Danish H2O Leads the Way – Achieves the Nordic Swan Ecolabel for Sportswear

There are tons of different certifications out there. Ones that look at the social state of companies, the ones that look specifically at either chemical, fibres, waste, etc. There is not a thing you can not get a certificate on. And for a long time, this was not for us, we simply were not interested because we trust our suppliers and have worked with a lot of them for several years, which is our philosophy; have partners you trust and want to build long lasting relationships with. But looking at the textile industry in general and how everything is moving and always developing within the industry, and our wish of becoming a better brand, we decided to take the conversation up about certifications again. Because this certification would not just be for us to prove what we already now, it would be for our customers, the planet and our partners. When researching the many options out there, we quickly concluded that there only is one option for us and our products - The Nordic Swan Ecolabel.

And in the beginning of 2024, we received notice that our cotton products, which are made in Turkey, are eligible and live up to the strict requirements from the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. A process that started in the middle of 2022 came to an end 1,5 years later.

Why

But why the Nordic Swan Ecolabel? and not one of the countless other labels and certificates out there. For us it came down to a few simple factors.

1. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is a well-recognized and trusted label not only in Denmark but also within the other Nordic countries.
2. It is an EU approved label.
3. It is a quality stamp and is hard to achieve.
4. It is one of the only certificates out there that looks at the entire product life cycle and has a social element build in.

Based on those factors the decision was made both quickly and easily. Because if we, H2O, were to get certified the above factors are exactly what we would like for that certification to entail.

How

We knew it was not going to be easy to get certified. The hardest part turned out to be making our suppliers and their suppliers understand, why this certification is important. And why even though they already have other certificates, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel was and is worth investing in, and how and why it adds a value that other certifications do not. Starting the certification process was just as much to prove that what we have been saying for years is true; H2O products are of high quality and are made to be used again and again. But it was also to make it easier for our customers to choose good products, and to commit even more to our supplier than we already have.

Getting certified was a collaboration between 3 parties – H2O, EkinTekstil and Ecolabelling Denmark. A tight collaboration was necessary to succeed with the certification, in terms of it going as smoothly as possible. There have been some bumps on the road, but together with our partners we always managed to figure them out in the best way possible.

What now

This is a big step for us in the right direction to become a better brand and a more self-aware brand, but it is just the beginning for us. We need to keep innovating and slowly and steadily become a better brand than we were the year before.

Is there anything you think we should consider? Or anything you think we should work with? Then write to us on contact@h2o-sportswear.com with your idea.