Fjong! PUB department store has shut down the Noko Jeans Museum, presumably as part of a bigger initiative to investigate worker’s condition for all their brands. We think some of the shelves will look empty come Monday, but still – what a great thing to do of PUB!
(PS — our Museum will re-open at another location soon)
Update: The Washington Post regarding the world’s shortest flagship store ever (two hours, we think).
HIPOCRATES! Half of their clothes are probably made in China who treats their workers like shit. Why don’t they just shut down the whole store?!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Noko Jeans and Viktor Bolin, Ludwig Jonsson. Ludwig Jonsson said: RT @nokojeans: Noko Jeans Musem is closed. But will re-open at another location! http://is.gd/5dd7U [...]
Did PUB even read the code of conduct?? Probably got cold hands when TV showed up…
I never heard of childlabour in N.Korea… But India and Pakistan are pretty good at this, i guess now we´ll have to stop trading all kind of clothes exept for those made by netting grandmother and the Lovikavante
A Code of Conduct? You’re terribly naive if this is supposed to be a defense. Your CofC is going to be followed by a country whose dictator can’t be trusted no matter how many documents are signed? Or worse, you’re putting the lives of those who agreed to a CofC on the line if your beliefs conflict with the State. What enforcement power do you have if the CofC is not followed or worse, what power do you have if the manager is arrested for following the CofC? So, how does one get a job at this factory….do you just apply at the door, or do you have to know someone higher up or be from a family that is higher up? Are the workers connected with the State ie, are they from the Party?
And what about you? If this goes bad, terribly bad, what can you do? Will you do? Drink swedish vodka, smile and say, ‘oh well’?
…oh well……
Hi Leonard, thank you for your comments.
If you’ve poked around our site a bit, I’m sure you’ve seen that we’re far too engaged in this to ever just say ‘oh well’.
We stayed at the factory for the whole time during the production to make sure that our code of conduct was followed to the point. I don’t know any other example of any other garment producer in the world who show that kind of dedication in making sure that the CSR-policy is more than a piece of paper.
That is probably not enough to influence the big, political context, but we know it has been a positive influence in the very, very small context this project exists in.
We should be bombing north korea not buying jeans from them!
Buy "Levis Jeans" cheaper and better…And you can get them in blue and buy them anywhere.
It’s sad to see that people who speak highly of democracy and the freedom of speech and free movement of people and goods across all borders don’t appreciate initiatives like this. Makes you wonder what kind of agenda they really have. Truth is if that more people reached out to North Korea they probably would not be a threat anymore (if they ever have been?).But hey the weapon industries around the world makes billions selling weapons because of USAs so called enemies. I say go NOKO show the world that Jeans can bring an end to conflicts that weapons never will solve.
This serves as a lesson in real Corporate Social Responsibility, not the diatribe you speak of. Today PUB, tomorrow any potential venture financing doors will close on you. Good riddance to the exploiters of misery.
"It’s sad to see that people who speak highly of democracy and the freedom of speech and free movement of people and goods across all borders don’t appreciate initiatives like this."
Perhaps you now what it’s like for the North Korean people who funded and made these jeans then?…
Nemesis, do you really believe that stopping North Korea from doing legitimate business with other countries around the world, will gain the North korean people? I think not. I believe that if USA and other superpowers would have supported real diplomacy instead of biased politics and their weapon industry the whole world would be so much better, don’t you?
I hope more initiatives like this will emerge around the world. Having a mindset of a global citizen; thus being concerned about North Korea’s isolation from the rest of the world along with the factory workers’ working condition… I am extremely touched and inspired :)
It’s amazing how the ‘powers that be’ always talk up free trade, but when it comes to N. Korea, Myanmar, Cuba, Libya, etc. they get in the way of free trade every chance they get.
In Japan I have had a chance to buy some products from N. Korea, including sweets. They were fine. Not quite as much fun as being able to buy Cuban cigars, but fine.
Looking forward to Noko jeans.
PUB showed a responsible attitude. Doing business with a tyrant is idiotic.
