Tokmanni’s Catmandoo brand to become flagship of the menswear range – Established Finnish brand will launch dozens of new clothing products designed in Finland
Tokmanni Press release 12 August 2024 at 5:00 p.m.
Established Finnish brand Catmandoo was acquired by Tokmanni last year and will now gain a very important role in Tokmanni’s clothing product offering.
Quality, simplicity, practicality and a relaxed urban style that is suited to different situations and stands the test of time and life. This is what Tokmanni, one of Finland’s favourite clothing retailers*, will start to offer with its Catmandoo brand. The Finnish brand is widely known in Finland and was acquired by Tokmanni last year. At the moment, the variety discount retailer, which is known for “supermarket fashion”, is launching a Catmandoo menswear collection that it has designed in Finland. In the autumn, footwear suitable for winter weather will also be added to the assortment. Catmandoo will help raise Tokmanni’s profile especially in the menswear market.
The established Catmandoo brand, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has been known for clothing products that have been especially intended for outdoor activities and other active lifestyles.
At Tokmanni, Catmandoo is evolving into a clothing brand that focuses on neat and casual everyday fashion and on both indoor and outdoor wear. To this end, Tokmanni has introduced a range of men’s clothing that contains around 30 products when the various colour options are included. The assortment includes flannel shirts and t-shirts, knitwear, hoodies and sweatpants suitable for work and leisure, as well as outdoor jackets, vests and trousers.
The new collection has been designed by a team of Tokmanni’s own clothing professionals, including Designers, Pattern Makers and Category Managers.
“Tokmanni is now creating a new history for an established Finnish brand,” says Tiina Ritari, Head of Apparel at Tokmanni.
“In practice, Catmandoo will make great-value-for-money menswear and footwear available all over Finland. Our aim is to offer the kind of practical, always fashionable clothing products that are suitable for a wide range of situations and that can be easily combined not only with each other, but also with items that can already be found in the wardrobe.”
The new menswear collection has a very attractive price level, despite Catmandoo’s brand status. For example, outdoor jackets cost just EUR 49.99–79.99, flannel shirts just EUR 24.99–39.99 and t-shirts just EUR 9.99–14.99. The assortment varies from one Tokmanni store to another, with the largest stores having the widest assortment. A comprehensive range of products is also available online.
Tokmanni believes that flannel shirts and knitwear, as well as lightweight jackets and vests, will be the most popular new Catmandoo products, along with jerseys. According to Ritari, special attention has been paid to the details of the garments and the collection’s puffer jackets and vests, for example, feature seamless technology.
“We want Catmandoo to become synonymous with clothing products that last a lifetime and with the ability to feel confident without paying too much for it. Our aim is to create a range of clothing products that offers everyone garments that they like and want to wear over and over again, rather than being just a passing trend,” she says.
Tokmanni is currently heavily promoting the Catmandoo brand and the latest menswear collection in its Tokmanni stores, in its Tarjoussanomat direct marketing leaflet, online and on social media. The content is eye-catching brand advertising – something Tokmanni has not often created for its own brands.
The golf wear range, which was launched in the spring, proved to be a success
– More clothes and more footwear will follow
Catmandoo was acquired by Tokmanni in spring 2023. For the first few months after the transaction, Tokmanni sold batches of Catmandoo clothing and accessories that were carried over with the seller. In 2024, it also launched a range of relaxed fashion and casual wear products, such as short-sleeved collared shirts, t-shirts and shorts.
However, the Catmandoo golf wear range that was launched by Tokmanni has so far attracted the greatest attention. Designed in Finland, the collection of two outfits for men and women was launched in two batches in the spring of this year.
“The enthusiastic reception has been a pleasant surprise,” says Satu Johansson, Concept Designer, Apparel at Tokmanni.
“The idea is to design golf wear that looks good, is comfortable and meets the needs of golf enthusiasts who also want to wear the clothing off the green. Based on our customers’ comments and our sales figures, it’s obvious that we’ve done really well.”
“Encouraged by the positive response, we will be creating a new Catmandoo golf clothing range also for next spring. While Catmandoo’s other collections consist of menswear, next year’s golf collection will also include womenswear.”
Tokmanni is currently confidently planning other new products, and in the future the Catmandoo product offering will be expanded even further.
“The next collections will be launched in September and November. In the autumn, Catmandoo will also offer ankle boots and outdoor shoes suitable for the winter season. We’ll provide more information about what is coming later,” Johansson says.
Catmandoo’s new garments are designed and sized by Tokmanni’s own clothing professionals, made in factories audited by third parties in accordance with amfori BSCI, and intended for daily use, not for storing in the wardrobe. Catmandoo’s textiles were awarded the right to use the Design from Finland label already in 2019. The label, granted by the Association for Finnish Work, indicates that a product or service has been designed in Finland by professionals and in a responsible and user-oriented way.
Modern variety discount retailer sells amfori BSCI-audited everyday fashion designed in Finland
Some consumers may still be sceptical about the range of products offered by a variety discount retailer. With Catmandoo, for example, Tokmanni wants to show that a modern, listed variety discount retailer can offer products that provide excellent value for money.
