Responsibility
KINDNESS TO EARTH, KINDNESS TO PEOPLE
We believe that sustainability is a 360 degree effort including both our environment and the way we exist with each other. Because if we canât co-exist among ourselves, what hope is there for our Earth?
We want a kinder and more accepting world - a world with less fear and hate and with more openness and human connection, so we can collaborate on solving our shared challenges and thrive.
TRANSPARENCY
It is important for us that you are able to make an informed decision about our products. That means giving you access to all information about how our products are mad.
TRANSPARENCY, FROM START TO FINISH
Every Kintobe bag and apparel piece comes with a digital product passport.
*The QR code is located on the care label of styles released after November 2022.
What Youâll Learn
What Youâll Learn
- What your product is made of
- Where and who produced your product
- The environmental impact of your product (available for selected styles) Â
- How to care for your product to extend its lifespan
- How to resell or return your product through our Pre-loved program
- How we build community through our Kindness Club and inspire everyday acts of kindness
- Direct access to our current Responsibility Report
- About our Kindness Club and how to join
OUR MATERIALS
We are constantly exploring new materials and treatments that are both durable and responsible. In the design process, we are trying to weigh both our wishes for giving you functional and fashionable bags while being as kind to the Earth as possible.Â
Our recycled materials are GRS certifiedÂ
The production of our recycled materials is carried out by suppliers who are GRS certified.
To find out more details about our materials, please read our responsibility report
Body fabric
MIPANŽ Regen ⢠is a reclaimed nylon yarn with excellent dyeing uniformity made by recycling pre-consumer waste.
Lining, non-woven reinforcement, thread, inner label, logo label, care label, drawstring, mesh, airmesh
Most of our recycled polyester items are made from post-consumer plastic waste. Recycled polyester items are as durable as their virgin version.
Zipper tapes
The yarn used in the tape of our coil zipper and water-repellent zipper is made from more than 99% post-consumer plastic waste.
Plastic Hardware
Our recycled plastic hardware is made from
pre-consumer plastic waste. Recycled plastic hardware is approximately 15% weaker than conventional items. Knowing this, we are working with the leading hardware companies in the industry who are skilled to engineer long lasting and durable products.
Zipper puller tape, webbing, inside edge band
Polypropylene is a type of plastic commonly used in household items.
The PP recycled fibres are made from post-consumer waste.
The recycled PP material is strong, fade- and stain-resistant.
Logo Label
Leather will never be in our DNA. In 2022, we finally managed to find the right collaboration partner to launch our first trims in a mushroom-based leather alternative. The material is made from natural rubber, Lyocell (textile made from wood pulp) and King Oyster mushrooms that are not suitable for human consumption due to misshape and size. It is 100% bio-based, fully biodegradable and compostable.
So far, we are using the leather for our logo label on new styles, but we will keep experimenting with other use cases whilst ensuring durability.
Our vegan bio-based mushroom leather alternative complies with ISO 14001:2015, 9001:2015, and OEKO-Tex Standard. Itâs FSC compliant, 100% bio-based with USDA, and biodegradable with TUV certification.
Padding
Our Bloom⢠algae-blended foam padding is made with excess algae harvested from freshwater where the ecosystem is out of balance.
The algae raw material is combined with conventional materials to create a more responsible EVA foam.
Water repellent coating (outer side of the body material)
The water-repellent coating on our twill and ripstop nylon body fabric is an innovative, non-PFAS-based repellent called HeiQ Eco Dry developed by the Swiss company HEIQ.
- Fluorocarbon-free (PFAS)
- Exceptional efficiency and durability
- High abrasion resistance
- Complies with EU REACH & ZDHC
- BlueSign system partner
- OEKO-Tex suited
The water-repellent coating on our twill polyester body fabric is a non-PFAS-based repellent called UNIDYNE XF-5003, developed by the Japanese company DAIKIN.
- Fluorocarbon-free (PFAS)
- High-performance technology
- Made from more than 50% bio-based materials
- Complies with EU REACH & ZDHC
- BlueSign system partner
- OEKO-Tex suited
PU coating on water resistant zipper, elastics, PE piping, velcro
At the moment, few trims are made from conventional materials. We have promised ourselves to never stand still and keep searching for durable and more responsible solutions.
DESIGN PROCESS
When developing new products, we keep our compass of circularity in mind which urges us to consider features and ideas that support longevity, durability, and responsible material sourcing. We have a list of criteria when developing a new bag concept that helps us steer in the right direction.
Can the bag be worn anywhere where your daily routine leads you; office, school, gym, date, cafe visit etc.?Â
Can the final product be styled nicely with a pair of boots, sneakers and high heels to ensure a bag that is inclusive and fits many occasions?
Is the bag highly functional in an urban setting? Are the sizing, separate compartments, pockets, and other practical details attuned to urban life?
Is the choice of colour fairly season-less, ensuring that the bag can be worn by anybody, all year round, for many years?
Does the bill of materials consist of recycled or natural alternatives, and if we are making small compromises, can we defend why we are doing so? Are the materials made from mono-materials and not mixed fibers?
PRODUCTION PARTNERS
To increase our level of transparency we have mapped our production partners and collected all of their audit and certification documents. This helps us be more transparent towards our customers and collaboration partners, as well as optimize our sourcing strategy understanding where there is space for improvement.
Code of Conduct
This Code of Conduct describes the ethics that Kintobe wishes to promote. We wish to ensure that our products are produced under legal, safe, and responsible conditions for all employees in our supply chain.
Hence, the Code of Conduct applies to every level of our supply chain from extraction to factory, including all subcontractors and sub-suppliers. We expect that our suppliers will request their supply chain to comply with these requirements and transparency.
Assembly Factories
Responsibility and quality are our top priority when selecting manufacturing partners. Through thorough research we have identified partners that ensure our products meet the highest standards. Our selection process emphasizes the potential for long-lasting relationships, transparent communication, and flexible minimum order quantities (MOQ) to align with customer demands.
We are proud to collaborate with leading factories in the bag industry: ASG and SHILLA. ASG joined us in 2020, and the first bags manufactured by SHILLA became available in September 2024. For our T-shirts, at the end of 2025 we started our partnership with Orimpex, our trusted factory in Turkey, bringing the same level of care, quality, and responsibility into our apparel category.
ASG
Long An province, near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
ASG is regularly audited by the Fair Wear Foundation and adhere to multiple industry standards. Please see list below.
* ISO 9001:2015
* Better Work
* SLCP
* SMETA
SHILLA
Long An province, near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Shilla is regularly audited by the Fair Wear Foundation and adhere to multiple industry standards. Please see list below.
* ISO 45001:2018
* ISO 14001:2015
* ISO 9001:2015
* Better Work
* WRAP
* BSCI