@Napoleon Bernadot
USA this, USA that. This has nothing to do with the US. Why not focus on our own behaviour, and our own approach?
If doing business with a country that oppresses it’s population, calls Sweden it’s enemy, and threatens Nuclear war every 5 days is good, then we really have sunk to a new low.
Ignorant views like yours don’t solve the problem; just where have you been hiding?
Just saw this on thelocal.se
Excellent news about the Noko saga:
PUB has just withdrawn all sales of Noko jeans in recognition of what it would mean to be associated with the DPRK political ramifications. Rene Stephansen, PUB’s director, said "this is a question about a political issue that PUB doesn’t want to be associated with."
Noko’s usual incredible "prowess" in public relations was evident by their statement; They said it was a "joke" and "I sincerely hope (PUB) will remove everything labelled ‘made in China’ as well."
It is indeed interesting that Noko have aligned their product’s country of origin with the People’s Republic of China. Can this possibly mean that they were aware of DPRK’s denial of human rights after all? We’ll never know. Perhaps Noko are activists now, as they have experienced what it’s like to lose their own freedom of movement?
Well done to PUB! Unlike Noko/Jakob Ohlsson, Jacob Astrom and Tor Rauden Kaellstigen’s bizarre interpretation of what Corporate Social Responsibility is, this is real CSR at work.
PUB are to be congratulated for acting responsibly. I trust that Noko will realise that this is the thin end of the wedge for them and their ill-gotten gains.
Nils look yourself in the mirror and behold a true ignoramus & someone who rather support conflict than supports the solution of conflicts. Of course this has everything to do with the sickeningly politically correct views of USA-hugging liberals & conservatives, who on one hand supports free trade and on the other won’t let every country participate in it…
Whoever thinks America is democratic is having a laugh. The only candidates you are ALLOWED to vote for are pre-approved by Israel and so many lobbies. Any American who believes we should blockade/bomb North Korea for being the way it is should stop being such hypocrites and look at your own country’s policies. No matter who you elect, your policies will never change because all you have is the illusion of a democracy.
The only reason North Korea is the way it is at this time is because of these ignorant blockades that have been crippling the country for decades… which obviously have had no effect other than making the Korean people suffer.
The ONLY reason North Korea have the nuclear bomb is because we isolated them!! And they won’t ever use it but for self-defence.
Give these people a break from the idiocy of American “carrot and stick” policies that treats every smaller country with different views and political systems as enslaved animals. All it does is cripple the people.
I’m all for doing business with North Korea. Hope your business goes well, will definitely be buying your jeans… Absolutely Love the look! :D
If your in the USA get the hell out!
Yes Sir!
Our family lives in Sweden. After PUB:s decsion to close NOKO jeans sales I and my family will never more go to PUB. Americans killed 35 000 people in Sinzon province 1950 when they occupied northen part of the country
104 children was forced in a magazine and the american soldiers poures gasoline all over and locked the door before they threw in torchlighte out of the 104 children only two survived. They are now guides at the museum of american warcrimes in Sinzon.
The arguments here, ostensibly in support of Noko, seem to instead be about people’s personal contempt for the US. Bizarre.
Hey, if I were currently immersed in theme a words explaining deposit theory, it would make sounded like that to me too, I’m sure.
Snyggt jobbat grabbar! ni är en äkta inspirationskälla :D! hoppas få se mer från ert företag i framtiden, by the way hur gick ni till väga när byxorna var färdiga? skeppade ni de till sverige eller direkt till div återförsäljare :)?
Actually, I have changed my mind. After reading a book for the first time in my life, I am now in favour of the action by PUB to remove Noko jeans from their shelves. I’m sorry for trying to deflect the argument from the real issues.
Of course the above fakeism is not written by me but probably by some fundamentalist liberalconservative who believe that you can only solve conflicts by aggression, which of course is not true…
LET US BOYCOTT THE SWEDISH PRODUCTS!
(If you have ever purchased any….)
The price of the jeans, 1500SEK is equal to almost 2 years of income for a North Korean.
Just calculate how much % of pure profit would go to the team Noko per sales….
