Brand: KOW Lifestyle

KOW Lifestyle was founded in 2015 by Godie van de Paal in Siem Reap, Combodja with the idea that corporate social responsibility is not only possible, but also feasible. KOW has a collection of comfortable slippers and espadrilles for men, women and children, as well as a number of products for home decoration.

The espadrilles are made of cotton and the soles of hemp and natural rubber. The slippers are made of wool and acrylic, whereby acrylic will soon be replaced by bamboo viscose. Many of the materials come from Europe, to ensure that it is of good quality, which is an important part of KOW's sustainability objectives. The espradrilles are made with cut-offs from the local textile industry in Cambodia. To compensate for the CO2 footprint of importing the materials from Europe, KOW tries to collaborate with a local NGO that can plant trees as compensation.

KOW was set up with the idea that products that cannot be produced sustainably and responsibly have no right to exist. This philosophy means that KOW only makes high-quality products that last a long time, and with that they contribute to the slow fashion movement. KOW products are made exclusively under humane and responsible conditions. That means good working conditions, but it also means looking at what the employees need: these needs are met. For example, KOW regularly cooperates with local NGOs and employees are (financially) encouraged to follow a training course in addition to their work. The packaging material that KOW uses for the products is 100% biodegradable: cardboard shoe boxes and where plastic is needed, they use "cassava plastic" from the NGO Cleanbodia.