Sustainable fashion is on the move. This spring, we have seen a rise in number of licences, owned by fashion brands. Kavat, a well-reputed Swedish shoe brand, has worked with sustainability for a long time and a number of their models are EU Ecolabelled. As the only Swedish company, they have now been invited to speak at EU Green Week.
Hi there, Magnus Ericson CEO at Kavat. How come you chose to work with the EU Ecolabel?
“We liked the idea of having an international recognition, on European level, as we promote our shoes in many markets. The EU Ecolabel is for us a third party symbol with integrity and trust.”
You are the only company in Sweden with an EU Ecolabel for shoes. Do you wish you had more competiton?
“Yes, why not. There are many bad shoes and clothes out there, seen from a life cycle perspective. We like quality, and the consumption would improve from environmental point of view if more companies thought the same. We pay a fee for having the ecolabel, why not ask for extra taxes from those who does not work with such criteria, then maybe more brands would follow.“
How would you like to push the market towards a more sustainable direction?
“By making better, more durable, more comfortable and more beautiful shoes. We also want to attend to the whole life cycle of the product, by for example offer repair and re-soling, and other services that prolong the life of the shoe.“
What value has the EU Ecolabel added to your brand?
“Proofing our concept. It is a symbol of what it is, the official European Ecolabel. It goes without saying – it stands out as a green symbol you can trust.”
What is your contribution to the EU Green Week in Brussels?
“We are part of the official program on May 31st giving a presentation on our success story. We have also planned a digital campaign with major retailers in Belgium that week. We will also highlight the event in our own social media channels and website.”
How is it possible to make good business and at the same time engage customers to contribute to a sustainable lifestyle?
“There is a combination of many things behind our success. We work hard. We make good shoes, which are durable and in a timeless style, championed by conscious consumers. We create inner efficiency by having our own factory. We are shoemakers with a quality philosophy, and more and more consumers prefer sustainable consumption patterns, and reject mass-made wear-and-tear.”
The theme of the EU Green Week is “green jobs”. In what way has Kavat contributed to creating more green jobs?
“As we decided to set a policy according to the EU Ecolabel criteria 2008, we had some hard years in the beginning,. But since then, our business has grown significantly. We are creating new jobs both in marketing and in production, due to increased demand for our products. It goes without saying – the EU Ecolabel has been an important key factor to our success."