Sustainability

Why being sustainable matters to us?

As designers, both founders always had an interest in sustainability, to the point of gaining and looking for specific trainings from sustainable design to Cradle2Cradle. We see it not as an option but a a must in how to make products. For us sustainability doesn't stop at the material aspects, but touches as well social aspects as well as how we operate ourselves. 

 

Material sustainability

We are careful in how our products are produced. Here are rules we have set in place in regard of materials. 

Inks

We use vegetable based inks which are food safe. This applies to all prints whenever this is a possibility.

Paper & cardboard

We use sustainably sourced paper and cardboard, from sustainably managed forests

Glues

We are careful to use product that are not harmful for the environment and sustainable.

Stickers

The stickers we use are biodegradable, this being so important for us and having had issues finding a place where to manufacture it in flexible quantities, we decided to share our manufacturer with you so you can also phase out plastics with sticker it.

Wood 

We only use wood from sustainably sourced forests and treated with natural wax and tints which are safe for kids as well as food safe.

Plastics

We have plastic items we made for our business activities, from small tools for our packers to poster stands or lamps in our office. We are using PLA plastic which can be composted. You can find these models on Printables.

Shipping

We use recycled cardboard boxes with paper tape and do compensate the emissions. 

 

Socially responsible

The way products are made can inspire others and also have a positive impact on the world around us. These are some of the things we do to include others around us in benefiting from the project.

Working with disable persons
The posters packing and quality control is made by disabled persons in a daycare center. We are paying above market rate for the work conducted as to also support further the institution taking care of them.
Giving to charity
10% of what we do earn on the posters is given to charities chosen by the illustrators. They are the one close to the action and thus know and see the need best around them. It is also a way to bring extra value to their work.
Giving to the community
While we will rarely speak about it, we are also giving to the communities around us, from giving products for their fundraising or awards for competition to simply adding funds on top of collected money to the organisations chosen by the illustrators. It is the way we are and not something we do for visibility. 

Operationally responsible

As a company, being equal and accountable with our employees is critical to our success. Therefore the following aspects are embedded within our operation model.

Transparency
Every employee knows everyone else's salary, this provides accountability and avoids that everyone is paid according to their skills. Thus avoiding any possibility to salary discrimination on the basis of gender or identity.
Inclusive
KANO editions has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to discrimination of any group in the society would it be in the basis of gender, age, sexuality, religion, ... . This extends to the illustrators we work with and the charities they have chosen. 
Family friendly
Too often we have seen women being demoted or fired shortly after coming back from maternity leave. Thus we are accommodating and offering flexible working conditions to new parents. This also includes having a play corner in our office with toys for different age groups, from a Duplo® train to a Nintendo® Switch. 
 

Who we are does profoundly impact how we do things, our main motivation is to have a positive impact on people around us, either a parent receiving a high quality product made responsibly, a social center who is able to provide opportunities to its residents or an association in Ukraine. Let's leave this place in a better state than it was when we arrived.