Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors: Size & Care
The Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors are 8-inch (203 mm) all-purpose scissors with stainless steel blades and bent plastic handles. Fiskars, a Finnish company founded in 1649, launched the design in 1967 and says it has sold more than 1 billion pairs. US retailer listings give China as the country of origin.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors, 8 in (1945101045)
- Brand
- Fiskars
- Brand origin
- Finland
- Made in
- China*
- Material
- Stainless steel blades, plastic handles
- Released
- 1967
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per item
Notes on these facts
- Made by Fiskars Group (Finland); sold in the US by Fiskars Brands, Inc.. Made in China: per US business-supply listings for items 1945101045 and 1069755 (OnTimeSupplies, Aztek), which we could no longer open on October 20, 2026. Fiskars doesn't state the origin of this US item. Fiskars Group's brand page quotes a worker at its Billnäs factory in Finland who inspects scissors, and its history says Fiskars opened a scissors factory in the US, so origin may differ by market: check the package. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- The standard pair measures 8 in (203 mm) overall, with a cutting length of about 3.5 in (89 mm), per retailer specs for item 1945101045.
- Fiskars introduced its orange plastic-handled scissors in 1967; designer Olof Bäckström is credited with the design.
- Fiskars says more than 1 billion pairs of its orange-handled scissors have been sold worldwide.
- Fiskars says it has registered the orange color for scissors in Finland, the US and Canada; Wikipedia dates the Finnish and US registrations to 2003 and 2007.
- US business-supply listings give China as the country of origin for the 8-inch pair, not Finland.
What are Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors?
They are Fiskars’ all-purpose 8-inch scissors, with stainless steel blades and the bright orange plastic handles the brand is known for. Fiskars is a Finnish company founded in 1649 as an ironworks, and the scissors are its best-known product.
Fiskars Group says it introduced the design in 1967 and calls it the world’s first plastic-handled scissors. Plastic made them lighter than the forged metal shears of the time. Industrial designer Olof Bäckström is credited with the shape, and Fiskars’ Finnish site says New York’s Museum of Modern Art added the scissors to its collection in 1976.
On a desk, they’re the general cutter: paper, card, tape, packaging and the odd photo for a Traveler’s Notebook.
Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Fiskars (Finland); US seller Fiskars Brands, Inc. |
| Item numbers | 1945101045; 1069755 (8 in, bent) |
| Overall length | 8 in (203 mm) |
| Cutting length | About 3.5 in (89 mm) |
| Blades | Hardened stainless steel, precision-ground edge |
| Handles | Orange plastic, bent (offset) |
| Hand | Right-handed |
| Warranty | Lifetime, per retailers |
| First released | 1967 |
| Made in | China (per US business-supply listings) |
Lengths and item numbers come from US business-supply spec sheets; the dates come from Fiskars and design-history sources. Fiskars doesn’t publish a weight we could confirm: one listing gives 0.15 with no unit, so we’ve left it out.
Why are the handles orange?
The color was close to an accident. Fiskars Group says the first samples were made in a plastics factory that also made Fiskars juicers, and orange plastic was left in the machine. Staff then voted between orange and black, and orange won nine votes to seven.
The color became part of the brand. Fiskars says it has registered orange for scissors in Finland, the US and Canada (Wikipedia dates the Finnish and US registrations to 2003 and 2007), and that more than 1 billion pairs have been sold. Its history sheet adds that blades were bevelled to a 60° cutting angle in 1975.
How big are they, and what does “bent” mean?
The standard pair is 8 inches (203 mm) long, with about 3.5 inches (89 mm) of blade from the pivot to the tip. That’s a full-size desk pair rather than a pocket one.
“Bent” means the handles are offset from the blades. Retailer copy says this keeps the material flat on the table while you cut, which helps with long, straight cuts in paper.
What can you cut with them?
They’re sold as all-purpose scissors: Amazon’s listing calls them craft and fabric scissors, and retailer copy says the blades cut all the way to the tip. For stationery, that covers trimming printouts, cutting sheets from a Canson XL Mix Media pad and opening boxes.
