NORTVI, a sustainable suitcase brand from Amsterdam

In a world full of travellers, having the greatest suitcases appears to be more important than ever. Despite the abundance of options accessible to us, selecting the ideal travel set is a difficult task. L'escale was looking for THE ideal brand for its community; something unique, original, and, of course, flawlessly practical.

And we discovered it. NORTVI, based in Amsterdam, is a company that feels genuine and intimate, with the goal of providing you with a product that is worth your money. Their design is sleek, simple, elegant, and functional. The suitcases roll smoothly and do not require you to struggle with them, as most products on the market do.

The case is made of environmentally friendly German polycarbonate, a lightweight, aerospace-grade material that is exceedingly durable.

Our current favourite is the Rainforest Green Front Pocket cabin luggage, which boasts a water-resistant front pocket with enough space for a 16-inch laptop. The interior is cleverly designed with additional packing compartments. Its matching check-in luggage is just as nice, useful, and long-lasting, with the same Japanese-made quietest Hinomoto Silent Run wheels.

We spoke with NORTVI founders Marijn Van Roij, Max van Dam, and Sebastiaan Dam to learn more about the concept, meaning, and mindset behind the brand.

Could you tell us a little bit about your background?

NORTVI was founded by three individuals. We all have a background in fashion and ecommerce and have lived in cities such as Sydney, Berlin, and Budapest for extended periods of time. We travel frequently, and after returning to Amsterdam, we decided it was time to move away from fast fashion and create a brand focused on high quality, sustainability, and prototype.

What inspired you to create NORTVI, and how did you come up with the brand name?

We were missing a suitcase with all of the properties that we value. Many suitcase brands are of poor quality and only focus on the practical aspects of a suitcase. A suitcase, in our opinion, is more than just a useful item. It should be a nice extension of your outfit. Furthermore, we believe that running a sustainable business is critical. This means that we use as many sustainable materials as possible in our products. We combined all of these features to create products that are high quality, long lasting, and trendy.

NORTVI is an initialism for North and Voyage. NORTVI was formed as a result of the merger of these two.

Describe NORTVI in three words.

Premium, durable and stylish.

How does NORTVI stand apart from other travel luggage brands?

NORTVI stands out in terms of quality, durability, and design. Our sustainable business model and use of premium and sustainable materials are unique, and we always provide a 5-year warranty. NORTVI employs a direct-to-consumer business model. This means that we almost entirely sell our products through our own channels. This enables us to guarantee a very short delivery time while also providing a unique product.

Where do you source your materials from?

We carefully source our materials in an environmentally friendly manner. We keep close contact with our factories to ensure that they always meet our exacting standards. We believe it is critical that the working conditions in our factories be optimal, and that we know the origin of all the materials we use. To ensure the quality and durability of all our materials, we use official certificates from independent bodies.

What were the fundamentals that you weren't willing to compromise on when ideating the suitcases?

These are the same ideas that underpin NORTVI's core values. High standards of quality, sustainability, and layout.

Your sweaters say 'Dans le Sud'—what is the significance of the phrase for NORTVI?

Dans le Sud is French for "in the south." The south represents the sun, travel, and creating beautiful memories. This is very important to us because we want to help people create beautiful memories with their suitcases. The feeling of warmth and vacation is something that makes many people happy. We want them to be content and happy.

Do you intend to release additional clothing items? If so, do we have any idea what to expect?

This is still a secret. Our first collection has been well received. The spotlight is still on our suitcase and bag collection. However, we are open to new ideas and inspirations, which may result in the release of a new clothing collection in the autumn.

Your retail locations are located between the Netherlands and Germany. Will there be additional locations in the future?

We now have clients from all over the world. From America to Japan, and many in Europe. In April 2022, our first flagship store will open in Amsterdam. Subsequently, several more retail points will open in Europe.

Sustainability is at the core of what you do. How do you plan to consistently reinforce that through NORTVI?

All of our suppliers are in constant communication with us. We put in a lot of work to find the right materials and support our suppliers with new innovations. We educate and motivate them to adopt our sustainability standards, and we challenge them to make these standards a guiding principle in their operations. In doing so, we strive to make our suitcases last a lifetime, and in doing so, we hope to reduce the amount of material used to make a new suitcase. In this way, we can do what we love: see you travel the world responsibly with your NORTVI suitcase.

What are your must-pack items when travelling?

That is unique to each person and is heavily influenced by the type of trip they are taking. If you're going on a long trip, you can be a little more creative with the items you bring. If you are making a short trip, you must be more efficient.We believe that you should not bring too much with you. When you get home, you'll be surprised at how many clothes are still unworn.