Knowledge Cotton Apparel

KCA does not (yet) operate its own factories, so some of its production happens abroad. But the brand is very aware of the responsibility it has towards the factory workers and other workers in their production chain. Some of their focus points: safe working conditions, equal pay for women and men and they also support organizations that improve the lives of textile workers.

KCA supposedly works with suppliers who are SA8000 (Social accountability certification), BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) and Fairtrade certified. The brand also has its own code of conduct in accordance with ILO ( International Labour Organization) standards, the Global Compact, the Declaration of Human Rights, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

In 2017, Knowledge Cotton Apparel became committed to making the brand carbon neutral by 2019. And it succeeded … more or less! By opting for renewable energy, saving on water and recovering heat, the brand was already emitting much less CO2. The brand also reduced employees’ trips and paid attention to the way they packaged and delivered their products.

KCA is now carbon neutral in three areas: its HQ and the deliveries and the packaging. By 2025, it wants to get its entire production chain carbon neutral. Ambitious – but fantastic if it succeeds!

In 2020, Knowledge Cotton Apparel has set itself two other goals: recycle 4.5 million PET bottles and save 800,000 liters of chemicals and pesticides.

PET bottles were fished from the ocean for the brand and spun into polyester yarn. Then, KCA used those PET bottles to make new garments. A jacket from Knowledge Cotton Apparel can contain up to 25 PET bottles. How cool is that!

By choosing organic GOTS-certified as well as OCS (Organic Cotton Standard) cotton, no pesticides or other chemicals are used in cotton growing, and the cotton is grown ethically and sustainably with the environment in mind. So you won’t find any harmful substances in KCA’s clothes! 

Oh, and the brand has planted its own forest in India: The Knowledge Forest.

See, sustainability is at the core of KCA!

Knowledge Cotton Apparel received the Global Recycled Standard certificate (GRS). This means that the brand uses a lot of recycled materials: polyester from PET bottles and, for example, cut-offs from other fabrics. So part of the collection carries the GRS certificate (and another part gets the GOTS certificate).

The brand is unfortunately not truly circular. The cycle is not yet full and KCA does not (yet) recycle itself. But Knowledge Cotton Apparel does give consumers tips on how to take care of their clothes in order to make them last longer. They also encourage everyone to take responsibility. Earth belongs to everyone!

The website shows this brand to source it’s organic cotton from India. However, as we do not know most the locations of the production facilities or suppliers, the true length of the chain cannot be determined. We are also not told any information regarding transportation methods, which makes a huge difference in CO2 emissions regardless of the length of the chain. 

The brand uses some animal materials such as wool, and has a certification by RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) which assures us ethical sourcing of this material without animal cruelty.

Fifty years ago, the father of the current CEO and founder, Mads Mørup laid the foundation of Knowledge Cotton Apparel. He had a progressive vision and wanted to make people and the environment better with his textile factory. That vision became the essence of Knowledge Cotton Apparel: sustainability in everything and for everything. 

Knowledge Cotton Apparel’s logo is an owl, the symbol of spiritual and intellectual wisdom. The owl also stands for honesty, curiosity and integrity – the three core values of Knowledge Cotton Apparel. 

Their motto: Gain Knowledge. Take Action. Earn Respect. KCA calls on everyone to become aware of the (ecological) challenges we face and hopes that people will take action (we are all part of the solution!). 

On the website of Knowledge Cotton Apparel you can find all the raw materials. The brand explains in detail why it chooses organic cotton, recycled polyester, linen, Tencel and non-mulesing Merino wool. An overview of all the certifications can also be found on their web page.

On the website of Knowledge Cotton Apparel you will find an overview of all the sustainability efforts the brand is making. How about the names of the manufacturers? They are not listed. Come on, Knowledge Cotton Apparel… We want information. After all, transparency is key!