Fiskars doesn’t publish a cutting-capacity figure, such as a maximum card thickness, in the sources we found. For sticking the cut pieces down, see Elmer’s Disappearing Purple glue stick.
Are they right- or left-handed?
The 8-inch Original pair is listed as right-handed. Fiskars sells left-handed and ambidextrous models in other lines; the label on the package says which you have.
How do they compare with other desk tools?
They’re the cutting tool; for joining paper without metal, see the KOKUYO Harinacs Compact Alpha.
| Fiskars Original 8 in | Midori Clip Ruler | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Cutting paper, card, tape | Measuring, bookmarking, stencil |
| Size | 203 mm long | 140.5 × 34 mm |
| Material | Stainless steel, plastic | Brass, copper or stainless steel |
The Midori Clip Ruler is the pocket-size partner for marking a straight cut line first.
Where are Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors made?
US business-supply listings give China as the country of origin for the 8-inch pair. OnTimeSupplies listed China for item 1945101045, and Aztek gave country code CN; neither page opened for us on October 20, 2026. Finland is the home of Fiskars and of the 1967 design, and museum records describe the original as made by Fiskars in Finland.
Fiskars Group’s brand page still features a production worker at its Billnäs factory in Finland who inspects scissors, and its history notes a scissors factory it opened in the US. Fiskars doesn’t say which market each factory serves, so check the package for the pair you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How long are Fiskars orange-handled scissors?
The standard all-purpose pair is 8 inches (203 mm) long overall. Retailer specs give a cutting length of about 3.5 inches (89 mm).
When did Fiskars make the first orange-handled scissors?
Fiskars introduced its plastic-handled scissors in 1967, with the design credited to Olof Bäckström. Fiskars Group's history calls them the world's first plastic-handled scissors, and says MoMA in New York added Fiskars scissors to its collection in 1976.
Why are Fiskars scissors orange?
Fiskars Group says the first samples were made in a factory that also made Fiskars juicers, with orange plastic left in the machine. An internal vote then picked orange over black, nine votes to seven.
Are Fiskars orange-handled scissors made in Finland?
Not the 8-inch pair sold in the US. Business-supply listings for items 1945101045 and 1069755 give China as the country of origin; Finland is where the brand and the design come from.
Are Fiskars orange-handled scissors left-handed?
The 8-inch Original pair is listed as right-handed. Fiskars sells left-handed and ambidextrous scissors in other lines, so check the label before you buy.
What are Fiskars scissor blades made of?
Retailer copy describes hardened stainless steel blades with a precision-ground edge that cuts to the tip. The handles are plastic.
Do Fiskars scissors have a warranty?
Retailers list a full lifetime warranty on the Original Orange-handled Scissors. Check Fiskars' own terms for what it covers.
Sources
- Fiskars (Finnish): Fiskars x MoMA -sakset (MoMA acquired Fiskars scissors for its collection in 1976)
- Fiskars Group: Fiskars brand (orange-handled scissors since 1967, more than 1 billion sold, Billnäs factory)
- Fiskars Group: Our story (founded 1649; 1967 first plastic-handled scissors; orange registered in Finland, US and Canada; US scissors factory)
- Fiskars: The Orange-Handled Scissors, history and evolution (PDF: 9–7 color vote, 60° blade bevel 1975, left-handed 1972, 1 billion sold)
- Wikipedia: Fiskars (1649, orange trademark 2003 Finland / 2007 US)
- CNN Style: The origin of Fiskars scissors (orange color vote)
- MoDiP: Fiskars orange-handled scissors (Olof Bäckström, 1967)
- Mental Floss: How Finland's orange-handled scissors inspired a design revolution
- OnTimeSupplies: Fiskars 1945101045, 8 in, stainless steel (country of origin China)
- OnTimeSupplies: Fiskars 1069755, 8 in, precision-ground blade
- Aztek: Fiskars 1945101045 (8 in overall, 3.5 in cut length, China)
- OfficeCrave: Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors 1945101045 (UPC)
- Staples Canada: Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors 8 in
- camelcamelcamel: Fiskars 8 in Original Orange-Handled Craft & Fabric Scissors, All Purpose (Amazon)
- Opus Art Supplies: Fiskars Original Orange-handled Scissors 8 in