Satu Alatalo’s designs honouring the campuses were chosen as HAMK’s woollen sock design
We opened the competition in early October 2023, inviting students and employees to come up with a design for a woollen sock for HAMK, either on paper, electronically or by knitting. The brief was to design woollen socks with the new brand image, which could be realised by knitting. The Hämeenlinna-based craft shop Wetterhoff joined the competition as a partner and sponsor.
We received a total of 21 different designs of woollen socks from 12 different participants. Before the final vote, the jury went through the submissions and selected the finalists. The jury consisted of the President Pertti Puusaari, Director of Communications Mari Kamaja, design student Roosa Siirtola and representatives of the HAMK Craft Club Kia Partanen, Liisa Siivola, Tarja Suuronen and Nina Heikkilä. The models were nicely designed in the new brand colours and the new logo was played with in a nice way. The designs were clearly based on ideas, and we would like to thank all the participants once again for their creative ideas and great products!
In the end, we selected five designs for the final vote. The designers were Daria Luukanen, Ella Heikkinen with two designs, Maija Takala and Satu Alatalo. The final voting for the whole student body and staff was open for a week in early December, and during this time we collected a total of 179 votes.
Results of the competition and the arguments collected from the vote
Maija Takala’s model, which came fifth in the competition, was described in the vote as a fine and demanding model. The voters liked the traditional ribbed yarn and described it as a calm, yet colourful design. The vertical string of the HAMK logo adorns the entire length of the sock. The design received around 7% of the votes.
The fourth place went to Ella Heikkinen’s design No. 3, in which the familiar HAMK brand logo beams adorn the sock all over. The heel and toe are knitted in accent colours. The design was described in the voting as a departure from traditional sock designs. Voters particularly liked the fact that it has the HAMK brand look without the logo, making it more comfortable for everyday use and even as a gift. The design was described as modern and harmonious and it received around 8% of the votes.
Daria Luukanen came third in the competition with a design that features the HAMK logos on the stem of the sock and seven stripes dedicated to HAMK’s diverse campuses on the toe of the sock in an accent colour. The design was described by voters as beautiful and colourful and best suited the overall look of the brand. The campuses were reflected in the design in a subtle and nice way. The third-placed model received around 11% of the vote.
Second place went to Ella Heikkinen with her second design, which features a logo stripe on the stem and a large HAMK logo on the ankle. The heel and toe are knitted in effect colours. The design was particularly liked for its distinctive and effective colours and the use of the HAMK logo. The design was described as clear and nice looking. The logo on the front of the ankle was said to be reminiscent of shoelaces and thus a nice detail. The second-placed sock design received almost 20% of the votes.
The HAMK woolen sock model, designed by Satu Alatalo, has therefore been chosen. It is a two-colour sock in brand colours with a stretch knit at the foot and ankle. The HAMK logo is repeated twice on the sleeve and once on the leg. The second stripe on the sleeve is the campus stripe, which is individually adapted for each campus from the HAMK logo.
The design received over 50% of the votes cast, making it the clear favourite. The design was particularly liked for its play on the logo. The design was considered visually beautiful and conveyed the HAMK brand image in a discreet and elegant way. The model was described as spreading the message of HAMK’s co-creation and bringing out traditional Finnish and even Karelian knitting patterns, but with a modern twist.
We rewarded the winning designer with a 100 euro gift voucher from Wetterhoff, a HAMK t-shirt, a tote bag and a reflector. Congratulations again to the winner!
Instructions for the new model
Below you can see the pattern pattern for each campus and an example of a finished sock. You can find knitting instructions for woollen socks on Novita’s website, for example. We recommend using the Wetterhoff yarns, which you can order from their online shop or pick your favourite on the spot in Hämeenlinna.
If you need help to start your woolen sock project, welcome to the knitting workshop of the HAMK Craft Club in the N-lobby of the University Center. There we will help you get started! Follow the Craft Club’s Viva Engage channel, we will update you with the schedule and current sock tips.