The story of the hat factory

Salon Lakkitehdas is a vibrant Finnish family business. The hat factory is located in an idyllic factory environment in Sastamala. Salon® headwear is known for Finnish design, quality products and responsible materials. Our collection covers a wide selection of caps, hats and beanies for women, men and children.

Reino K. Salo (1926–2000) set up a plant in Kaustinen in 1952 and it spent its first few years operating in Kyrölä. Reino was inspired to set up the hat plant and begin industrial production by his brother, who had produced a fur hat as a hobby. Reino had written two books, and he used the profit from them as capital to set up the plant. 

After the war, shortages were widespread and the manufactured products sold well. When the company operated in Kaustinen, many local homes sewed hat parts for the plant. In 1960 however, Reino Salo and his family moved to Vammala, and the plant’s production moved, too.

For a long time, fur hats were Salon Lakkitehdas’ main product. They were exported as far as Central Europe and the Soviet Union. Thanks to a corporate acquisition in the 1980s, the production of fabric hats increased, and Salon Lakkitehdas also began to produce student and graduation caps. To begin with, student caps were sold to Sweden in particular. Sweden wanted to raise appreciation for vocational qualifications, and demand for graduation caps increased.

Reino Salo’s sons took over responsibility for running the company in the 1980s. At the end of 2019, the company was taken over by a new owner after having been in the Salo family for almost 70 years. Today, Salon Lakkitehdas is a thriving, Finnish family-owned company led by Ville Nuutinen. The company continues to be a Finnish, family-owned company that honours the Salo family’s traditions. 

"We will continue to bring products under the Salon® brand to the market, combining Finnish expertise and high-quality and responsible material choices. Responsibility is a strong part of our daily operations," Ville Nuutinen sums up. Read more about responsibility.

The main characters of the Salon Lakkitehdas. Below, CEO Ville Nuutinen and Satu Seppänen. Above, Veera Haapahovi and Heidi Lockmer (right).