Koio
Our Rating: 3 Stars - It's a start
Price: $ $ $ $
Country of origin: United States
Official brand website: Visit
Koio, the renowned footwear brand, has been making strides in sustainability and pushing towards a more eco-friendly future. While the brand has made progress in certain areas, there is still room for improvement in others.
Materials and Climate Impact
Koio takes a step in the right direction by incorporating some eco-friendly materials into their products, including recycled materials. This shows a commitment to reducing the use of virgin resources and minimizing the brand’s environmental footprint. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Koio actively works towards minimizing textile waste during the manufacturing process.
One notable aspect of Koio’s production process is that it is done by hand. This manual approach not only ensures a high level of craftsmanship but also helps to reduce the brand’s climate impact. By avoiding mass production and the associated energy consumption, Koio demonstrates a commitment to sustainability.
Labour Practices and Workers’ Rights
Koio’s labour rating is ‘it’s a start’, indicating that there is room for improvement in this area. The final stage of production takes place in Italy, a medium-risk country for labour abuse. While Koio does not have a formal Code of Conduct, the brand does have a statement that covers workers’ rights. However, there is no evidence to suggest whether or not this statement is effectively enforced.
Ensuring fair wages across the supply chain is an essential aspect of ethical manufacturing. Unfortunately, there is no indication that Koio guarantees a living wage for workers in its supply chain. This could be an area of focus for the brand in order to improve its labour rating.
While Koio does visit its suppliers, the frequency of these visits is not specified. Regular visits demonstrate a higher level of commitment to monitoring and improving labour conditions. Providing more transparency on the frequency of supplier visits would be a positive step forward for the brand.
Animal Welfare
Koio’s animal rating is ‘not good enough’, indicating that the brand has work to do in this area. Although Koio does not use exotic animal hair, fur, down, angora, or exotic animal skin, it does use leather and wool. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Koio has an animal welfare policy in place to ensure the well-being of animals used in its products.
With growing concern for animal welfare in the fashion industry, it is becoming increasingly important for brands to adopt more ethical practices. Koio may benefit from developing and implementing an animal welfare policy to address this issue and improve its overall rating in this area.
Overall Rating
Considering all aspects, Koio is currently rated as ‘It’s a start’ in terms of sustainability. While the brand has taken positive steps in certain areas, there is still room for improvement in others.
By focusing on minimizing textile waste, ensuring fair wages, and implementing an animal welfare policy, Koio can further strengthen its commitment to sustainability. As consumer awareness grows and demand for ethically made products increases, brands like Koio have an opportunity to lead the way in creating a more sustainable and responsible fashion industry.
