Nordic Swan Ecolabel
Also known as: Nordic Swan, The Swan
Official state ecolabel of the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland) certifying more than 60 product groups including textiles under strict life-cycle criteria.
Description
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel (Swedish Svanen) was introduced in 1989 by the Nordic Council of Ministers and is one of the oldest and most respected official ecolabels worldwide. It follows the Type I ecolabel principle (ISO 14024) and now covers more than 60 product groups - from paper via cleaning agents to textiles and furniture.
For textiles requirements are assessed along the entire life cycle: fibre origin (organic, recycled or FSC cellulose preferred), chemicals in dyeing and finishing (positive lists stricter than REACH), energy consumption, water and air emissions, social standards and packaging. Additionally the end product must be durable and repairable.
Only the top 30 % most environmentally friendly products of a category can obtain the label - the criteria are tightened regularly to raise the bar. For consumers in Scandinavia the Nordic Swan is one of the best-known and most trusted ecolabels. In central Europe it plays a smaller role but is often visible on hotel linen and bed linen from exporting Scandinavian brands.
Properties
| Issuer | Nordic Council of Ministers, since 1989 |
|---|---|
| Scope | Life-cycle Type I ecolabel (ISO 14024) |
| Label | Green swan with country code + licence number |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Nordic Swan offizielle Website nordic-swan-ecolabel.org https://www.nordic-swan-ecolabel.org/
- Wikipedia: Nordic swan ecolabel Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_swan_ecolabel
