The old dairy in Artjärvi sits in the rural landscape of Päijät-Häme, about an hour and a half's drive from Helsinki. Within its walls, clothes are designed, cut and sewn according to values that have guided production for over forty years. Ruskovilla was founded in 1981, and from the very beginning, the wellbeing of nature and people has been central to how it operates — grounded in organic-certified materials and domestic manufacturing.

Now European legislation is moving the textile industry toward the same goals Ruskovilla has pursued from the start. The Digital Product Passport is a requirement under the EU's Ecodesign Regulation, which demands that a product's story be verifiable: where the material comes from, who made it, how durable the product is, and what can be done with it at the end of its life.

For Ruskovilla, this is not a new direction — it's an opportunity to make visible what has always been true.

From an Artjärvi Dairy to the World – Organic-Certified Natural Fibres and Finnish Manufacturing as a Competitive Advantage

Ruskovilla's factory, headquarters and warehouse are all under one roof. This is a deliberate choice: when design, most of the manufacturing and storage happen in close proximity, the supply chain remains manageable and quality can be closely monitored.

Ruskovilla is a pioneer in the use of organic materials in Finland. The company uses only responsibly produced, organic-certified natural fibres in its garments: merino wool, silk and cotton. Organic production takes into account the wellbeing of animals, soil and people. Products are not treated with harmful chemicals at any stage of production — as required by the organic certification, which covers the entire production chain — making them safe to manufacture and wear. The Avainlippu (Key Flag) label awarded to Ruskovilla products signifies Finnish work from design through to finishing.

The Digital Product Passport is a concrete way to bring product-specific information together in one place. It supports Finnish manufacturing in markets where transparency increasingly influences purchasing decisions. In the future, a customer will be able to scan a QR code on the product and see, for example, the origin of the fibre, certifications, and information about where the product was designed and made. The same place will also include care instructions to help keep the product in use for as long as possible.

This is a strong message for the international consumer looking for a transparent and long-lasting alternative to fast fashion.

Technology Serves the Story – Not the Other Way Around

The Digital Product Passport is not only an upcoming regulatory requirement — it is also a tool that helps products with verified credentials stand out from the fast fashion crowd. The product passport offers a way to share product information clearly, reliably and consistently, and to distinguish general claims from verifiable quality.

A customer hesitating over a purchase decision in an online store can find answers to many of their questions through the product passport: "Is this really made in Finland? Where does the wool come from? How should this garment be cared for? How can its lifespan be extended? What can be done with it when it's worn out?"

Technology makes it possible to share the information required by the Digital Product Passport in a way that is easily accessible and understandable — both for the company and for the customer.

• Ovido supports Ruskovilla in collecting and maintaining the necessary data so that it stays up to date as requirements evolve. In practice, this means:
• Information about materials, production and certifications can be brought together in one place instead of scattered across separate systems or documents
• Updates are made once, then reflected everywhere product data is used — from internal processes to customer-facing product passports
• As requirements change, the structure remains the same, reducing the need for repeated manual work
• Ruskovilla can focus on making its products, while product data stays consistent, accessible and ready to share

Ruskovilla has piloted the Digital Product Passport with Ovido and is now moving toward full implementation. The goal is a phased rollout during 2027.

Forty-Plus Years of the Same Values

What has always mattered to Ruskovilla remains the same: carefully selected natural materials, quality, respect for Finnish craftsmanship, and safe, comfortable products made for long-term use.

The Digital Product Passport makes this work more visible. It helps the customer understand what the product is made of, where it was produced and how to care for it so it lasts as long as possible.

The walls of the old Artjärvi dairy have witnessed decades of Finnish textile expertise. Now that work gains a new digital dimension — one that travels with the product and makes the story more visible and easier to understand than ever before.

From wool to passport. The story of Finnish craftsmanship, made visible.

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Learn more about Ruskovilla at https://ruskovilla.fi/pages/tarina

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