This is not a peace project, this is just a greedy ripping off business.
This news made me want to by the jeans myself, and it sounds like a part of the PR campaign – I hope Noko will use the news to help the brand grow.
Survival of brand that supports more nuclear bomb proliferation, one of the last Stalinist regimes in the world, and helps to sustain a political hot spot in today’s world really seems dubious.
Take your 5 minutes of fame. I suspect it is all that you’ll have.
Well WTF what is your solution? Seriously don’t you believe that better contacts between countries and people is better than no contact at all?
I agree that NK is very isolationistic themselves but surely we should try to break their isolation in a peaceful way not by making matter worse…
Yoko: It’s all just black and white isn’t it? As with products made in China with subcontractors in North Korea. So let’s boycott everything from China, just to be sure.
And any knowledge in business (even the slightest) tells you that 1100 pairs of jeans for over two years of effort wont bring that much income. Especially not since they’re planning to give something back.
(read some of the story before you critize too much)
Wait a minute. Who am I? I don’t know what I’m saying. I hate jeans.
Once again someone who doesn’t like my opinions writes a fake comment, very mature….
(I see that the dictator-lovers and Noko shills are out in force on this site.) Hey, pal, if you or your family were in a North Korean gulag, you’d be singing a different tune. But hey, it’s not affecting you or yours, so whatever, right?
“They’re cool jeans, and besides, America is the Great Satan! And the Great Leader Kim Jong-il will realize the error of his ways and let everyone go free if we’re nice to him (not to mention we’re deathly afraid of him).” Go back to smoking your dope, self-centered fools.
@Mike. Well said.
It’s really odd how the people here say that they are against such “oppressive regimes” as the US, an ally of Sweden, and for North Korea, a country that specifically names Sweden as it’s sworn enemy.
I did not realise, until now, how narrow-minded and homogeneous Sweden still is.
Why can’t most Americans understand that having another opinion to them isn’t not equal to being 100% pro or against this or that country, lets face it USA has made a lot of mistakes in the past and frankly a lot of Americans doesn’t know squat about geography or politics. Calling Sweden narrowminded just shows your own ignorance of the world outside your own country. Remember it was your country who occupied Iraq on false pretenses.
But as I said earlier the wise thing to do is bring people & countries together, not apart so NOKO are onto something here….
Why are so many people making a damn issue of some pairs of jeans? Don’t include politics! Some damn jeans doesn’t mean a revolution or implosion of democracy or communism…. They’re jeans!
This issue is about the selfish attitudes of Noko leading to irresponsible behaviour.
Sweden, in it’s often isolated and homogeneous approach to global politics, has caused its population to think in a carefree manner. Having now destroyed the global furniture market by peddling its cardboard crap, and in investing heavily in totalitarian regimes like China, now has it’s sights set on North Korea.
We can couch the issues any way possible, but Noko’s core motivation, like Sweden’s, is clear; blind greed wrapped in in Abba lyrics. I am ashamed.
What an utter load of bollocks! In what way are NOKO selfish or irresponsible? They could have made their jeans in China or any other cheapest possible labour country in the world, instead they made them in NK, not to make as much money as possible but to highlight this absurd situation, namely that everybody blames NK for being isolationist but nobody really tries to break the isolation, mostly because of american selfish reasons..
“Sweden, in it’s often isolated and homogeneous approach to global politics, has caused its population to think in a carefree manner. ”
That has to be the most stupid statement I have ever read on the net..
“Having now destroyed the global furniture market by peddling its cardboard crap, and in investing heavily in totalitarian regimes like China, now has it’s sights set on North Korea.”
That comes in at a close second..
So bigotted are those statements and ignorant that they must have been written by a bigotted american who clearly have no idea about freedom of speech or how Swedish companies conduct their affairs..
Unfortunately for the USA they have overconsumed so much that they now are OWNED by China..
