Almaborealis is the creation of knitwear designer Maija Nygren.

Maija started knitting and crocheting at 5 years old with her Finnish grandmother and made her first five needle mittens at school at the age of 6. It dawned on Maija that craft education is not a given, and in various countries the deciding bodies have removed this are from the curriculum as it is no longer seen as a necessity. Maija argues that there is a need now more than ever a necessity to offer opportunities for children and young people in particular, to dwell in exploring materials and the power of transforming these into new forms by making hands. It is only then we learn to connect the dots - understand where things come from, where they end up, and ultimately how we can use depleting natural resource safely, preserving the welfare of future generations.

New modes of creating clothing for the world

Maija set up Almaborealis as an experimental knitwear lab to challenge fast fashion and lack of interaction with our clothes and instead of establishing new modes of creating clothing that is long lasting, designed to be repaired, extended and worn for many years.  Maija believes that clothing, as any other material goods in our lives, ought, and needs, to be designed to have an infinite life cycle.

Maija has developed a range of creative workshops for all ages, alongside the products available in the shop to explore the above.

You can find out more about Maija’s projects here.