Mother champions availability of baby fox blankets following awareness at Tampere University Hospital

A mother’s proactive approach has made it possible for parents to purchase the much-coveted baby fox blankets that gained attention last fall due to their charming design. This follows a report by Yle highlighting how these blankets disappeared from the Tampere University Hospital, prompting some families to return them quietly once their conscience weighed on them.

Reetta Meriläinen, who gave birth to two children at TAYS hospital, was captivated by the fox blanket and the hospital’s sleeping bag. She praised the soft material, which she believes provides a comfortable and warm feeling for infants. “I claim that we slept better in the hospital thanks to this,” she says. The 70-centimeter size makes it easy to wrap newborns snugly, and Meriläinen finds the design adorable.

When she discovered that these products were not available for sale, she reached out to Sakup, the company that rents these blankets to the Pirkanmaa welfare region. According to CEO Antti Tervo, Meriläinen’s determination left a lasting impression. However, Sakup being a publicly owned company is restricted by national procurement law from operating in the private sector. At the same time, Tervo expressed frustration over the ongoing theft of their products.

To address this, Sakup granted permission to two companies to sell and produce these items. Now, consumers can buy the fox blanket from Univision and the sleeping bag from Image Wear. Unlike those used in hospitals, the sold products feature differences such as the absence of the company logo and microchip.

Satisfied with her efforts, Meriläinen stated, “I have no ties to any of these companies. I am just a mother of young children who did what I could to effect change.”