Kitsbow Cycling Apparel was recognized for Visionary Leadership in Sustainability by the North Carolina Business Council as part of their Sixth Annual awards ceremony in Raleigh, N.C. on January 26, 2023. Numerous businesses leading the way in sustainable practices, technologies, and methods are nominated, and the Council selects winners from the field of nominees.
“The team at Kitsbow has been intentional on multiple dimensions of sustainability,” explained David Billstrom, one of the leaders at employee-owned Kitsbow. “Based on the foundation of making products after they are ordered to avoid unsold inventory landing in landfills, the team is also subsidizing a resale store just for used apparel, introduced all-compostable packaging and shipping materials two years ago, and for the last four years has outright avoided ocean transport of clothes made overseas – in opposition to 98% of the clothes currently sold in the U.S. by other brands.”
“We are truly humbled and honored that the leaders at the North Carolina Business Council noticed our work and chose to recognize our leadership despite the many worthy businesses demonstrating sustainable practices,” noted Jessie Inglis, Director of Production for Kitsbow.
The Kitsbow Experienced Apparel store is simple to use for both buyers and sellers, with sellers paying a 10% fee of the sales price for use of the service. Kitsbow is also providing sellers with an option to receive 110% of their sales price as store credit to use in the regular Kitsbow.com store.
Dimensions of Kitsbow’s Sustainability
Kitsbow.com offers 5,000+ different sizes, fits, and colors of a collection of men and women’s apparel, but usually only makes the garment after the customer places the order. Shipping is always free, direct to the customer’s home, and gives unprecedented choice to the user – they get the exact size, fit and color they want, not what happens to be on the shelf. This also prevents the massive waste and harm of unsold apparel in landfills, which experts have calculated could be as much as 20% of all the finished goods made worldwide every year.
Kitsbow Experienced Apparel enables Kitsbow customers to list and sell their Kitsbow gear, and thus provides the public a way to buy used Kitsbow gear at a more affordable price point. Anyone can buy or sell our durable apparel to each other, which keeps the gear in service of adventure and enjoying the outdoors – and keeps it out of the landfill.
All packaging used in shipping Kitsbow apparel is compostable by the consumer in their own garden, from the shipping box or bag to the retail bag, and everything else used in shipping: tape, shipping labels, even barcode labels. Kitsbow makes its sources for its packaging available to any brand considering using these compostable options.
About Kitsbow
Kitsbow was established in California over 10 years ago, with each detail of our apparel vetted for quality and style. The clothes are also exceedingly durable, which means they last longer, and that the negative impact of production is minimized. Relocating to Old Fort, North Carolina in 2019, Kitsbow committed to a Just in Time manufacturing model, minimizing waste and maximizing flexibility to serve the customer and halting imports from overseas. Kitsbow clothing (except for gloves and socks) is sewn in the USA from both domestic and imported material, and all Kitsbow products are packaged and shipped using compostable packaging that’s ready to return to the Earth in your own garden.
In January 2022, Kitsbow employees purchased the company from the original investors and rebooted as an employee-owned public benefit corporation, and has started the process to become a certified B Corp. Kitsbow also is a Bicycle Friendly Business, designated at the highest level (Platinum) by The League of American Bicyclists.
Individuals now are able to become a stakeholder in Kitsbow by making an investment; the Kitsbow team invites you to learn more at https://Wefunder.com/Kitsbow.
