe.
Erkki Juopperi's story
Erkki Juopperi’s career change from lorry driver to doll maker started with a single load of reindeer hides in 1986. Souvenir manufacturer Tauro Mantyniemi had ordered the load to his home. He asked Erkki Juopperi to stay and help him with a big order of trolls made out of the reindeer hides and Erkki Juopperi fell in love with the craft immediately. …
… At first he bought bodies to make Lappish dolls from a company called Napapiirin Muovi KY and when the factory was closing down in 1997 Erkki bought the molds and machines. He believed it was important that the Finnish doll making tradition should continue. That proved to be the right decision, Arctic Dolls and previous lines have sold millions and traveled all over the world.
The Association for Finnish Work grants Finnish products and services symbol of origin, the Key Flag and supervises it's use.
Arctic Doll has right to use the Key Flag symbol of origin.
The Strongest in Finland certificate is a visible proof of company's creditworthiness, reliability and excellent solvency.
The companies in the two highest categories of Asiakastieto's 7-step Rating Alfa classification, i.e. approx. 12 % of Finnish companies are entitled to the Strongest in Finland certificate.