Solution sought for Norsewear workers

Green Regional Economic Development spokesperson Sue Bradford has expressed her sympathy for the employees of the Norsewear clothing label and expressed her disappointed in hearing that the iconic kiwi brand may be moving manufacturing offshore.

It was only a few months ago that Ms Bradford attended the opening of the combined Norsewear and Swazi store in Wellington, and she is very disappointed to hear that the iconic kiwi brand has been sold, and that manufacturing may be relocated to China.

Ms Bradford says that the closure of the Norsewear factories will leave many skilled employees out of work in the small towns of Norsewood and possibly Wanganui, where the Norsewear factories are located. However, she is pleased to hear that seven workers will be kept on in Norsewood to continue production of the Norsewear sock range.

Ms Bradford says that “I am hopeful that a solution can be found for the Wanganui factory workers, whose future is still undecided. The job losses in Norsewood and possible losses in Wanganui will have impacts on not just the workers and their families, but the whole town. It will be a huge loss for New Zealand if this iconic company with a forty years history is relocated offshore.

"The many benefits of supporting New Zealand made products are clear in situations such as this. I’m hopeful that another New Zealand manufacturer will recognise the high quality skilled work that has been done in these factories and consider ways to bring that potential and those workers into their own kiwi made business" says Ms Bradford.

Norsewear has actively supported the Green Party led Buy Kiwi Made campaign since its launch three years ago. Buy Kiwi Made aims to promote consumer and retailer awareness of Kiwi made products and to encourage domestic manufacturers to label their goods New Zealand Made.

If Norsewear production is moved offshore, as is widely supposed, it will join a growing list of manufacturing exporters that have recently moved their factories overseas, including apparel companies Swanndri and Icebreaker. The Norsewear brand has been sold to Apparel Brands which is owned by Ben Nathan, the former owner of Barkers Men's Clothing.