A Finnish lifestyle brand known for their modern graphic classics. YO ZEN combines urban culture with tranquil simplicity of zen creating pieces to be worn with an attitude. High quality materials and timeless design guarantee that you will use your YO ZEN pieces again and again even when the seasons change. The thoughtful details make the product unique and make it joy to own them or give them as a gift.

YO reflects our hip and cool ambitions and ZEN the calmness and effortlessness of our products. Phonetically YO ZEN (joutsen) sounds like the Finnish word for swan, joutsen. Whooper swan, the national bird of Finland, has a special place in the hearts of the founders and designers of the company, Kate Salminen and Paula Kouri.

The first phrases of YO ZEN’s story were accidentally written in January 2010 on a frosty day by the river. Paula and Kate, who worked as architects, noticed a lonely swan gliding in the Oulu River. The friends decided to take care of the injured swan and feed it over the winter. During the spring, the swan strengthened and rose on its wings on a sunny morning. The swan’s survival story left behind a beautiful memory and a name for the newly created form, the Origami Swan.