Norrøna: Welcome To Nature 

Getreu dem Motto „Qualität, Funktion, Design und Nachhaltigkeit seit 1929“ setzt der Outdoor-Spezialist bis heute Maßstäbe für hochtechnische, innovative Produkte und einen verantwortungsvollen Umgang mit Mensch, Tier und Natur. Mit der jüngsten Expansion in den Tourismussektor, über das hauseigene Travel-Unternehmen Norrøna Adventure, widmet sich das Unternehmen der Planung und Ausführung maßgeschneiderter Reisen, Touren und Erlebnisse, die Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer auf die spannendsten Natur- und Outdoorerlebnisse entführen – in Norwegen sowie international. Besonderer Fokus liegt hier auf der Schaffung immersiver Reiseerlebnisse, mit höchstem Fokus auf naturnahen und nachhaltigeren Tourismus. Im Interview teilt Jørgen Jørgensen, CEO von Norrøna, die Kernwerte, Visionen und Herausforderungen der Brand sowie ihre innovativen Ansätze für Nachhaltigkeit und Verantwortung.

What are core values of your brand, that set you apart from the competition and how do you implement them in your daily work?
Norrøna is a family-owned company, established by my great-grandfather back in 1929. I am the fourth-generation owner, building on a solid foundation, where we’ve always prioritized quality, functionality, design, and sustainability above all else. Of course, many of our competitors share similar ambitions, but as a family-owned company, I believe, we have significant advantages in implementing this mind set in our daily work.

How so?
My ancestors were all outdoor enthusiasts, who personally engaged in Norrøna’s product development and I’m the same way – I love being out in nature year-round. I personally test many products, ensuring we maintain our consistent focus on design and critical details, that has endured for 95 years. Additionally, we have a team of 60 professional athlete ambassadors who provide continuous, honest, and rigorous feedback on our products as part of our Extreme User Testing program. Being family-owned also gives us the flexibility to pursue innovation driven by passion, not profit. We allow ourselves to prioritize quality over financial concerns, sometimes spending years on product testing. And we choose to invest in genuine interactions between us and our customers. We have no chatbots, just real people answering your questions.

What overarching vision are you pursuing with your brand? How is this reflected in your products?
Our vision is “Welcome to nature”. Our greatest wish is to make nature accessible to as many people as possible – whether for hiking, skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, trail running, mountaineering or surfing. All our products are designed to be the very best for these activities. In recent years, we’ve taken our vision a step further by offering guided tours through our travel company, Norrøna Adventure, where we aim to bridge the gap between people’s adventure dreams and what they are capable of achieving on their own. Building on this, we’re now opening several new accommodations in the spectacular landscapes of Northern Norway. And – just recently – we launched our own sailboat, Varg, which will take guests on magical adventures in the same area.

What current challenges are having the greatest impact on your industry and what measures have you already taken to respond to or address them?
The entire outdoor industry is now at a crossroads. We know our production leaves a footprint and paradoxically, the outdoor industry can have a negative impact on nature. Without nature, there’s no us. We believe the only way to run an outdoor company is with a sustainable foundation and every day, we strive to improve, explore, and inspire others to protect nature.

What is the significance of sustainability in your company? How do you integrate it into your long-term business strategy?
As a family-owned company, we have the opportunity to lead the way in sustainability and responsibility. Early on, we implemented a comprehensive and committed strategy to become a 100 % responsible company, openly sharing our efforts and progress through our ambitious roadmap. Some of our goals include working toward carbon neutrality, using only responsible materials, ensuring all our products are transparent, traceable, and accountable, and maintaining 100 % transparency and excellent working conditions for all our workers.

Is there a sustainable innovation or project, that you are particularly proud of?
Yes, many – but I’d like to highlight Norrøna RE. This is our full-scale initiative for a more responsible, circular outdoor business. It includes our REuse, REpair, REfresh, REntal, REfit, and REcycle initiatives. But perhaps even more important, Norrøna has always designed products to last. And when I say last, I mean for a very long time. We often hear stories about Norrøna products that have been in use for many years – whether on expeditions, tough rescue operations, or just regular outdoor activities. It’s something truly special, when our customers tell us about a Norrøna product they’ve used for 20, 30, or even 40 years. In many ways, these stories are a testament to the importance of delivering high quality – especially from a sustainability perspective.