The dispatch
Eighty years of Finnish weatherproofing, built on a single idea: get every child outside and moving for an hour a day.
The story
There is an old Nordic line that Reima has spent eight decades turning into products: there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. It reframes the entire problem of raising active children. You do not keep them indoors when it rains - you dress them for the rain and open the door.
Reima began in 1944 in Kankaanpaa, a small town in western Finland, at a moment when raw materials were scarce. The company's first garments were made from repurposed army snow suits - circularity by necessity long before it became a marketing word. Early on it made women's workwear, then pivoted toward outdoor and sports clothing, and finally toward the customer it would stake its future on: children.
By the 1950s Reima was developing durable fabrics specifically for kids, who are harder on clothes than any focus group. It was also among the first Finnish companies to advertise on television. The 1960s brought exports and Enstex, a durable, water-resistant material; later decades added the Reimatec line, which made breathable-but-waterproof a standard expectation in children's outerwear.
In 2004 Reima made a decision that still defines it: it stopped making adult clothing entirely and focused only on children aged 0 to 12. The same year it launched its first shoes. Focus, in Reima's case, was a decision about what to give up.
Today Reima is headquartered in Helsinki, employs around 350 people, and sells in roughly 50 countries. Its mission has narrowed to a sentence any parent understands: get all kids out and active for at least one hour every day. Everything the company designs - waterproof seams, reflective trims, non-toxic dyes, layering systems - is, in effect, an answer to that sentence.
Reima's mission is to get all kids out and active for at least one hour every day. Reima, company mission
What it does & who it serves
Functional outdoor apparel, footwear and accessories for kids 0-12: waterproof jackets, snowsuits and snow pants, softshells, thermal base layers, mid-layers, swimwear, boots, rain boots and barefoot shoes.
Parents who want gear that survives puddles, snowbanks and siblings. Strongest in the Nordics and wider Europe, with a growing North American market run from Boulder, Colorado.
Kids move less when the weather turns and when clothes fail. Reima removes the excuse: garments that keep children warm, dry, visible and unrestricted so outdoor play stays possible year-round.
A rare single-minded focus on ages 0-12, Nordic technical heritage, and a durability-plus-circularity approach - recycled insulation, regenerated fibers, repair kits and care guides that extend a garment's life.
Products & services
Waterproof, windproof jackets, snowsuits, ski jackets and rainwear engineered for all seasons.
The breathable-yet-waterproof technical line that became a benchmark for kids' performance apparel.
Safe, functional shoes, winter and rain boots, and barefoot shoes for growing feet.
Thermal base layers, mid-layers, fleeces and softshells designed to combine for changing weather.
Hats, mittens, gloves, swimwear and UV-protective clothing that finish the kit.
Loyalty rewards, mobile app, size guides, care instructions and repair kits that keep clothes in use longer.
The climate case
Reima was the first Finnish apparel company to commit to the Science Based Targets initiative (2022). Since a 2021 baseline it has cut total emissions by more than half - and still grew net sales. The bars below illustrate the reported direction of travel.
Total emissions, indexed to 2021 baseline (illustrative)
Directional illustration based on Reima's stated "more than 50% reduction vs 2021." Exact yearly figures are in Reima's sustainability reporting.
"Repurposing old army uniforms to create safe, functional and comfortable clothing."
— Reima, on its 1944 origins
Business model & market
The model. Reima is a design-led children's apparel and footwear brand. It sells seasonal collections through retail and wholesale partners, its own stores, and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform (B2C and D2C). Loyalty, repair and care services deepen the relationship and stretch product lifespan.
The market. Reima competes in technical kidswear and outdoor apparel against names such as Polarn O. Pyret, Didriksons, Columbia Kids, The North Face Kids and Patagonia Kids. Its edge is specialization: while others treat kids as a sub-line, children are Reima's entire business.
The ownership. Private equity firm The Riverside Company acquired Reima in 2011. In 2024, management and former CEO Elina Bjorklund bought the company back; Heikki Lempinen became CEO and Bjorklund became Chair of the Board.
The expertise. Eight decades of material science for children - from the Enstex fabric of the 1960s to Reimatec and today's regenerated fibers - plus a Nordic climate that doubles as a permanent testing ground.
Milestones
Reima launches in post-war Finland, making its first products from repurposed army snow suits.
Reima develops tougher children's materials and becomes an early Finnish TV advertiser.
International exports expand and Reima introduces the durable, water-resistant Enstex material.
The breathable, weather-resistant line arrives; the Lassie and Tutta brands are consolidated.
Reima drops adult clothing to focus on ages 0-12 and launches its first footwear collection.
The Riverside Company acquires Reima to fund international growth.
Reima acquires the startup to expand digital services and global reach.
First Finnish apparel company to commit to the SBTi.
With Infinited Fiber, Reima releases the world's first commercial kids' wear made with Infinna fiber.
Management buys Reima back from Riverside; Heikki Lempinen becomes CEO, Elina Bjorklund Chair.
Reima launches the Reclaim Childhood commitment with UNICEF Finland and grows net sales 2% to €86.0M.
Partnerships & causes
Turned textile waste into a commercial kids' hoodie made with regenerated Infinna cellulosic fiber.
A co-created kidswear collection whose proceeds support conservation efforts.
The 2025 Reclaim Childhood commitment defending children's right to active, outdoor free play.
Licensed Moomin character collections across apparel and footwear.
Amusing but true
The very first Reima garments in 1944 were cut from old army snow suits.
Reima was among the first Finnish companies to advertise on television, in the 1950s.
In 2004 it deliberately stopped making adult clothing to serve only kids 0-12.
In the 2010s Reima built ReimaGO, a sensor that tracked how much children moved.
Some Reima materials incorporate recycled oyster shells.
Questions
Functional outdoor clothing, footwear and accessories for children aged 0-12, including waterproof jackets, snowsuits, softshells, base layers, shoes and rain boots.
Reima was founded in 1944 in Kankaanpaa, Finland, and is now headquartered in Helsinki.
Since 2024 the company has been majority-owned by its management and former CEO Elina Bjorklund, after they bought it back from private equity firm The Riverside Company. Heikki Lempinen is CEO.
Reima has cut total emissions more than 50% since 2021, uses 100% recycled insulation, was the first Finnish apparel company to commit to the Science Based Targets initiative, and has pioneered regenerated-fiber kidswear.
Through its e-commerce site reima.com, its own stores and retail partners; products are available in around 50 countries.
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