Every year on April 22nd, we celebrate this day to raise awareness of the ways that we can positively impact our planet. Whether the changes we make are big or small, we commit some time to reflect on our impact during Earth Day.
But considering our impact on the planet doesn't stop at midnight.
You may not realise the lengths that our team go to all year round to ensure that your lovely Kip&Co pieces leave the lightest possible footprint on the planet.
We thought this was the perfect opportunity to share Kip&Co’s sustainability commitments and the measurable impact we’ve been able to have.
Through our partnerships with amazing organisations, we commit to contributions both locally and internationally. We aim to positively impact both the communities and environments that make Kip&Co possible, and help us to produce the pieces that brighten our homes.
Less Plastic Used, More Plastic Recycled
In our Spring Summer Forever collection alone, our recycled PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) cushion inserts saved 250,000 plastic bottles from landfill.
The humble pillow insert inside your Kip&Co cushion began its life as a number of bottles that were then collected, transported, sorted, and washed, before being turned into little plastic pellets. They are then sent to our supplier who transform the pellets into the lovely, soft inserts that keep our Kip&Co cushions plump, and our Kip&Co pet beds cosy! (1)
In addition,100% of our Autumn/Winter Living collection has been delivered in recycled or sustainable packaging. No plastic packaging has been used across our AW23 collection!
Organic Cotton Saves Water
We love organic cotton. The production of cotton organically can reduce water usage by up to 91% (2). As a result of our commitment to switch to organic cotton in 2022, we saved 6.7 million gallons of water.
Organic cotton is typically grown on small-scale farms. Because of this, less water is used in irrigation as it tends to be rainfed, rather than drawing on ground water. This biggest difference in water usage comes from the lack of pesticides, which account for a huge amount of the water input in typical cultivation (2).
We only source cotton that is GOTS certified (Global Organic Textile Standard). GOTS, is a world leading independent certifier that continuously monitors suppliers for their adherence to a set of social and environmental criteria in line with relevant local and international standards.
Responsible Sourcing
Our makers are at the heart of Kip&Co. We value ongoing, responsible and compassionate partnerships, and have created our supplier terms and conditions based on the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative).
The ETI is a global alliance of trade unions, NGOs, and companies that promote workers rights via a commitment to a code of labour practice for fair working conditions, integrity and transparency in dealings, and improved environmental outcomes (3).
All of our suppliers are required to undertake independent auditing every two years. Our Kip&Co founders, Kate, Hayley, and Alex conduct in person supply chain inspections to strengthen our supplier relationships, charity partners and support our manufacturer’s sustainability journeys.
Due to the complexity of supply chains, it's near impossible for brands to monitor every inch of the supply chain for compliance. Certification bodies put all their efforts towards auditing, allowing us to use their certified materials with confidence. Our organic cotton is GOTS certified (Global Organic Textile Standard). A GOTS certification evaluates both the social and environmental impacts of the fibre - analysing everything from the chemicals used during processing, to the treatment of workers (4).
Circularity & Social Impact
Considering the “whole life cycle” of your Kip&Co products is integral to ensure that we are contributing to a circular economy.
Circularity and social impact go hand in hand within our approach at Kip&Co.
At the heart of Kip&Co is our recycling partner in India: Goonj. The organisation has operated in India for over 20 years and tackles community issues like water, sanitation, health, livelihood, and education. Through our partnership, Kip&Co has donated 2000 kgs of fabric offcuts that are primarily used across two of Goonj’s community programs; Green by Goonj and the production of MY Pad.
Green by Goonj repurposes fabric scraps into a range of products that are designed and sewn by women in nearby rural communities. Not only do the products keep off cuts out of landfill, but the production of the items offers local women meaningful employment.
My Pad aims to address the culture of shame around menstruation in rural India through access, awareness, and affordability. Kip&Co offcuts are made into cloth sanitary pads therefore providing a clean, essential solution that has saved women from infections, and loss of dignity (5).
Back at home in Australia, we donate a portion of our production samples, as well as additional products to local charities. A recent recipient was the incredible team at The LightHouse foundation, who aim to break the cycle of homelessness through placements in LightHouse homes. Many kids are welcomed into their new homes with colourful Kip&Co sheets on their beds and a bags of goodies in a Kip&Co duffle.
Integrally to our commitment to circularity, we consider the end of the lifecycle of your Kip&Co products through our partnership with Upparel. This incredible Australian organisation allows customers the opportunity to have their unwanted textiles reused or repurposed. Since their conception, Upparel have diverted 1.2 million kgs of textiles from landfill. Simply book in for a pickup of your items, and receive a $25 Kip&Co voucher (6).
Kip&Co and Carbon Neutrality
Since 2020, Kip&Co has been a proudly carbon neutral business.
Carbon Neutrality is a priority for us here at Kip&Co, and we’re proud to be a part of the small group of fashion businesses paving the way for carbon offsetting in the fashion and textiles industry.
We’ve partnered with independent carbon neutral consultants that have helped us offset everything, From the agricultural activities of the farmers producing our fibres, all the way to emissions of the postie delivering your package to your door, we think about it. Our partners have helped us to seek out leading verified carbon credit projects, from Australian biodiversity projects, to solar power projects in India.
Here at Kip&Co, we really give a damn about what happens to our beautiful planet. That’s why this Earth Day, and all year round, we’ve made a personal commitment to minimise the harm to the planet in everything we do.
