The Butterfly Help Project

We are very proud to support the Butterfly Help Project. This organisation, created by Norbu Sherpa and Andrea Sherpa-Zimmermann of Wild Yak Expeditions, helps families of sherpas who have lost their lives in the Himalayan mountains and gives their children access to education. Ten per cent of the earnings of NEVEREST sales will be donated to the foundation.

A commitment to animal cruelty free

We have never used crocodile leather straps, instead opting for certified vegan rubber straps with a crocodile leather texture. Now we have decided to go one step further. NORQAIN has committed to no longer introduce watches with leather straps. All future NORQAIN watches will feature a metallic bracelet, fabric strap or vegan option – such as certified vegan leather or certified rubber. Currently, our selection of straps includes perlon rubber, croco-style rubber straps and NATO rubber straps that are manufactured by BIWI SA, a Swiss industry leader that has established an international reputation for its innovative, vegan-certified products.

Watches that have already been launched will continue to be sold with the option of a calfskin leather strap. This option, however, will be phased out in the next two years as new watches are launched with 100% animal cruelty free straps.

Recycling OCEAN-BOUND PLASTIC with #tide

We teamed up with the Basel-based company tide ocean SA, also known as #tide or #tide ocean material®. #tide collects plastic trash polluting the ocean and coastlines and, in partnership with the Swiss University of Applied Sciences and the Institute for Materials Technology and Plastics Processing (IWK OST), upcycles it into a premium granular material made of 100% ocean-bound plastic. During this process, no chemicals or virgin plastic is added. This second-life raw material is then used to create other products, such as the yarn that is woven together in our ivory coloured linen fabric strap. The signature NORQAIN stitches on the strap and the name of the material – “Nortide” – signify a long-term NORQAIN-#tide collaboration.

NORQAIN IS CO₂-NEUTRAL: TAKING ACTION TO HELP OUR PLANET

From watch design to suppliers and partners, the environment has a strong influence on NORQAIN. You’ll find hints of our appreciation for the planet in our mountain-peak logo, our outdoor-adventure spirit, in our partnership with Dean Schneider and our commitment to using animal-friendly products. Our latest step in our endeavour to protect the environment is the CO₂-NEUTRAL certification we received from Swiss Climate.