Transparency true product pass
Read the intervju
Recouture was born from a simple but powerful idea: to give discarded garments and forgotten traditions a second life. After years in the sportswear industry, founder Hilde Hoff Nordskar set out to challenge fashion’s throwaway culture—combining sustainability with Norwegian craftsmanship and history.
With the new Arv collection, Recouture reimagines the traditional busserull, blending old techniques with thoughtful design. This time, they’re also adding something new: digital transparency. In collaboration with Repass, each garment includes a digital profile that tells the full story—where it came from, who made it, and how it can be cared for or passed on.
Together, Recouture and Repass are working towards a transparent industry that focuses on the personal garments that are built to last.
Let us start with Recouture’s story and identity. Can you introduce yourself and share what inspired you to start your brand? What values or ideas were you hoping to bring into the fashion world?
My name is Hilde Hoff Nordskar, founder of Recouture. After nearly two decades as a designer in the sportswear industry, I became increasingly aware of the environmental impact of new clothes and overproduction. Recouture was born from a desire to challenge the throw‑away culture by giving discarded and damaged textiles new life. We also want to highlight Norwegian traditions, heritage, and craftsmanship. By integrating these arts into a forward‑thinking design, we aim to prove that sustainable fashion can be both beautiful and commercially viable.
Recouture is known for its commitment to pre-loved, vintage, and claim-returned materials. How do these choices reflect your philosophy on innovation and sustainability?
Working with existing garments—whether vintage finds, factory seconds, or customer returns—let us divert waste from landfills and treat “waste” as a resource for new garment life. Innovation, for us, means re‑imagining. My favorite pieces to create are made from the smallest leftover scraps. We need to change the way we consume and see the value in what we already have. The wonderful feeling of owning a product that truly matters to you has a story, and you know you will enjoy it for many years to come.
You recently launched a special project that reimagines the traditional busserull for May 17th. For those who may not know, what is a busserull, and what inspired you to reinterpret it?
The busserull began as durable workwear for farmers and fishermen. Its roots reach back to medieval Europe, so it is not exclusively Norwegian as many assume. Over the centuries, however, Norway adopted and adapted this practical shirt, adding local weaving techniques and regional variations. The result is a garment deeply woven into our cultural heritage. Many people associate the busserull with its familiar striped cloth, but the term actually refers to the shirt itself—traditionally cut from simple squares and rectangles. Through the Arv collection, I am gently revisiting this legacy: a quiet revival of tradition, in a way... The pieces are tailored and reshaped into renewed versions.
For this collection, you developed a unique fabric with GrinakerVev. Can you tell us more about the design process and how the collaboration came about?
After my journey with Recouture, I wanted to create my own Recouture åkle, drawing inspiration from a range of historical patterns. Working closely with the historic weaving mill Grinaker Vev, we developed this new version together woven from the same quality cotton yarn as the twill fabric. Grinaker Vev’s mastery of traditional looms, combined with our design vision, resulted in a fabric that feels both authentic and unmistakably Recouture.
You have built a strong network of Norwegian partners to bring your collections to life. Why is local collaboration important to you, and how does it shape the identity of your work?
I always aim to work with local suppliers and keep the circle as close as possible. This approach preserves the traditional skills and production capacity we still have in Norway, ensuring that the knowledge lives on. Local manufacturing also reduces transport emissions and makes our ethics even more transparent. As small start‑ups sharing the same vision, we need to support one another.
This project also marks a new chapter in your approach through the partnership with Repass. What drew you to integrate transparency into your garments?
Transparency builds trust. Working with vintage garments often makes it difficult to trace their full story; now that I am creating a piece from new resources, I want its journey to be completely transparent. By offering Repass’ digital layer, we can showcase every step of a garment’s journey—celebrating the people, processes, and materials behind each piece.
At Repass, we believe in transparency, authenticity, and creating meaningful digital experiences. How do you see that enhancing the way your customers connect with your garments?
In today’s crowded marketplace, I believe it is essential to give customers honest information about what they are buying, so they can sense whether a garment truly belongs in their wardrobe. When wearers can trace a garment’s origins and makers, their bond deepens; the value extends beyond aesthetics to a shared narrative about culture, sustainability, and intentional living.
From your collaboration with sportswear and outdoor brands to repurposing claimed pieces, giving life to åkler, and creating your weaving patterns, you have a lot to share about the stories of your products. How are you using transparency for storytelling as well?
I believe transparency is at the heart of everything—whether it is what we eat or put on our bodies. Repass showcases this digital transparency, allowing us to share these narratives openly. Whether we’re using vintage åkler or repurposing outdoor gear, every product holds a story of transformation, and these digital tools let us share everything honestly.
Looking ahead, how do you envision the role of digital tools like Repass in shaping the future of fashion, both for Recouture and the industry at large?
I think digital transparency will shape the next chapter of fashion. For Recouture, the product passport becomes a living label: each garment carries a unique QR code that links to a digital profile showing its materials, origin, carbon footprint, and the names of the makers involved. As the piece moves through its life, the passport can be updated with repairs, alterations, and even ownership changes, turning it into an evolving story of care. This will not only give customers confidence in the garment's authenticity but also help them take better care of their products through step-by-step guides and simplify circular services for them, such as resale or take-back.
Internally, the data supports life‑cycle analysis and prepares us for upcoming EU Digital Product Passport regulations, letting us scale without compromising our values. For the wider industry, it offers a concrete blueprint for accountable, circular, and customer‑centred innovation.
I’m cheering for the Repass team and deeply grateful for what they are contributing to the future of fashion.
This project has been a rewarding one from the Repass team, as it focuses on Norwegian craftsmanship and innovation. Thank you to Hilde for the great collaboration for the Arv Recut Collection, and for taking the time for an interview. We look forward to continuing our work together.
