We started Norden because we wanted to create meaningful change in both the fashion industry and in how the world treats plastic waste. By partnering with forward-thinking mils and textile companies, we’re turning our idea into change you can wear.  

When it came time to find the right charity to support, we wanted to partner with an organization that not only gives back to the community but is also working to repurpose plastic waste into something useful.

We’re proud to announce our partnership with UNICEF. For every newsletter subscription we receive, Norden will give $1 to UNICEF to support its global initiatives, including the construction of classrooms for children in Ivory Coast from bricks made of recycled plastic.

Launched earlier this year, UNICEF partnered with Conceptos Plasticos, a Colombian social enterprise, which has developed a factory that will transform plastic waste into bricks. The bricks, which are 40% less expensive than traditional building materials and 20% lighter, will be used to build classrooms throughout Ivory Coast. This initiative not only turns plastic waste into a useful product but will also provide 25,000 children with new spaces designed from them to learn and grow. 

All of the plastic used in the construction of the bricks will come from Ivory Coast. When fully operating, the factory will be able to transform 9,600 tonnes of plastic waste a year into useful products while simultaneously giving women in the region the opportunity to make a living.

Of the 280 tonnes of plastic waste produced in Abidjan, the country’s major urban centre, only 5% is recycled. UNICEF’s program not only highlights the ingenious ways plastic can transform our lives and environment, but also its wide-ranging potential.