Tapio Wirkkala received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in 1971, and in the following year the honorary Finnish title of academician.

In 1972, Wirkkala held a solo exhibition at Goldsmiths' Hall in London and designed an exhibition of Finnish glass for the Stedelijk Museum, where he also had a solo exhibition in the following year. In 1973 Wirkkala was invited to participate in the São Paulo Biennial.

In 1975 the participants of the CSCE summit in Helsinki were given a chased bowl specially designed by Tapio Wirkkala and made by the Kultakeskus company. In the same year, he began to collaborate with the Tane Orfebres silver products factory of Mexico, for which he designed jewellery and items of tableware.

Wirkkala also sought to improve conditions in the far north of Finland, and in the early 1970s he launched work to develop a series of building designs for use by the Skolt Sámi people of Sevettijärvi. Although the initiative did not progress any further, it reflected Wirkkala's strong commitment to Lapland. His fantasy  bird pieces, known as 'Suokurppa' were also inspired by Lapland.