A proud Tuareg is featured in the logo of the outdoor brand NOMAD®. This nomadic Berber people is always en route in the steppes, deserts, and mountains of North West Africa. NOMAD® encourages people to seek out adventure. But for the homeless and for refugees, sleeping outside is not a choice for adventure, but rather a matter of survival. The NOMAD® company supports the mission of the Sheltersuit Foundation which affords vulnerable individuals both warmth and dignity.
NOMAD® Marketing Executive Roos Schaffels:
“NOMAD®’s motto is ‘Enjoy your journeys together’. Our organization encourages people to go out and about: from cozy weekends camping close to home, to longer journeys to faraway, unknown lands. With both comfortable temperatures and unexpected, bad weather. Our sustainable products are made for people who voluntarily sleep under the stars. We make sleeping bags and backpacks, sleeping mats and tents.
We support the Sheltersuit Foundation because of the many things we have in common with this charity. Beautiful products are made in their studio, products which afford refugees and the homeless warmth, dignity, and protection from the elements. For these groups, it is, of course, all about survival in the elements, regardless of specific situations. We support this initiative sincerely.”
8forAid and a Sleeping Bag Initiative
“At the moment, for example, we are participating in the 8forAid event, an international plea for attention for the question of homelessness. The first 100 participants who secure 100 euro’s or more in donations to Sheltersuit will receive a 50% reduction on a NOMAD® product of their choice.
As well, on August 14th, NOMAD® started an initiative to donate old sleeping bags to Sheltersuit. Everyone is invited to donate their old sleeping bag whereby they get a 50% reduction on the price of a new NOMAD® sleeping bag from the webshop. See for more information www.nomad.nl/nl.”
Campers and other outdoor people
“NOMAD® has a team of 15 committed people. I have only worked there since last January, but I already fill completely at home. I used to go camping with my parents a lot when I was little, and that tradition continues now with my friends. In my free time I enjoy visiting the beautiful green parts of The Netherlands.
NOMAD® also interests me due to my education: I studied Communications with a focus on brand management. Lots of people know NOMAD®, however they don’t realize that it is a Dutch brand which was founded as long ago as 1978.
Lots of brands attempt to create a brand narrative. But these ‘stories’ are often quite forced. NOMAD®, on the other hand, has an authentic tale to tell. For example, a client recently rang the customer service desk. He had a 15-year-old NOMAD® tent which had suffered a tear. We repaired the tent for him. Most likely this was not very commercially wise of us, however it is indicative of our commitment to both our customers and to sustainability.”
Sustainable entrepreneurship
“That is another attitude we share with Sheltersuit. Their suits for the homeless are made from recycled stuff and other by-products. We too attempt to use such materials as often as possible. For example, we recycled 347,552 PET bottles into our 2020 collection.
We also treat some of our products with Polygiene and Nikwax. This causes the materials to be extremely waterproof and it also prevents bacteria from spreading. In turn, this means the need for washing far less often and it therefore saves water.
In the Sheltersuit social factory, people work who have been shunned from the regular labor market. Our products are most often made in Asia where NOMAD® works with partners who have the BSCI seal of approval. It is a code which insures good labor practices for their employees: minimum wages, a safe workplace, and sufficient rest.
We sell our products via the well-known Dutch outdoor stores and our own webshop. For the most part, we are active in Holland and in Germany, but we are also growing in the U.K. and in Belgium.
Sheltersuit and NOMAD® are clearly a good match in terms of Social and Sustainable entrepreneurship. Quite possibly we will intensify our collaboration in the future.”
Taking leave of memories
“Our sleeping bag initiative started August 14th. Here at NOMAD®, we understand that it can be hard to part with a sleeping bag as it symbolizes precious travel memories.
Nevertheless, we ask you to send your old sleeping bag to the Sheltersuit Foundation. In that way, you can support someone who is forced to survive on the street.”
