NORR CSR AND SUSTAINABILITY

— At NORR we are committed to producing garments to the highest possible level of ethical standards and with a minimal footprint on the environment.

We feel the responsibility to contribute to the improvement and development of the regions we work with. Therefore, we do not plan to move production away from our partner countries, but instead will help to provide advice and support to improve the working conditions.

The aim of sharing our CSR strategy and goals is to communicate NORR’s core values to our customers. It is a growing part of our identity and products, and we are proud of the initiatives we have in process.

As a clothing brand, our focus is on the materials we use and the standards of our suppliers. We have close relationships with partners in China, Turkey, Pakistan and Italy, working on implementing more sustainable fabrics and reducing the use of harmful chemicals.

Keep an eye on this page – we are constantly working on new solutions and will update as we go.

Our main focus in the first stage of the CSR strategy is on materials. As a fashion brand that is the central part of our work and the area with the biggest impact. For us, sustainability means upgrading the production and material quality of our products.

ORGANIC COTTON

    • No pesticides used when farming the plants
    • Not treated with harmful chemicals in the process of turning cotton plant into fabric
    • Less water and air pollution
    • Organic cotton farmers work with waste management and reducing water use
    • Better for farm and factory workers
    • Better for the end consumers

ECOVERO™ VISCOSE

    • It is made from sustainably sourced wood pulp
    • Made by the Austrian manufacturer Lenzing AG
    • The fabric is certified with the EU Ecolabel
    • A natural fiber that is breathable and versatile, with a soft handfeel
    • Making EcoVero™ viscose produces 50% less emissions
    • The production uses half as much energy and water compared to conventional viscose
    • All parts of the supply chain are transparent and traceable

RECYCLED POLYESTER

    • Made of recycled plastic bottles
    • The bottles are collected, cleaned, shredded into small pebbles and then melted
    • The melted fiber is then re-spun into polyester yarn
    • Recycling helps deal with plastic waste management
    • It is contributing to the circular fashion module

TENCEL™ LYOCELL

    • A product of the innovative Austrian manufacturer Lenzing
    • Lyocell is a cellulose fiber made of wood pulp
    • Sustainably sourced from approved forests
    • Lyocell is made in a closed loop process
    • Environmentally responsible process
    • Fully biodegradable and compostable, when handled correctly

VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER

    • Genuine leather made of food industry leftovers
    • Vegetable tanned without any harmful chemicals
    • Only coloured with organic dyestuff
    • Reduced water use in all processes
    • Reduced negative impact on workers and the environment
    • All factory workers are vaccinated as a requirement from the supplier
    • Our supplier is partnered with a waste management company
    • All wastewater is filtered before discarding
    • All factories are audited by an internationally known company
    • All trim used on our leather products is Oeko-Tex standard 100 certified

Our main principle in communicating our efforts is to do it right – without greenwashing and false marketing.

Greenwashing is the practice of making misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology or company practice.

We have started this journey for the good of the environment and people involved, not for a personal gain. It is our priority that all information is communicated correct and true.

We have updated our Code of Conduct with our key principles to make more high quality, ethical and eco-friendly garments. Each of our suppliers has signed the agreement and they are working daily to improve their work processes.

As a small company we a limited in means to control the implementation of our COC, therefore we work with few trusted suppliers. Many of our partners have valid social and labor audits, carried through by well-known companies.

The new Code of Conduct expresses our values more specifically and covers more areas. We encourage each supplier to implement systems for waste management, use recycled and organic materials when possible and to improve electricity efficiency. Some key principles:

    • NORR only allows to use leather, that is food industry leftover.
    • NORR only allows to use RDS down that is plucked from birds that are a food industry leftover.
    • NORR does not accept any forms of child labour and slavery. Any serious possibility of a violation of this point will result in immediate termination of the contract.
    • NORR requests suppliers to pay a fair living wage to all employees, in accordance to local laws and regulations.
    • Suppliers must only use materials that at minimum, comply with the REACH chemical requirements.
    • Suppliers must use the minimal possible amount of plastic when packaging goods, especially. We monitor and improve this constantly.

To help your clothes stay nice for as long as possible, take a look at our care instructions:

    • Wash tips: Reduce your environmental footprint by washing less. Also a big part of a garments footprint is influenced by how it is washed. We encourage you to wash with lower temperature and skip the softener.
    • Refresh it: Airing the garment will refresh it and most stains can be removed with a quick spot-wash.
    • Label instructions: The care label is an indication of the highest temperature allowed. For most machine washable garments, we recommend using maximum 30 degrees.
    • Air dry: We encourage you to skip the tumbler and hang your clothes to dry in fresh air. By doing this, your garment will look new for longer and you save energy!
    • Knitwear: refresh your knit by brushing it or removing the pilling and bobbles with a fabric shaver.
    • A little DIY: Learn to stitch a button and fix a small hole, instead of discarding of the garment.
    • Pass it on: Donate, recycle or pass on your loved clothes.

We encourage our customers to repair, resell or donate old NORR garments, instead of discarding them. Consider passing on your beloved shirt to a friend or sell it at a flea market. Because let’s be honest – the excitement of a new garment wears out faster than the product itself and this way you can extend its lifetime.

High quality recycled fiber can currently only be made of non-blended materials. Therefore, we will focus more on using 100% single-quality fabrics throughout all product groups. Furthermore, these materials should be eco-friendly and in correspondence with our quality requirements. Additionally, we are looking into garment collection programs and waste recycling partners. As in every clothing brand, we have inevitable garment waste such as faulty products and unwearable pieces.