Wirkkala designed the Finnish departments of the Milan Triennials of 1951 and 1954, receiving the Grand Prix on both occasions, for both the exhibition design and his works in glass and wood.

Lehti (Leaf) from 1951 was one of Tapio Wirkkala's first works in aircraft plywood. It was chosen in the same years as "the most beautiful object of the year" by the American magazine House Beautiful." In 1951Wirkkala also won the Lunning Prize. His work as artistic director of the Institute of Industrial Art in Helsinki from 1951 to 1954 was also significant. In 1954, Wirkkala was appointed artistic director of the Karhula-Iittala glassworks.

In 1955 and 1956, Wirkkala worked in the office of Raymond Loewy in New York, learning a great deal about industrial design and mass productions. Loewy introduced him to Philip Rosenthal, who invited Wirkkala to design for the Rosenthal factory.