What Kosta Boda does

Kosta Boda is a Swedish art glass and contemporary interior design manufacturer headquartered at the Kosta glassworks in Kosta, Sweden, where its furnaces have been continuously lit since 1742. The company produces mouth-blown crystal glass products spanning vases, drinkware, tableware, votives, and decorative interior objects across 40+ designer collections, working with a deep roster of master designers including Bertil Vallien (in a 60-year collaboration), Göran Wärff, Åsa Jungnelius, and Hanna Hansdotter. The portfolio mixes enduring heritage lines (Snowball, 15M+ units sold; Polar since 1974; Château since 1981) with newer lifestyle-driven collections such as Viva (2020) and Don't Stop The Music (2021). Kosta Boda also pursues a circular-glass sustainability strategy through collections like Crackle Circular and Kappa that incorporate waste glass from local production.

The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of New Wave Group under the legal entity Orrefors Kosta Boda AB. It makes money through a multi-channel direct-to-consumer model: a transactional e-commerce website operating in three country versions (GB, SE, US); a network of seven retail locations across Sweden including the flagship Kosta store and Art Gallery, four outlet stores, and a seasonal outlet; pay-as-you-go experiential revenue from guided tours (70-150 SEK) and hands-on glassblowing sessions (500-850 SEK per piece); and select curated art glass sales through the Selected Works line. Pricing is unit-based and varies by product complexity and designer attribution, with no subscription or licensing model. Primary customer segments are interior design enthusiasts, everyday tableware users, gift buyers, and art collectors. Distribution is concentrated in Sweden with selective international reach via localized e-commerce sites.

Name

Kosta Boda

Legal name

Orrefors Kosta Boda AB

Website

https://kostaboda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1742

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kosta Boda is a Swedish art glass and tableware manufacturer founded in 1742, producing mouth-blown crystal vases, drinkware, and decorative objects across 40+ designer collections for premium lifestyle consumers, gift buyers, and art collectors via DTC e-commerce, Swedish retail outlets, and factory experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Glass & Tableware

NAICS

Other Pressed and Blown Glass and Glassware Manufacturing (327212)

SIC

Glass & Glassware, Pressed Or Blown (3220)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Decorative Glass Packaging (Custom Shapes, Embossed, Premium) (IMALAEAE)

Keywords

• Mouth-blown crystal glass
• Art glass manufacturing
• Swedish tableware design
• Handcrafted glassware
• Designer interior objects

Headquarters

HQ city

Kösta

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Art Glass and Interior Design Products: Direct sales of mouth-blown crystal glass products including vases, drinkware, tableware, votives, and interior objects through e-commerce and retail stores. Products are sold as one-time purchases with various price points based on complexity and designer.
2. Glassblowing Experiences: Visitors can book glassblowing sessions at Kosta Glasbruk to create their own glass pieces (glass ball, drinking glass, whiskey glass, beer glass, bowl/vase, water/wine carafe) for additional revenue.
3. Guided Tours: Revenue from guided tours of the hot shop and glassworks, with different pricing for adults, students/pensioners, and children.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kosta Boda designs and manufactures premium mouth-blown crystal art glass and contemporary interior design objects at the Kosta glassworks in Sweden (operating since 1742). Its offering spans vases, drinkware, tableware, votives, and sculptural pieces across 40+ designer collections, sold directly to consumers through its own e-commerce site, factory outlet stores across Sweden, and the on-site Art Gallery. The company also generates revenue from paid glassblowing workshops and guided factory tours at the historic hot shop.

Product overview

Kosta Boda is a Swedish art glass and interior design company offering handcrafted glass products through multiple distinct collections. The product portfolio includes Viva (informal drinkware launched 2020), Sugar Dandy (coupe glasses launched 2010), Still Life (skull votives launched 2008), Snowball (iconic candle holders since 1973), Gran (spruce-patterned vases launched 2017), Don't Stop The Music (musician collaboration glasses launched 2021), Crackle (crackle-effect vases, Red Dot winner 2023), Rocky Baroque (column remix, Elle Decor Award 2024), Meadow (flower-inspired vases), Kappa (sustainable circular glass vases), Château (optic pattern drinkware since 1981), Polar (water-sculpture votives since 1974), All About You (emotion-themed drinkware), Picnic (hollow-stem glasses since 1967), New Friends (animal-themed glasses), Caramba (Mexican-inspired series from 1986), Limelight (light-diffusing pattern series), Line (spun glass thread series since 1982), Open Minds (hand-painted brush stroke series), Gabba Gabba Hey (gorilla sculptures), Bod (bottle vessels), Brick (brick-shaped votives), Kosta Horse (Dala horse interpretation), and Kosta House (house-form glass). Additional offerings include Selected Works art glass, the Kosta Boda Art Gallery with exhibitions, and glassblowing experiences at the Kosta Glasbruk hot shop. The company operates under parent company New Wave Group and operates outlet stores across Sweden.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Viva: Versatile collection of informal glasses on a foot for daily social use, launched in 2020 by Matti Klenell.
• Sugar Dandy
• Still Life
• Snowball
• Polar
• Château
• Gran
• Line
• Picnic
• Crackle
• Don't Stop The Music
• Rocky Baroque

