About Us
The idea that small things can create big, positive changes is at the core of Smallmatters. It was this idea that inspired us, Line Houge and Janicke Lorange, to start the company in 2018.
Line has extensive experience as a clothing designer, product developer and buyer in large companies, and was the founder and manager of the clothing brand ChillNorway for 12 years. She was nominated for the Norwegian Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2011 and received the Gazelle Prize. Janicke has extensive experience in marketing, product and business development, and has previously run her own company with outdoor toys for children.
Together we saw how our combined experience in design, product development and branding could show that a simple business idea can be both profitable and sustainable.
When we started in 2018, our goal was to develop new products from textile waste, discontinued textiles from the industry. We collected bed linen, tablecloths and towels, as well as surplus materials, and had them sewn into new products such as shopping nets, laundry bags, package bags, shoulder bags and bunad bags. The response was fantastic, and we were proud to have Hurtigruten as our first customer. When corona hit, both manufacturers and customers closed, but we didn't let that stop us.
We used our expertise to explore new possibilities, and found leftover yarn at a small factory in Inner Mongolia, a manufacturer we had worked with before. The idea of making 100% cashmere sweaters from leftover yarn was first tested on friends and family. The response was so positive that we expanded the collection, also to include men's sweaters.
Today we produce in larger volumes, and also use new yarn, but always in pure, natural materials. We continue to create new products from textile waste, and use surplus materials for practical and beautiful products such as bunad bags, shopping bags and bread bags. At the same time, sweaters and jackets in cashmere and merino wool have become the core of our company. Our goal is to create attractive, good products that make it easy for you to choose environmentally friendly.
We hope that you, as a customer, will enjoy our products as much as we do, and we greatly appreciate all feedback, both criticism and praise. We greatly appreciate hearing your ideas for new products, and often use them as inspiration for what we create next. For us, Smallmatters is not just a job, it is thanks to you, our dear customers, that we are here today. Without you, we would not have had the opportunity to create new sweaters, jackets or other products. Your feedback, ideas and enthusiasm motivate us to continue creating sweaters in all possible shapes and colors, while we are constantly exploring new, sustainable products.
