Doing things better...

At Kathryn Wilson, our KIND journey takes into account our company standards and values, and outlines our goals and achievements for a sustainable business. These will be at the heart of every decision we make, and we will strive to educate and change in order to create a kinder world.

Designing beautiful and timeless shoes is at the heart of our business. We recognise that our actions have an impact on the planet and the people in our supply chain. We are committed to ‘doing things better’, and constantly educating ourselves, and evolving our products and processes, to reduce our impact on the planet.

 

Our Designs...

Our designs are considered and consciously crafted with love and care using timeless silhouettes, and high quality components that will last and remain favourite classics in your wardrobe. Quality, comfort and durability are important pillars in the design of our products, as we want to make sure you can enjoy your beautiful shoes for as long as possible .

 

Materials used…

We have spent the last 12 months reviewing the supply chain we purchase materials from, selecting options that have minimal impact on our planet. Footwear is one of the most complex products to make, with some styles containing over 75 different components including upper materials, linings, buckles, laces, insoles etc.

We are constantly innovating and researching new materials that meet our strict quality requirements that are also made with new technologies, that help to reduce emissions throughout the supply chain. Kathryn and Julia have introduced Chrome-free leather, and GRS certified recycled leather to all future collections where possible and are in the process of researching and securing a traceable leather supply chain for our manufacturers to purchase from.

 

What is chrome-free leather?

Chrome free leather is leather that has been manufactured without using chromium in the tanning process. The process of chrome tanning creates toxic waste that has a negative impact on our environment and the people handling the leather.

 

What is GRS?

GRS stands for Global Recycling Standard, a process to track and verify the content of recycled materials right up to the final certified product.

 

Our people…

Our Kathryn Wilson family includes not only our fantastic staff in our Auckland Head Office and NZ boutiques, but also our talented crafts men and women in our supply chain. We have spent many years building strong and meaningful relationships with our workers in our supply chain, and some have been with us since the very beginning in 2003. All manufacturing partners must comply with our internal code of conduct that ensures all staff and providers are treated fairly and with respect.

 

Our Progress...

We are excited to announce that our future collections have all of our handbags and travel bags made from GRS certified recycled leather and we have used traceable chrome-free leather on all footwear production where possible. All packaging used across the business is recyclable or made from recycled components  and all Kathryn Wilson employees are paid the NZ living wage or above.

 

We welcome you to join our sustainability journey 

 

We realise that we are not perfect but believe small steps made frequently can have a great impact over time. It’s about doing things better and constantly improving our product range to have a lower impact on our people and our planet. Read our sustainability pillars here

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