Guide: The Nordic Swan Ecolabel

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel (Svanemærket) is a symbol of great significance. It is the official ecolabel of the Nordic countries and can only be achieved by products that meet a series of ambitious and strict requirements, guaranteeing that they are among the environmentally best on the market.

For you as a consumer, who may find it difficult to navigate where to start if you want to shop more sustainably, you can breathe a sigh of relief when you see the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. The label means that it has been made much easier for you to make better choices for the climate, the environment, and your health.

The Importance of the Big Picture 

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is a holistic label that looks at all relevant environmental issues throughout the product's entire life cycle. Before you, for example, place a shirt in your basket, it has been on a long journey that continues even after you are finished using it. Throughout the shirt's lifespan, it leaves an imprint on both the environment and people.
Therefore, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel looks at all parts of the shirt's elements. 

Consideration is given to climate, chemicals, resources, and biodiversity, alongside the entire journey from raw materials, production, and use to reuse, recycling, and waste. With this holistic approach, it becomes possible to set requirements where there is the greatest opportunity to minimize the overall environmental impact.

While some products burden the environment most during production, others do so while in use. And while some products have a high potential for reducing climate impact, others offer a significant potential for reducing the use of unwanted chemicals.

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel on Clothing 

When you choose clothing with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, various parameters have been taken into account:

• Raw materials and origin: The clothing must be made from fibers that are either organic, recycled, or based on renewable raw materials that meet specific environmental requirements.
• Health focus: The Nordic Swan Ecolabel has a zero-tolerance policy for substances that can be carcinogenic, damage genetic material, or harm reproductive health. Endocrine disruptors and suspected endocrine disruptors are excluded. Metal parts (e.g., zippers and buttons) have strict requirements regarding heavy metals, and plastic parts are phthalate-free.
• Environmental footprint: The clothing is produced with water and energy efficiency, which saves water and reduces the carbon footprint.
• Ethics and working conditions: The clothing is produced under proper working conditions where UN conventions for labor rights (ILO) are respected.
• Longevity and quality: The textiles are quality tested to ensure a long lifespan.
• Circular economy: Nordic Swan Ecolabeled textiles must not be burned if they are not sold, which helps prevent overproduction. Recycled fibers and reused textiles can be used if they comply with requirements for previously used chemicals.
• Proper working conditions: Compliance with UN conventions for labor rights (ILO), guaranteeing proper working conditions throughout the entire value chain.

Hard to Get – Easy to Choose 

With its high requirements and holistic approach to origin, production, and lifespan, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is one of the world's most ambitious ecolabels. This also means that the label is hard to get but easy to choose. You can trust that all relevant environmental aspects have been considered throughout the product's entire life cycle. Products with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel must even be continuously improved and inspected as requirements are tightened. So even if you have purchased the same Nordic Swan Ecolabeled product for many years, it will, over time, affect the environment less and less.

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel at Fair Tee 

For us at Fair Tee, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel speaks directly to our core values and mission to offer clothing and accessories that meet the highest standards for ethics, health, and the environment. In a time where information about sustainability is often complex, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is an invaluable guarantee and one of the most essential labels we can offer our customers.

When you choose a Nordic Swan Ecolabeled product from Fair Tee, you can be confident that it has undergone the most thorough inspection. This provides peace of mind and makes it easier to shop responsibly in your daily life, while you simultaneously help support a more sustainable development in the textile industry.

Read more about the Nordic Swan Ecolabel here: https://www.svanemaerket.dk/forbruger