Products and services

• Viva collection Collection of informal glasses on a foot for daily social use designed by Matti Klenell, including glasses for hot and cold beverages, carafes, cups, jugs, tumblers, ice cube molds, corks, trays, and cocktail accessories. Targets modern lifestyle consumers.
• Snowball votive Iconic mouth-blown glass candle lantern designed by Ann Wolff; each piece is unique with a surface reminiscent of snow lanterns. Has sold over 15 million copies worldwide.
• Gran (Spruce) collection Series of glass vases with a graphic pattern reminiscent of green spruce trees and dark tree trunks from the forests of Småland, Sweden. Designed by Sara Persson.
• Sugar Dandy collection Series of three oversized coupe champagne glasses with a subtle splash of color where cup meets stem, available in green, blue, and pink. Designed by Åsa Jungnelius.
• Still Life collection Series of skull-shaped votive candle holders inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet, available in black, off-white, gold, and silver executions. Designed by Ludvig Löfgren.
• Crackle collection Tribute series to cracks beautifully preserved in glass, mouth-blown in Kosta using a craft technique where hot glass is dipped in ice-cold water. Crackle Circular uses waste glass from local production. Designed by Åsa Jungnelius.
• Don't Stop The Music collection Collection of wine glasses, beer glasses, and tumblers created in collaboration with the Swedish Music Foundation and musicians Darin, Molly Sandén, Smith & Thell, Sandro Cavazza, and Miss Li. Each package contains 6 glasses with personal designs connected to the musicians.
• Meadow collection Series of glass vases inspired by flowering fields; each vase is unique due to glass crushing technology used in production. Available in spring, summer, and winter colorways. Designed by Sara Persson.
• Kappa collection Mouth-blown vases inspired by the bubble (kappa) that spills over the edge of the mold in the production process. 100% made of circular waste glass from the glassworks. Designed by Mimmi Blomqvist.
• Rocky Baroque collection Rebellious and playful remix of the classic column with monumental lines, pop colors, and raw angular surfaces. Includes Rocky Baroque vase cool pink 350mm, winner of Elle Decor Award 2024. Designed by Hanna Hansdotter.
• Château collection Mouth-blown series with famous optic pattern and twisted shape that makes the glass shimmer with light. Includes wine glasses, beer glasses, cognac glasses, aquavit glasses, tumblers, and champagne glasses. Designed by Bertil Vallien.
• Polar collection Series of glass sculptures in different colors and sizes reminiscent of rippling water frozen in time, also available as votive candle holders. Designed by Göran Wärff.
• All About You collection Series about love, longing and passion with clean soft lines and painted motifs with influences from the fashion world. Includes champagne glasses, wine glasses, beer glasses, tumblers, and carafes. Designed by Sara Woodrow.
• Picnic collection Series of mouth-blown glasses with a substantial hollow stem that can be filled to the base; includes glasses and a carafe with cork lid. Designed by Bertil Vallien.
• New Friends collection Series of glasses with tiny animal sculptures playfully integrated into the glass; each tumbler features a different animal peeking from the bottom. Handmade in Kosta. Designed by Ernst Billgren.
• Bod collection Series of bottle-shaped glass vessels available in various colors. Designed by Matti Klenell and Simon Klenell.
• Brick collection Series of square-shaped votive candle holders inspired by brick, created through division of color giving each Brick a unique appearance. Designed by Anna Ehrner.
• Caramba collection Series inspired by a trip to Mexico, featuring hand-painted black details on mouth-blown white glass. Designed by Ulrica Hydman-Vallien.
• Jomo collection Glass series available in multiple sizes (17cl, 30cl, 38cl, 42cl). Designed by Nina Christensen.
• Limelight collection Series characterized by a massive base with decorative and subtle patterning providing a light-diffusing effect; dishwasher safe. Includes rose vases, tulip vases, bowls, wine glasses, jugs, tumblers, and dishes. Designed by Göran Wärff.
• Line collection Series featuring spun glass thread applied by hand. Includes champagne glasses, wine glasses, tumblers, gin & tonic glasses, and decanter. Designed by Anna Ehrner.
• Open Minds collection Series with dramatic hand-painted brush strokes on mouth-blown glass. Classic collection by Ulrica Hydman-Vallien.
