Finnish Yarns and Design Since 1928
Carbon neutral factory
OUR FACTORY IN KORIA, KOUVOLA
Novita is proudly a Finnish company. Most of our yarns are produced in Southeast Finland, in our factory in Koria, Kouvola. The factory was relocated from Helsinki to Koria in 1974 and has been operating there for nearly 50 years. Since 2020 our factory has been carbon neutral.
The products made in our factory are marked with the Key Flag symbol, "Made in Finland". The Key Flag products are selected and accredited by the Association for Finnish Work. 90% of Novita yarns have been awarded the Key Flag symbol. The Key Flag symbol is shown on the yarn label and on our colour chart. The latest shade cards are available here.
OUR FACTORY USES EKOENERGY-LABELLED ENERGY
We invest in our production facilities to ensure we are as energy efficient as possible. Since 2017 we have only used EKOenergy labelled energy with our renewable electricity coming from wind power, which is 100% renewable energy. We are always seeking to enhance and perfect our processes and operations to be as efficient as we can. We have also set strict environmental requirements for electricity production in line with the EKOenergy criteria, and some of the sales profits from electricity are used to fund renewable energy projects.
Although we consume large quantities of energy and water in the different stages of yarn production, we are able to reuse the heat generated in the dyeing process. The heat generated in dyeing is recovered to pre-heat the water required for the subsequent dye batches, which reduces the environmental load generated by our production. Since 2018 we have used biogas in the finalizing processes at the factory. The biogas is a domestic fuel made entirely from renewable sources.
We have partly switched to LED lighting at the factory and aim to use LED’s exclusively in the future. We sort all our waste and recycle plastic waste.
We make every effort to reduce the amount of packaging waste, to enable more efficient recycling of our packaging materials and to select better packaging materials and methods with a view to sustainable development. We recycle all our factory’s manufacturing waste, and all our transport packaging is made from recyclable material. Looking forward, our goal is that all raw materials and packaging materials be renewable or recyclable by 2030.
YARN PRODUCTION OUTSIDE FINLAND
We manufacture most of our yarns ourselves in our factory. Novita 7 Veljestä and Nalle are the two of our brands with the highest production volume. In addition to our own production, we collaborate with the British WYS brand (West Yorkshire Spinners). Novita and WYS have been working together for decades, sharing their skills and expertise to source the wool with the best value for money in the world.
Novita and WYS will greatly benefit from each other’s expertise through closer collaboration in product development and design. WYS is a brand name owned by the UK-based West Yorkshire Spinners. Selected WYS products are also available in our online shop novitaknits.com (only in Finland).
Seasonal yarns
Some of our products do not have the Key Flag symbol. These products are seasonal special yarns, which cannot be manufactured using the machinery at Novita’s Kouvola factory. In addition to our own production, we work together with long-standing and trusted partners in Turkey, who we rely on in producing our seasonal products. Turkey is one of the major producers of yarn in the EU market, and our partner factories there are BSCI-audited and comply to EU REACH regulations.
All our yarns, including those without the Key Flag symbol, are tested according to ISO standards at our factory laboratory using the same testing methods as with the yarns produced at our own factory. All Novita’s products meet the REACH regulations of the EU.
Cotton yarns
As the machine stock at our Koria factory is not suited for spinning cotton yarn, these products without the Key Flag Symbols are procured from our partners in India and Turkey. All of our partners have signed an agreement on the compliance of ethical principles and follow the REACH regulation of the EU. The raw cotton used to produce Novita’s yarns is sourced from India, with the exception of recycled cotton which hails from Turkey.
CHEMICALS USED IN THE YARN PRODUCTION
Mothproofing
Mothproofing is not necessary for knitting yarns. As moths and fur beetles, who feed on wool, can destroy wool yarn, we carry out a disinfectant spraying in our factory twice a year to remove any flying moths. When stored at home, keep the yarn in airtight plastic bags. You can also use natural moth and fur beetle repellents, such as red cedar products, in your wardrobes.
Dyes
All of our yarn is tested to meet the ISO quality standards. The finishing agents and dyes used in the production of Novita yarns meet the REACH regulations. We aim to choose dyes which are hypoallergenic and biodegradable as well as least harmful.
Our quality control at Novita’s Koria factory is happy to receive consumer feedback and answer any questions at laadunvalvonta@novita.fi .
