Novita

Established in 1928, Novita is in the fourth generation of family management. Novita has been spinning yarn for 90 years. Wool is a natural material known since time immemorial and has changed very little over time. The Novita team handles the entire production process, from raw wool to the final ball. Novita is growing and expanding into international markets and operates the largest spinning mill in Kouvola, Finland.

Ernst Gylfe, the founder of Novita, left for Britain at the age of 50 to study the making of worsted spun yarn in Bradford, known as the birthplace of European yarn and the textile industry. On his return to Finland, he founded Helsingin Villakehräämö Oy and started spinning yarns in 1928 in what was then the Sea Cable Hall. Once worsted spun yarn had found its way onto the needles and into the hearts of Finns, the company acquired land for its factory in Lauttasaari, Helsinki in 1935. During WWII, the company ran out of raw materials for production, but nobody was laid off. The employees kept busy by knitting woolly socks to keep Finnish soldiers’ feet warm through the cold winters on the front line.

The mill was built on the same site and served as offices for our marketing, purchasing and product design departments until 2018.

Today, Novita, a Finnish family-owned company, is going from strength to strength. Fourth-generation owner Daniela Yrjö-Koskinen runs the business. Her sister and brother, Patricia and Ernst, are also closely involved and serve on the board of directors. “I’m following in the footsteps of my great-grandfather.” He made his dream come true by founding the company in Helsinki 90 years ago, and now that I’m running the company as a representative of the fourth generation, I’m living my dream too, building a stronger international presence for our company,” explains Daniela.