KEEN EFFECT

CONSCIOUSLY CREATED

CONSCIOUSLY CREATED EVERY STEP IS A CHOICE. AND AS A COMPANY FULL OF PEOPLE WHO CARE, WE WANT TO DO MORE, AS WE STOP AND CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF THE CHOICES WE MAKE EVERY DAY. THIS CONSCIOUS APPROACH GOES INTO EVERYTHING WE DO—FROM BUILDING OUR PRODUCTS TO OPENING OUR OWN FACTORY HERE IN THE U.S.—AND WE ARE DETERMINED TO CONTINUE MAKING A DIFFERENCE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

MANUFACTURING INTEGRITY

OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFE, SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

We voluntarily push beyond industry standards to help ensure that the materials we use in our products are safe for you, our employees, and the environment.

CONSCIOUSLY CREATED FOR A BETTER PLANET

CONSCIOUS OF EVERY STEP

We’re committed to taking steps that lead to a better world. Since 2012, we’ve taken action by identifying and removing
harmful chemicals in our supply chain, and replacing them with safe and effective alternatives. Here are a few recent highlights:
PFC-FREE WATER REPELLANCY
PFCs (perfluorinated chemicals) are used everywhere in the outdoor industry to repel water. They create a dense coating on fabrics; water beads up instead of soaking in. They’re durable, and they do a good job. However, they’re also suspected carcinogens and break down very slowly. So we switched to nontoxic, alternative chemistries that are just as effective, yet safe. Today we are over 95% PFC-free.
ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED LEATHER
Tanning leather is a dirty process. Traditional tanneries use a ton of water and leave a lot of chemicals in the water after the fact. So we source our leather from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group. LWG-certified tanneries are the gold-standard in responsible leather. They use a closed-loop system that reduces water use and energy use—and completely eliminates wastewater pollution.
ECO ANTI-ODOR
Foot odor is caused by bacteria. And traditional odor protection means spraying pesticides in shoes. Pesticides use heavy metals and hazardous chemicals that ultimately end up polluting our waterways. We wanted to skip all that. So instead, we use natural probiotics that pass the same sniff test—saving us from using 15,400 lbs. of pesticides every year in the process.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS KEEN DOING TO REDUCE ITS' IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT?

Reducing our impact on the environment must adhere to a basic principle of “Safe, Effective and Affordable.” Everything that KEEN does should be safe for workers and the environment; effective by adhering to our high standards for quality, durability and performance; and affordable for consumers to purchase our products for a fair price. KEEN concentrates its time and resources on improving our chemistry, transparency, detoxification, worker welfare, and communities where we make our shoes.

HOW DOES KEEN ENSURE THAT THE MATERIALS USED IN ITS PRODUCTS ARE SAFE FOR EMPLOYEES, FANS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT?

We’ve taken action by identifying harmful chemicals in our supply chain, and seeking, testing, and deploying safe, effective alternatives. We have a restricted substances policy to ensure that our products meet all required global standards. We also voluntarily push beyond industry standards by using sustainable chemistry in our manufacturing processes and products. Examples include leather from environmentally preferred tanneries, probiotic technology for eco odor control, as well as PFC-free durable water repellency and non-wicking treatments.

WHERE ARE KEEN PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED? WHAT IS WORKPLACE RESPONSIBILITY?

KEEN products are manufactured around the world, including in factories in the United States, Cambodia, China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and Thailand. Regardless of where KEEN manufactures, we are committed to standards that ensure working conditions in our supply chain are safe, that workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible. We expect that our suppliers share these values and standards. We refer to this commitment as workplace responsibility.