Happy Valentine’s Day!
I just want to take some time and showcase a company that’s not directly related to cycling. The company’s name is Nau, they make clothing and their tagline is Beauty, Performance, Sustainability.
By now, I’m sure you’re wondering why I chose to write about something not related to cycling. The main reason is, they support cycling through charitable giving. I was talking to Bikes Belong and they clued me in on some companies that support cycling initiatives but aren’t a cycling company. I started checking some of them out, and this one really “tickled my fancy”.
It’s important to me to support companies that deserve to be supported. Companies that treat their employees like human-beings, give back to the communities that support them, and make some sort of effort to care for the environment. Nau exemplifies all three of those things.
Their clothes are made in asia, and for a U.S. company, that’s becoming more and more of a taboo. However, they do boast fair labor rates in those countries, so they aren’t just going for cheap labor. They’re main reasoning for manufacturing there is to reduce environmental impact through reduced shipping. Which makes sense. They are already getting other things made in those countries, and some of Nau’s fabric is only made in or near those countries.
Nau’s clothes are not cheap, so you won’t be finding them in your local Wally-world or Target. On the plus side, part of their sustainability program is to make longer lasting clothes. Which also makes sense. They also have a guarantee on all of their clothing that reads “If one of our products fails to satisfy you at the time you receive it, or does not perform to expectations during its long lifetime, simply return it to us. We’ll replace it or extend a refund.” They don’t even care if you’re the first owner! This may be one of those situations that comes out cheaper to buy the better product and keep it longer. Rather than buying a new coat every year or two, which can be harmful to our environment.
Every dollar we spend casts a vote for the type of world we want to live in. Does this look like the type of world you want? If it does, support Nau. After-all, they support us (cyclists).