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy Korean man
I wouldn’t have to work at all, I’d fool around and have a ball…
Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man’s world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man’s world
Yöu missed the Swedish spelling
In my dreäms I häve a plän
If I göt me a weälthy Texäs män
I wöuldn’t häve tö förk at all, I’d fööl äröund and häve ä båll…
Möney, möney, möney
Must be fönny
In the rich män’s wörld
Möney, möney, möney
Älwäys sönny
In the rich man’s wörld
Reply
People seem to forget, if you crush every chance of legitimate business with NK, they are going to turn to the illegitimate business, where theres no threat of getting your finances frozen by the US Treasury.
Erik, sure there’s child labor in NK. Like in local coal mines. But in factories like this in the better of areas probably as good as never, as they go to school till they are adults.
Mike, I don’t see how it’s any better if we (as the outside world) kills them or how a civil war would help, then that they die due to mismanagement and disease in a country that could never possibly afford to import all the food that’s needed. Even though it’s so much vilified they still fair much better then any of sub-Saharan Africa. Hell grocery stores in the western world sell rice from India even though India produces too little food. WFP is in India too. At least NK commercially imports 500 000 tonnes of food. It’s not like they don’t try to compensate for the food deficit in the domestic production.
Nils, You need to realize that the world has let NK down so many times that it won’t help a bit to call them names and isolate them even more and if you can’t see it from their side your not going to solve anything. They are the country that has been promised civilian nuclear reactors from two super powers without getting anything, the country where ABB signed a contract for building a new power distribution grid, but nothing materialized and so on. I’m sure they would have preferred getting the two reactors from KEDO. But Bush had made up his mind before they pulled out of the NPT and 1994 framework agreement. Sure weapons proliferation is a problem, but I fail to see how they are any worse then the western allies. They don’t have any long range (ICBM) missiles to sell and don’t have the capability to threaten the whole world. Plus there’s no domestic opposition/movement to stop them like in South Africa. Who got their rockets from Israel and would had ICBMs now if continued.
Any way NK has every reason to mistrust the outside world, and that makes it difficult dealing with them to resolve the issues.
Much needs to be done.
But having South Korea paying salaries that average 75 dollars a month isn’t exactly helping the country financially. (As in Kaesong). That definitively won’t feed the country. It won’t decrease the economic rift.
Besides it where only economic development and aid that helped the military dictatorships of Taiwan and South Korea to become democracies. So I’m wondering who’s smoking. Current UN leader Bai Ki-Moon started his career in the service of the dictatorship.
Besides as said companies such as ABB don’t get criticized for dealing directly with the North Korean government. Neither is in support of the government there.
But something is wrong with the whole theory of overthrowing states, they only work when you have a right wing dictatorship ready to take over. You’ll never bring democracy by empowering corrupt people by force.
NK can never be ruled by threats from the outside world, they have nothing more to loose, you can’t be threating them to take anything away when the country saying it already has a total ban on relations with NK, that’s why you have to give incentives, they are not rewards, because just not doing anything bad isn’t an incentive in itself while they’re still marginalized and sanctioned. Middle ground needs to be find. And hypocrisy seldom help, your still doing business with the country that has public beheadings. It’s not about oppression at all.
@Knirill Billibrrt Jr. III
Indeed, it seems both were the Swedish spelling.
Korean, Texan, Singer, Golfer; it matters not, as long as they have the money (money money).
@Petter
The Dear Leader agrees with you. Thank you for supporting his methods.
OK once again, someone is writing fake replies under my name, stop that you neofascist!!!
Why doesn’t NK start selling NK-Jeans!
Handlar bara om att vara PK och välja sida, följa medierna och skribenterna som f.ö smutskastade NOKO från dag 1 av releasen. Precis som vad man får säga och inte säga om Israel och judarna.
Intressant att PUB väljer att lägga sig i politik genom att stoppa försäljning av varor från vissa länder med motiveringen att företaget inte lägger sig i politik.
Knowing me, knowing you, aha.
You don’t know JACK!
There is nothing we can do, knowing me knowing you…
ThemefsHeifig
ybof
Вы сошли с ума!
everyone just shut up! PUB threw out the pants because there are a lot of political issues with these pants that they do not wish to be associated with, they’re just a store and wishes to stay that way.
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