PRODUCTION LOCATIONS
- Portgual
WORKING CONDITIONS & LIVING WAGES
nooch produces in Portugal, which offers the advantage of short transport routes within Europe, stricter labour laws and greater transparency in the supply chain.
Production takes place in a factory in the Porto region. This close-knit structure means that nooch works with just a few suppliers and maintains personal, direct contact, which enables short communication channels and close dialogue.
As materials and producers are personally selected, it can be assumed that regular visits take place to ensure that conditions are ethical and safe.
The brand is PETA-certified vegan and also checks the certifications of all materials used.
The sneakers are produced in small batches.
nooch does not have its own production facilities, but works with an external factory.
MATERIALS
- Plant-based ‘Plant Leather’
- Botanical fibres
- Natural rubber
- Coconut shell
- Polylactic acid (PLA)
- Linen
- Organic cotton
- Soy ink
Nooch uses only plant-based, plastic-free materials which, according to the company, are “planet safe” at the end of their life cycle.
Discover more about the benefits of organic cotton here.
Plant Leather is an animal-free, leather-like material made from renewable plant sources such as agricultural by-products or specialised plant cultures. It is processed with natural binders, contains no PU or PVC coatings and is fully traceable.
The botanic fibres come directly from plants and include materials such as organic cotton, hemp, linen or other cellulosic fibres.
PACKAGING
- Nooch uses recycled cardboard boxes and paper-based protective materials for bulk transport. Plastic is not used. All paper materials bear the FSC Recycled label and are fully recyclable.
- Orders are dispatched in the same shoebox that is used for product packaging. The typical ‘box-in-box’ method is not used in order to reduce the use of materials.
WATER USAGE & CHEMICALS
nooch uses plant-based, plastic-free materials, which eliminates the risk of microplastic emissions. Animal leather is not used at all during processing, which means that chrome, heavy metals and other problematic substances are not used in the tanning process. PVC and other toxic solvents are also not used. Instead, nooch uses water-based and natural latex adhesives as well as purely vegetable or mineral pigments.
More environmentally friendly methods like soya ink, which does not contain any petroleum-based ingredients, are used for colouring and printing. By only using “planet safe” materials, chemical management focusses on only using substances that, according to the company, can be safely returned to the soil.
CIRCULAR PRODUCT DESIGN
nooch focuses on mono-material-orientated designs in which only plant-based, “planet safe” materials are combined. They are not mixed with synthetic fibres.
CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS
nooch does not currently offer a repair service or any other rental or resale services.
DISTANCE & COMPLEXITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN
- Portugal
- Nooch’s HQ is located in Arnhem, Netherlands.
TRANSPORTATION
- For the shipment of materials and finished products between partners, nooch relies on sea freight and land transport. The use of air freight is avoided.
- Deliveries are made from a Dutch warehouse via local and regional delivery partners who rely on bundled routes to reduce emissions. Slower, land-based modes of transport are favoured over air freight in order to reduce the environmental footprint.
The brand is PETA-certified vegan.
PRODUCT DESIGN
nooch produces sneakers for adults and adopts a unisex approach to its designs.
SLOW FASHION PROCESSES
nooch has a permanent collection. Production takes place in small batches (with max. 1,000 pairs per round) and works according to a made-to-order principle: customers sign up to a waiting list and orders are only collected in fixed time windows.
TRANSPARENCY ON PRODUCT
nooch has no classic product pages, as sales are made via waiting lists and limited order windows. There is no product-specific traceability.
nooch provides general information about the materials used and the company philosophy on its website.
TRANSPARENCY ON PROCESSES
nooch provides insights into materials, country of production and company philosophy at a general level.
There is no product-specific traceability.
Conclusion
The innovative, vegan sneaker brand nooch is pioneering “planet safe” trainers made from plant-based, plastic-free materials. The unique, PETA-certified trainers and casual shoes are produced in small batches in Portugal and, according to nooch, can be safely returned to the soil at the end of their life cycle. Discover the label below on the COSH! Map.
