Priit Kallas

Using an ancient Nordic craft, Priit Kallas built a modern fairytale of wooden cabins and saunas.

When Priit Kallas and his friends discussed converting an old farm in his village in Estonia, he had an idea. He wanted to build something that combined ancient building methods with modern craftwork. So, after studying marketing at university, Priit launched Iglucraft in 2014, making sustainable wooden offices, cabins and saunas with a fairytale quality. Today, his Iglus are enjoyed by customers around the world, including a growing roster of celebrities.

Iglucraft uses traditional Nordic building techniques to handcraft each rounded hut, which is covered in spruce shingles. Inside, the cabins are made from aspen or spruce, sustainably sourced from Estonian forests. At the core of these buildings is the use of skilled craftsmen. Priit continues to add to his product offerings, which now include saunas, glamping pods, family pods and garden offices. To ensure they remain unique, Iglucraft produces 500 or fewer handcrafted-to-order Iglu products per year.

Iglucraft adapted quickly to the pandemic by pivoting to make home offices. It also doubled sauna sales, and the company is about to open its first Iglu park with rental saunas, houses and offices in the center of Tallinn. By 2030, the company seeks to open 50 parks around the world. Priit believes his Iglus create space away from the everyday rush. He says his pinnacle of success would be “three straight days fishing with no phone calls.”