“Personal experience, in particular, changes perceptions. Catmandoo, for example, helps us to not only to diversify our product offering, but also to show people that Tokmanni is a modern variety discount retailer that sells everyday fashion that offers real value for money for a wide range of needs,” Ritari says.
The majority of Tokmanni Group’s private label clothing products sold in Tokmanni stores have long been designed and sized in Finland. For many consumers, this is still a surprise, but a welcome one. This is also the case with Catmandoo clothes.
At Tokmanni, clothes are designed and manufactured for daily use, not for storing in the wardrobe, says Johansson, who heads the clothing design team at Tokmanni in Mäntsälä, Finland.
“Our clothing professionals aim to create products that, for example, cater to as many different body types as possible, are comfortable to wear and suit our Nordic weather. The aim is also to ensure that, if cared for properly, the clothes will last for a long time.”
Catmandoo’s textiles were awarded the right to use the Design from Finland label already in 2019. This same label is now also displayed on the products of many of Tokmanni’s own fashion and casual wear and outdoor clothing brands, such as Pola and Peuhu. The Design from Finland label, awarded by the Association for Finnish Work, indicates that a product or service has been designed in Finland in a professional, responsible and user-oriented way.
In a style befitting a modern variety discount retailer, Tokmanni is also committed to the ethical principles of, for example, the amfori BSCI. The purpose of these principles is to ensure that products are made under socially and ethically acceptable conditions.
In high-risk countries, Catmandoo and other Tokmanni Group private label products sold in Tokmanni stores and the Tokmanni online store are manufactured in amfori BSCI-audited factories – that is, factories audited by third parties. Tokmanni also carries out its own factory inspections to audit working conditions, product quality and quality assurances processes.
Catmandoo’s new collection contains around 30 menswear items when the various colour options are included. The assortment will later be expanded to include not only new menswear but also footwear. In addition, a golf wear collection consisting of both men’s and women's clothing is planned for next spring.
Catmandoo in brief
- The Finnish Catmandoo brand was founded in 1974. Tokmanni acquired Catmandoo from Nanso Group in spring 2023.
- Many people know Catmandoo especially for its sports and outdoor clothing. At Tokmanni, Catmandoo will have a strong focus on both indoor and outdoor wear: the brand will offer neat and casual everyday fashion menswear, and also footwear.
- Catmandoo’s textiles were awarded the right to use the Design from Finland label already in 2019. The label, awarded by the Association for Finnish Work, indicates that a product or service has been designed in Finland by professionals and in a responsible and user-oriented way.
* Kurjenoja Jaana (2024): The Finnish Commerce Federation’s study Muotikauppa ultrapikamuodin aikakaudella, kuluttajamarkkinat ja kuluttajan ostopolku (Fashion Retailing in the Age of Ultra Fast Fashion, Consumer Market and Consumer Purchase Path), selections from the results, 22 June 2024. [in Finnish] Federation of Finnish Commerce.
kauppa.fi/uutishuone/2024/05/22/marketmuodin-suosio-nayttaisi-toistaiseksi-patoavan-kiinalaisen-ultrapikamuodin-vyorya
kauppa.fi/lataa/633165
Kurjenoja Jaana (2021): Muotikauppa koronan jälkeen, poimintoja tuloksista osa I ja II (Fashion trade after the pandemic, overview of results, parts I and II), 12 October 2021. [In Finnish] Federation of Finnish Commerce.
kauppa.fi/uutishuone/2021/10/12/muotikauppa-koronan-jalkeen-miten-ala-toipuu-koronan-iskusta
kauppa.fi/lataa/26232
You can read more about Tokmanni Group’s sustainability work at ir.tokmanni.fi/en/sustainability, and on its private labels and direct imports at ir.tokmanni.fi/en/investors/tokmanni-as-an-investment/private-labels.
TOKMANNI
For further information, please contact:
Tiina Ritari
Head of Apparel
Tokmanni
Tel. +358 50 338 5652
tiina.ritari(at)tokmanni.fi
Satu Johansson
Concept Designer, Apparel
Tokmanni
Tel. +358 20 728 7843
satu.johansson(at)tokmanni.fi
Maarit Mikkonen
Head of IR and Communications
Tokmanni
Tel. +358 40 562 2282
maarit.mikkonen(at)tokmanni.fi
Calls to a corporate number beginning with +358 20 7 from a landline or a mobile phone are EUR 0.0835 per minute + EUR 0.1669 per minute (incl. VAT 24%). Calls from outside Finland are subject to an international call charge.
Tokmanni Group Corporation is one of the leading variety discount retailers in the Nordics. More than 6,000 employees in Finland, Sweden and Denmark make customers’ everyday life and special occasions easier by offering a versatile and up-to-date assortment of nordic and international brand-name products and other high-quality products at prices that are always affordable. With more than 370 Tokmanni, Dollarstore, Big Dollar, Miny, Click Shoes and Shoe House stores and online stores, the Group is always close to its customers. In 2023, the Group's revenue was EUR 1,393 million and comparable EBIT amounted to EUR 99 million. The Tokmanni Group Corporation's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