• Gabba Gabba Hey collection Glass sculpture series featuring gorilla designs. Handmade in Kosta with opaque surfaces. Designed by Ludvig Löfgren.
• The Rock collection Series of votive candle holders with a distinctive rock-like appearance. Designed by Hanna Hansdotter.
• Kosta Horse collection Glass interpretation of the classic Swedish Dala horse. Designed by Bertil Vallien.
• Kosta House collection Glass series based on a simple house form, cast in solid glass. Designed by Bertil Vallien.
• Sunflower collection Re-launched votive design featuring a sunflower motif. Designed by Göran Wärff.
• Selected Works Curated collection of art glass pieces available for purchase, drawn from Kosta Boda's artist collections and exhibited at the Art Gallery.
• Glassblowing Experiences Interactive experiences where visitors create their own glass objects (glass ball, drinking glass, whiskey glass, beer glass, bowl, vase, water or wine carafe) with skilled instructors at Kosta Glasbruk. Pricing ranges from 500 SEK (glass ball) to 850 SEK (carafe) per piece.
• Guided Tours Guided tours of the hot shop during regular production where visitors can watch the glassmaking craft. Available in Swedish, English, and German on request. Pricing: Adult 150 SEK, Student/pensioner 120 SEK, Children 7–16 70 SEK, Children under 7 free; Open Hot Shop without guide: Adult 70 SEK, Student/pensioner 50 SEK, Children 7–16 30 SEK; Tour with speaker/guide in glassworks: Adult 100 SEK, Student/pensioner 70 SEK.
• Kosta Boda Art Gallery Art gallery located at the Kosta glassworks offering exhibitions and guided tours; open Monday–Saturday 10:00–17:00 and Sunday 10:00–16:00.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15 million Snowball votives sold worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Swedish Music FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Kosta Boda partnered with the Swedish Music Foundation and artist Clas Håkansson along with Swedish musicians including Darin, Molly Sandén, Smith & Thell, Sandro Cavazza, and Miss Li to create the Don't Stop the Music collection of glasses launched in 2021. The glasses feature personal designs connected to the musicians such as tattoos and lyrics.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Waterford Crystal: Irish heritage crystal brand producing premium drinkware, vases, and decorative crystal, comparable in heritage brand equity and gift-led retail model.
• Riedel: Austrian premium crystal glassware specialist focused on wine and bar drinkware, directly competing in the premium machine-made and mouth-blown glass category with similar designer-driven collections.
• Baccarat: French luxury crystal maker producing art glass, vases, chandeliers, and tableware with strong heritage brand and premium positioning — competes for the same luxury gift and art glass buyer.
• Lalique: French crystal and art glass manufacturer producing vases, decorative objects, and drinkware with a heritage brand and designer-driven collections — directly comparable art glass peer.
• Moser: Czech luxury crystal manufacturer with 160+ year heritage producing hand-blown art glass, vases, and drinkware, comparable in artisanal production method and premium gift positioning.
• Iittala: Iconic Finnish design glassware and tableware brand owned by Fiskars Group, with comparable premium Scandinavian positioning, mouth-blown techniques, and designer collaborations (e.g., Aalto, Kartio).
• Orrefors: Sister brand under New Wave Group, also a Swedish art glass manufacturer with overlapping product portfolio (drinkware, art glass) and shared legal entity Orrefors Kosta Boda AB. Most directly comparable peer given joint ownership and shared heritage.
• Holmegaard: Danish heritage glass manufacturer (founded 1825) producing mouth-blown art glass, vases, and drinkware with strong designer partnerships — direct Nordic design glass peer.
• Schott Zwiesel: German crystal glassware manufacturer (Tritan crystal) producing premium wine glasses and barware, competing in the same premium drinkware segment with comparable hospitality and retail distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Marimekko: Finnish design house with broader home and lifestyle portfolio beyond glass — overlapping in Scandinavian premium homeware, designer collaborations, and gifting retail positioning, but broader than glass-only competitors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdDA4UQQlW7FOqfvQZjB_qw/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/kostaboda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orrefors-kosta-boda-ab
• Instagraminstagram.com/kostaboda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kosta Boda