In 1959, Wirkkala bought a summer residence in Inari in Lapland. For him, Lapland meant peace and quiet, while also a source of inspiration for many designed objects. Good examples of this are the Paadarin jää (Ice of Paadar) glassware collection, which was awarded the Grand Prix in Milan in 1960, and his Puukko sheath knife, which the Hackman company Sorsakoski factory made .

In 1961, he designed a classic work of commercial graphics, the Koskenkorva grain spirits label, and in the following year the Jalostaja brand plastic ketchup bottle. The Variation tableware designed by Wirkkala for Rosenthal in 1962 was presented to the public at the Hanover Fair. In 1963, Wirkkala won a tableware design competition organized by BASF (Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik), and received the Golden Obelisk award of Domus magazine. Wirkkala was given the distinction of Honorary Royal Designer in London in 1964. Wirkkala's photographs of Le Corbusier's Chandigar published in Domus in 1965 aroused attention.