Nordic Swan Ecolabel
Many of us are now familiar with the little green Swan label from the everyday products we buy, such as soap, washing powder, baking paper and the like. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official Nordic environmental label and sets product-specific requirements focusing on relevant environmental aspects throughout the product’s life cycle. That is why HORN chose to have selected worktops certified with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official Nordic environmental label and one of the world’s most stringent environmental certifications. It is an independent third-party certification that sets product-specific requirements for relevant environmental aspects throughout the product’s entire life cycle. This makes it easier to identify products that meet the Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s requirements.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel looks at the product’s entire journey
The aim of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is to reduce the overall environmental impact from production and consumption. It is an ambitious and difficult goal because it requires knowing where on the product’s journey the environmental problems arise, where they are greatest, and what to do about it. That is why the Nordic Swan Ecolabel looks at what is called the life cycle. This means throughout the product’s journey and the environmental problems tat ariese along the way – to protect both people, the environment and the earth’s resources.
When you as a consumer buy a product in a store, it has already been a long journey. Firt the product has been designed, then raw materials have been sourced, and then the product has been produced by employees in a factory, and energy and chemicals may have been used in the process. The next part of the journey is to package the products and transport them to a store where you as a consumer can buy the product to take home and use in your daily life. Finally, the product is sorted into recycable groups of waste.
It’s all part of the product’s journey – and along the way it leaves a footprint on the environment, climate and people. The footprint depends on which raw materials are used, how the product is manufactured and what the consumer and nature are exposed to during use.
In order for the product to be Nordic Swan Ecolabelled, it must meet strict requirements during the different phases of the journey. The most stringent requirements will be at the steps of the journey where there is the greatest opportunity to reduce environmental impact, and the requirements depend on the type of product. Looking at the entire product’s journey helps to distinguish the Nordic Swan Ecolabel from most other labeling schemes, which often look at a single part of the journey.