“My great-grandfather started the business in 1927. His cousin had bought a knitting machine, and convinced my great-grandfather that clothes were the future,” Stephanie says.

Getting a big knitting machine transported up to the mountain farm where the Tveiten family lived wasn’t easy – it took a horse and sled as well as the helpful hands of many neighbours to get it up. The family built a small factory, initially producing cotton underwear, and the business grew fast. In the 1980s, faced with changing market demand and an increasingly global clothes industry, they decided to leave cotton behind and begin to produce traditional woolen sweaters based on the strong and diverse history of Norwegian knitting.

“I think a reason we’ve stayed afloat all these years is because we’ve come to be known for the quality of our garments. I also think people like the fact that it’s a family-run business, and it’s important to us to tell the story behind our clothes. Our garments are knitted and sewn right here in Norway, and every piece is developed with care and attention. The history behind it plays into why people buy our products – when you buy from us, you buy more than just a sweater,” Stephanie says.

With a drive to maintain the high standards of craftsmanship traditional Norwegian knitwear is known for, Norlender produces high-quality garments made of 100% wool using materials and designs that are based on traditional Norwegian knitting.

“Norway is very well known for our wool and our woolen products. We’re known for being a cold country that understands how to dress for the cold, and the best thing for cold weather is good quality wool. The Norwegian wool we use is known for being very high quality and durable,” Stephanie says. “The long knitting traditions and patterns in Norway are well regarded, and it’s a part of our cultural heritage that we’re known for internationally.”

Though the brand celebrates Norwegian knitting traditions and heritage, it has a strong international focus as well.

“Norwegian knitting is well-known and popular globally, and we sell our products to customers and businesses around the world. There’s a lot of demand for genuine Norwegian sweaters,” says Stephanie.

Sustainable and socially responsible production is very important to the Norlender brand. Since their factory was first built, the Tveiten family focused on ensuring their employees had a safe and comfortable place to work.

“I think people trust that our products are being made under proper conditions since we’re very open about our production processes. The Norlender factory is open to visitors, and we’re happy for people to visit to see how our garments are made. I think people are becoming more aware of where their products come from and what the production process looks like,” says Stephanie.

Over the past few decades with a growing awareness of the changing environment, Norlender has taken steps to ensure their business and output is as environmentally friendly as possible.

“It’s very important to us to be as sustainable as possible, and it’s something that’s always in the forefront of our minds. All production entails some emissions, but anything we can do to diminish that in terms of transport, production and raw material is good. We prefer to use materials that have been produced closer to us, and are as locally sourced as possible. One of our goals for the future is to be one of the greenest clothes manufacturers,” Stephanie says.