Our mission

Here are the top four things I have learned that I value most about what I do and what I want the legacy of our work Taitaya Forge to represent...

1. Leave no trace. I will do my best to not pollute the world we live in by using materials that do not decompose when no longer needed. Whether it is the materials we use or the packaging I send to you. As long as I am capable I will restore, refurbish and repair any of the pieces I have made to extend their life cycle.

2. No exploitation of human labour. We make as much as we possibly can by our own 4 hands (bacause there is only 2 of us) and only buy in materials we cannot make ourselves. I will never have my designs manufactured in low labor cost countries. No matter who you are, where you are born, we all deserve dignity, equality, to be fairly treated and the freedom to express ourselves. 

3. Art is human and because we are mortal, the amount of time we spend on any piece of art is precious and irreplaceable. This is what gives it spirit. I will not compromise on the process, or simplify a design in order to drive the price down.

I want my art to retain its soul and not ever be an item of throwaway mass produced fast fashion. 

4. A lot of what I make is inspired by Scandinavian cultures from a 1000 years ago. However we look through at it with modern eyes, brought up in the cultures of today. As a creator, it is my wish that my work is not used as a symbol to promote hate or ill will. I believe it is good to acknowledge our heritage and ancestors, but it is also good to remember that if we go back far enough in time, all of humanity, at one point, shared the same mother. 

We chose to trade under the name Taitaya Forge, because the word "taitaja" in Finnish meant someone who was a master or skilled at what they do. In the beginning this was a reflection of our aspiration, but being now past the halfway point of my career as a blacksmith and a silversmith, it is now more a reflection of what we are.

 -Marleena Barran 2025