Nau Named One of America's "Best Companies"

April 5, 2010. Portland, OR— Nau, the Portland based sustainable urban + outdoor apparel company, is named to Outside Magazine’s “Best Companies” list today. Since its beginning in 2007, Nau has been dedicated to positively changing the industry by offering environment-friendly clothing that reflects thoughtful, considered design and uncompromised quality.

From testing new designs in urban and outdoor settings to sharing innovative product concepts over prosecco and dark chocolate, Nau is a small team of less than twenty who all believe that fashion and business can become a powerful force for change. Nau maintains some of the highest sustainable design criteria in the industry, including using raw materials like recycled polyester and traceable, ethically resourced Merino wool in their lines. They also understand that sustainability means making products that will last, with timeless colors, smart design and simple care. Additionally, Nau purchases carbon offsets for all their shipping actions and use the labor watch dog group Verite to monitor all of their overseas factories. Through their Partners for Change Program, they give 2% of all purchases to charity, allowing customers to allocate the amount to organizations like Mercy Corps and Kiva.

“At Nau, we follow a different type of business model based on corporate and civic responsibility,” said Mark Galbraith, General Manager of Nau. “We’re also out to prove that clothing can be both beautiful and performance-driven, all while being made from sustainable materials and ethically sourced production.”

An extensive year long process, Outside Magazine partnered with the Best Companies Group, a Pennsylvania based independent research firm, to find America’s top companies. After confidential employee-satisfaction surveys and thorough employer questionnaires regarding benefits, policies, and practices, the results were analyzed. 30 companies were then ranked in order of who best enables employees to balance productivity with an active, eco-conscious lifestyle. Nau and sister brand, Horny Toad, are both listed among the top small-businesses.

About Nau
Nau (pronounced “now”) is a clothing company based in Portland, Oregon. They design, make, and sell sustainable urban+outdoor apparel – integrated designs for the modern mobile life. Nau is committed to the power of business as a force for positive change, seeking to balance the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. To learn more about Nau, visit www.nau.com

For media information contact:
Missy Farren & Associates, Ltd. (212) 528-1691
Kori Kalbacher, kkalbacher@mfaltd.com