Koio’s long-term vision is to become the world’s first regenerative luxury footwear brand. That’s why we’re working hard to source our leathers from regeneratively managed farms, which are proven to help slow and even reverse the effects of climate change. Eventually, we plan to align other parts of our company with regenerative practices, too.
We’ve demonstrated our commitment to ensuring a brighter, healthier future for the planet in the short term, too. In 2020, we established a framework for sustainability that focuses on working with better materials and minimizing our contribution to landfills. We felt that we could make meaningful impacts in both of these areas, and since then, we’ve done exactly that.
Koio’s long-term vision is to become the world’s first regenerative luxury footwear brand. That’s why we’re working hard to source our leathers from regeneratively managed farms, which are proven to help slow and even reverse the effects of climate change. Eventually, we plan to align other parts of our company with regenerative practices, too.
We’ve demonstrated our commitment to ensuring a brighter, healthier future for the planet in the short term, too. In 2020, we established a framework for sustainability that focuses on working with better materials and minimizing our contribution to landfills. We felt that we could make meaningful impacts in both of these areas, and since then, we’ve done exactly that.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE SHOE INDUSTRY
| Problem | Solution | |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | ||
| Tanneries use toxic tanning agents that leak into wastewater | LWG Partnership | |
|
Recycled Materials | |
|
Cotton |
| Product LifeCycle | ||
|---|---|---|
|
High Quality, Lasting Forever | |
|
Koio Vintage | |
|
Recycling Programs | |
Materials
Problems
Solutions
Tanneries use toxic tanning agents that leak into wastewater
LWG Partnership
Sole and other suppliers of plastic-based components use virgin, fossil-fuel-based
Recycled Materials
Sole suppliers throw away plastic sole trimmings that result from the mold-injection process
Fabric suppliers use plastics where natural and biodegradable materials are available
Cotton
Product LifeCycle
Problems
Solutions
Footwear factories produce at a low-quality level, resulting in shorter product life of footwear
High Quality, Lasting Forever
High-end brands dispose of shoes with slight imperfections
Koio Vintage
High-end brands do not support the recycling of shoes
Recycling Programs
USING BETTER MATERIALS
LWG-Certifed Leathers & Suedes
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From SS21 onward, we’re only using leathers that are certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG). The LWG audits leather tanneries, then assigns a rating—Gold, Silver, Bronze, Pass, or Fail—based on the facility’s emissions, energy consumption, water usage, and waste management. The LWG’s certification allows us to ensure our shoes are made with responsibly tanned hides.
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Recycled Materials
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We use plastics in mesh uppers and in soles. But beginning in Fall ‘20, we’re swapping out virgin plastics for recycled plastics whenever possible. By opting for recycled rather than virgin plastics, we can minimize landfill waste, reduce our use of fossil fuels, and minimize CO2 emissions. In some areas of our shoes, we may not be able to use recycled plastics due to technical constraints. In these cases, we plan to opt for naturally derived materials instead.
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Cotton
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We use pure cotton in shoelaces and shoe linings. Cotton is a renewable, biodegradable material, which makes it an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic fibers. Even so, we know there’s room for improvement here, which is why we’re planning to use only certified organic cotton by 2025.
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REDUCING LANDFILL
Long-Lasting, Waste-Minimizing Craftsmanship
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Americans send about 300 million pairs of shoes to landfills every year, and we want to change this. Our shoes are handcrafted by highly skilled artisans using durable, locally sourced materials that endure frequent wear, and every seam is double-stitched to ensure your Koios last long.
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Koio Vintage
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Koio Vintage is our way of keeping almost-perfect Koios out of landfills. The shoes in this collection are fresh from our Italian factory, but they’re marked with slight scuffs or scratches and discounted accordingly. They’re like brand-new shoes with a little bit of extra charm.
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Recycling Program
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Koios are built to endure frequent wear for years, but eventually they’ll arrive at the end of their lifecycle. We developed Koio Recycling to ensure the impact of your shoes remains low even after they reach this point. Ready to recycle your Koios right now? Click here to learn how.
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