Sustainable or greenwashing?
Adrian is the store manager at Northern Playground.
Day to day, he works in our store at Grünerløkka, talking to people about clothing.
And quite often, he gets the same question:
“What do you actually do that’s sustainable?”
First: what we don’t do
Northern Playground doesn’t make clothes to look sustainable.
And we don’t use “green” messaging to get you to buy more.
You won’t find T-shirts made from recycled plastic bottles marketed as the solution.
We don’t inflate small initiatives to make them seem big.
And we don’t try to give you a good conscience for buying something you don’t really need.
Problemet med bærekraft i klesbransjen
Adrian has worked in the clothing industry for nearly 20 years.
He knows how it works.
Most brands make their money by selling as many clothes as possible, as quickly as possible.
“Sustainability” is often used as a tool to increase sales – not reduce them.
That’s why greenwashing is something Northern Playground actively tries to avoid.
The philosophy is simple:
If an initiative doesn’t cost anything – neither in money nor effort – it’s rarely as important as it sounds.
What we actually do
Instead of talking as much as possible about sustainability, Northern Playground tries to do things that actually make a difference in use.
Here are some concrete examples from our garments:
Reinforced areas where clothes wear out the most – like cuffs and elbows
Materials that can handle more – even when they’re more expensive
Less use of plastic – even when it makes production more demanding
Repair kits included – extra thread or fabric in the right color
Free repairs – so you can use the garment longer
These aren’t the cheapest choices.
But they are choices that make the clothes last longer.
Why it matters
The most important step toward more sustainable clothing is still the same:
Buy fewer garments. And use them longer.
When clothes last, the need to buy new ones is reduced.
That means lower resource use, less waste – and better clothes over time.
Everything Northern Playground does is about making clothes that can handle real use:
Clothes you can wear at work, on a hike, at home on the sofa.
And again the next day.
Not because it’s trendy.
But because it works.
Stop by and talk to Adrian
Do you have questions about sustainability, materials, or how clothes actually hold up over time?
Adrian is usually in the store at Grünerløkka.
Drop by for a chat – we’ll put on some coffee too.
