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People around the world came together on Monday to celebrate Earth Day, a dedicated outpouring of love and call to arms to protect our planet. U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin native, is largely credited for organizing the first Earth Day in spring 1970 when it was still legal for factories to spew noxious fumes...
Positive Luxury is proud to present the shortlisted brands for our very first Positive Luxury Awards ceremony happening on the 25th of February. Our judging panel of thought leaders and sustainability experts looked at a variety of brands, both within and outside of our community, to determine which ones to shortlist throughout our different categories....
KMANA has been awarded the Butterfly Mark for their measurable impact and ACTION to sustainability.
Want to learn more? Click on the interactive Butterfly Mark on your left and scroll through each Positive Action to read a short description of the brands efforts and achievements as verified by Positive Luxury. You will also be able to find the interactive Butterfly Mark online on the brands website, retailer and partner sites.
ENVIRONMENTAL FRAMEWORK – SUSTAINABLE RAW MATERIALS
Kmana uses one piece of full-grain cow leather or sheep leather for each bag, ensuring fewer seams and improved durability. The leather used is a by-product of the food industry. It is locally sourced and comes from the finest family-run tanneries in East Java, Indonesia.
The brand mostly uses vegetable tanned leather and has recently incorporated minimally processed chrome-tanned leather for the lightweight bags which also retains the natural characteristics of the original hide. The brand is also committed to developing a vegan line, free from materials like PVC or polyurethane. Tannins used to tan the vegetable-tanned bags are found in the local tree, barks, roots and leaves.
Besides the leather, all the other elements of the Kmana bags are hand-made, traceable and, to the maximum extent possible, ethically sourced. The lining is created from traditional weaves made of organic cotton. The brand uses recycled cardboard boxes and other packaging materials. Dust bags to protect the leather bags and accessories are made of bamboo.
ENVIRONMENTAL FRAMEWORK – ZERO WASTE TARGET
Kmana aims to be zero waste by the end of 2019. The brand keeps its stock to a minimum, prioritising small batch production to ensure the lifespan and quality of each bag and minimize its impact on the environment. Kmana is also making small accessories with the remaining leather to ensure all the cow-hide is used. The water used in the tanning process is reused, for instance for watering, as it only contains vegetable tannins.
SOCIAL FRAMEWORK – TRANSPARENT SUPPLY CHAIN
From cutting to sewing and hammering rivets, the bags are entirely made in Indonesia. Kmana partners with network of small workshops and cooperatives are assessed by a third party – the Bali Curator – to verify working conditions, the origin of the leather and the environmental and societal impact of the tanning process. The brand has also developed a Memorandum of Understanding so its partners can formally adhere to a set of ethical standards. Kmana has thereby encouraged its partners to introduce more sustainable practices such as the use of 100% vegetable-origin tannins and organic cotton yarns.
SOCIAL FRAMEWORK – EMPLOYEES PROTECTION
Artisans receive recognition for their skills, are paid fairly, and are treated with honesty and respect. The salaries are 50% higher than standard salaries and Kmana has introduced bonus schemes to involve the employees in the company benefits. The artisans also receive due visibility, so that they do not remain faceless.
SOCIAL FRAMEWORK – CULTURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION
Strongly committed to the presentation of culture and identity, Kmana incorporates traditional textiles and fabrics into every design (e.g. Rang Rang from Nusa Penida, Ikat from Cambodia, wax, etc.) in an effort to help its partners preserve ancient weaving and natural dyeing techniques as well as skills passing down from generation to generation.
SOCIAL FRAMEWORK – COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
5% of all profit is invested in a number of social projects aimed at empowering communities and counterbalancing the brand’s carbon footprint. To date and since its inception in early 2018 Kmana supported supported the victims of the series of earthquakes in 2018 in Lombok, the work of the Bali Foundation to provide training and work opportunities for women living in the streets, the efforts of the Role Foundation in Bali to promote women empowerment and occupation – particularly of middle-aged women who lost their job as seaweed collectors and are now learning weaving skills – and the work of the White Helmets volunteers in Syria.
You are just one step away from beginning your journey to earn the Butterfly Mark. Start the process today or contact us for a preliminary chat. We would love to hear from you.
