In modern literature, Ultima Thule is used to reference the furthest possible place in the world. Tapio Wirkkala's Ultima Thule glassware similarly references the icy cold reaches of Scandinaiva and the distinct expressive power of Finnish glass. Designed in 1968, Wirkkala's Ultima Thule contributed to iittala's national breakthrough and remains a distinctive iittala design. The Ultima Thule ice lip pitcher has textured sides that reference the northern icy terrain of Scandinavia. The unique texture of the glass is created by a time-laboring technique that is created by the molten glass burning the surface of the wooden moulds.