Communist denim: Jeans brand goes to North Korea

Stockholm – A new denim brand is sourcing its production in North Korea, creating the first fashion brand from the secretive communist state.

The Noko jeans brand will produce pairs of jeans under the ‘Made in North Korea’ slogan which will initially go on sale at the Swedish department store PUB.

Making contact naturally proved difficult for the entrepreneurial Swedes, but sourcing their manufacturing in such a nation has added an unusual narrative to the humble pair of jeans. ‘We did this to come closer to a country that was very difficult to get into contact with,’ says co-founder of Noko, Jacob Astrom.