Noa!
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
Noa! is trying to bring back the traditional cotton handkerchief. Their handkerchiefs are funny and with a colourful design. They already got a prize in Slovak National design award. They would like to help replacing the one-use products with those we can use for years. Few months ago they added a new product offer - sport/functional T-shirts. They are made from 100% recycled polyester produced from plastic bottles or old fishing nets, also funny and colorful. All products are sewed in Slovakia.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
Noa! is a small brand operating in Slovakia. All our products are designed and handmade here.
We started in 2020 with the cotton handkerchiefs. Last september we added a new product - sport/functional Tshirts.
It all started with the handkerchiefs which used to be very common when we were children but totally disappeared and were replaced with paper tissues. We believe that if we bring them back in an untraditional way - with humour and design - people can start using them again.
Lately we decided to add T-shirts to our offer because all of the sport/functional fashion is made by big brands such as Nike, Adidas etc., with boring design, cheap material and produce in Asia. Our Tshirt are form 100% recycled material, designed and sewed in Slovakia.
Key objectives for sustainability
Main objectives are to help people to replace one-use products with the reusable ones and learn to use recycled materials.
Although we only produce handkerchiefs, in our communication and all the activities we are talking widely about using reusable products (to replace one-use cups, plates, tissues etc). An educate people about all the facts they need to know from this topic.
With the T-shirts we talk more about fast fashion problems - explaining the difference between products form a new and recycled material or between asian products and those created locally in our own country.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
We have our own designer who created all of the designs - handkerchiefs and T-shirts. They are all in line with the brand and its visual identity. In general, most of the environmental friendly products mostly come in natural colours (beige/grey). We did it differently to catch also the people who want to be colourful and stylish, but still meet the environmental needs. Our handkerchiefs already got a prize in Slovak National Design Award for a design product with environmental impact. The international jury judged nearly 500 products.
We have handkerchief for children - with animals or children rhymes - and for adults with funny double meaning quotes - e.g. WHO NOSE, ITS SNOT ROCKET SCIENCE, SNOT MY PROBLEM etc. We have them in Slovak language but they all are funny double-meaning, playing with the words connected to handkerchief such as nose, blow, snot etc.
The design is in line with the quotes and illustrate the topic/meaning.
Key objectives for inclusion
Noa! is trying to educate people about environmental issues and products lifecycles and also trying to create a community and connect with other similar institutions. Examples of our activities:
- cooperation with a high school of fashion design – we gifted them the cotton fabric we were no table to use to produce handkerchiefs, they upcycled it and created a wearable goods (shirts, dress, skirts etc.). Then we organised an exhibition of the upcycled products.
- in October we had a cooperation with an NGO helping the elderly people – we gifted them 1€ from every handkerchief we sold during that month (we did not higher the prices during that period)
- we created handkerchiefs for an NGO which provides online/phone help to children/young people – young people call them when they need to talk to a specialist if they feel depressed, have family problems and so on. This problem grew up rapidly during the covid lockdowns. We created handkerchiefs with the printed phone number they can call when in need.
These are just a few of the examples how Noa! is trying to connect communities, help others and bring the change
Results in relation to category
We can not measure the impact. But we are working hard every day to tell people how important it is to thing about the environmental impact of all the products they buy/use and about fast fashion problems.
We also doing our best to create a community, connect with other relevant institutions to make our impact even bigger.
We know we are still a small and a local brand, but we believe that it is more important if many people do small changes that one person a huge change. We all need to change our everyday habits and thats is want we are focusing on.
How Citizens benefit
Our products are being created in our small Noa! community. We regularly take part in local markets and exhibitions to personally meets with the public. We have small eshop where everyone can buy our products.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
Replacing one-use paper tissues with reusable cotton handkerchiefs with last years + replacing fast fashion priduced with big brands from cheap materials in Asia with products form recycled material produced locally.
Learning transferred to other parties
The potential is big - in every country you can sew cotton handkerchief to replace the paper tissues and use recycled material to produce fashion locally. You do not need anything special, just the will.
