Moomin by Martinex

Background

Martinex is one of the longest-running Moomin licensees of all time. Martinex introduced its first Moomin product already in 1992. Since then, the company has created toys, textiles, and household products loved by Moomin fans of all ages and is now one of the biggest Moomin licensees in the world.

Moomin and Martinex share many values. Like Moomin Characters, Martinex is a family business, making friendship and love important aspects of building the company. Martinex was founded by CEO Riia Sandström’s grandfather Martti Muinonen in 1945, and the business was restarted by his son and Sandstöm’s father Risto Muinonen in 1986.

About

Brand

Moomin

Licensee

Martinex

Timeline

Martinex introduced their first Moomin products in 1992 and continues to launch new products and designs every season.

The Collaboration

The collaboration with Moomin Characters started back in 1992 when Martinex brought the first Moominhouse toys to Finland. The Moominhouse sold out so quickly during the Christmas season that the company rented two Antonov airplanes to bring 16 000 additional toys to Finland. “The Moominhouse toy became a favorite among children immediately. In many families, it has been passed down from one generation to the next,” tells Riia Sandström, CEO of Martinex. It was her father, Risto Muinonen, who brought the toy to Finland in the 1990s.

In 1992, the Moominhouse sold out so quickly during the Christmas season that the company rented two Antonov aeroplanes to bring 16 000 additional toys to Finland. The toy’s popularity was based on the animation series “Moomin”, which started airing in September 1991.

In addition to toys, Martinex sells a wide variety of home products and apparel. How Martinex distinguishes itself in the market is through adding a special “Martinex touch” to their Moomin products, as Sandström puts it

We cannot and will not change Tove’s pictures, but we can create patterns and designs around them. This all takes a lot of time which we are willing to put into the process. I think this works to our advantage.”

– Riia Sandström, CEO of Martinex

What makes Moomin products popular among consumers is, according to Sandström, the combination of a good story and a variety of characters. Martinex aims to create products for fans of different characters so that consumers can find products with their favorite characters combined with a Martinex twist. As a tip for other Moomin licensees, Sandström highlights the importance of the characters in the products: “Do not hide the characters in the design. If you like the Moomins, they can show in the products.”

Results

Martinex’s extensive range of Moomin products has led them to be one of the most successful Moomin licensees. In 2022, the Martinex Moominhouse toy celebrated 30 years on the market.

“What is rare about the toy is that it has remained nearly unchanged for 30 years. We have only had to fix the molds used in the production four times due to wear and tear and changes in toy standards,” says Riia Sandström, CEO of Martinex.