Keen Footwear awarded sustainability award

Keen Footwear has been awarded the Good Housekeeping 2021 Sustainability Innovation Award.

The award, granted by the Good Housekeeping magazine, recognised the brand due to its Detox the Planet initiative that keeps perfluorochemicals (PFCs) and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) out of its products.

Known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they never break down, PFCs are made up of a class of over 5,000 different chemicals. The toxic chemicals, which are often used in water repellent finishes for products, can easily infiltrate areas where finished products are manufactured through contaminated water or waste. PFCs have even been known to turn up in food packaging and living organisms. Studies have shown that PFCs can cause adverse effects on both humans and animals with human epidemiology studies pointing to cancer, reduced infant birth weights and reduced kidney function as possible consequences. Keen has been committed to eliminating PFCs from its supply chain since 2014.

Keens’ Detox The Planet Initiative imposed a system of identification, removal and replacement on its supply chain, allowing for the presence of such harmful chemicals to be eradicated and replaced with safer alternatives.

The brand also opened its initiative up to other companies, releasing Green Paper: The Road To PFC Footwear, with all the information needed on how to end PFC usage in products. After having successfully gone PFC free across all of its footwear by 2018, Keen released the document to help other brands in eliminating PFCs.

“To be recognised for these efforts by Good Housekeeping underscores the importance of this issue,” said vice president of Keen Effect, Erik Burbank. “PFCs/PFAS are so pervasive, they bioaccumulate and don’t break down, which is why they’re called forever chemicals. Keen’s goal is to not only remove these toxins from our line, but also, to help other brands do the same. We have a proven method to replace these chemicals with safe, affordable, effective alternatives, and we want to share these learnings to protect people and the planet.”