these are the hair accessories our world needs right now
The days of disposable hair accessories are over, KOOSHOO products have changed the game and the trajectory of the future.
Every shift, however small, makes an impact - and sometimes the smallest shifts are the easiest. At KOOSHOO, we are committed to doing business the right way, while inspiring our customers to participate in this change. We are working toward making a meaningful difference for our planet and its people - and this starts with a transparent, environmentally mindful supply chain.
We believe in high function, low impact, long lasting and thoughtfully sourced products - designed to last, just not in a landfill. We are committed to reducing waste, chemicals and other materials that endanger our waterways, poison our soil and cause harm to those who come in contact with them. We believe that our customers and our planet deserve better, and that’s why we created KOOSHOO.
Plastic-free & biodegradable
GOTS certified organic cotton
GOTS certified non-toxic dyes
Ethical & fair pay manufacturing
Social good enterprise
Feeling good
so what makes our materials different?
Natural Tree Rubber
We proudly purchase our natural tree rubber from a fair trade rubber plantation at the southern tip of India. Whereas conventional hair elastics are made from 'synthetic rubber,' a petrochemically- derived (plastic) version of rubber, the natural rubber we use comes from trees that are Forest Stewardship Council certified. With our products, you get a high quality good that creates less waste while supporting sustainable forest practices and fair trade labour.
Organic Cotton
Not only is our cotton organic, it's also fair trade harvested, meaning workers are paid living wages and work in safe working conditions. Conventional cotton farming uses more toxic pesticides per acre than any other crop, and synthetic materials are made from petrochemicals and will never disappear. Organic is better for people and planet - and it’s softer too, providing a vegan, silk-like gentleness in our hair accessories that allows for them to be worn all day without causing headaches.
Non-Toxic Dyes
We are committed to the use of low impact, OEKO-TEX certified dyes because they’re the most eco-friendly dyeing method both for sustainability and practicality reasons. Conventional dyes contain toxic chemicals that end up poisoning soil and waterways. In the textile industry alone, up to 200,000 tons of dye find their way into the environment every year. We’ve done a deep dive on dyes and ours are literally the best and the brightest.
social good suppliers
We believe you should know the origin of the products you buy, as well as the communities and individuals benefiting from your informed buying decisions. Our ethical, transparent supply chain values the working conditions of our artisans as they create our collections. This means sourcing organic, plant-based and plastic-free materials, and then following their journey, from harvesting to manufacturing, shipping and natural disposal. We focus on ethical treatment, fair wages and sustainable practices that empower both the creator and the consumer.
“making products that are kind to the earth and leave farmers, sewers and customers feeling kooshoo is the heart of what we do.”
Product Life Cycle
Our products are designed to be versatile, to be used and worn in many different ways. It’s simple: if one product can perform multiple tasks, fewer products need to be made. Each KOOSHOO piece is made to last and, with proper care, will stand the test of time. Once they’ve run their course as hair accessories, your KOOSHOO pieces can be repurposed (see BLOG post for ways to reuse them). While full compostability is our goal, the technology hasn’t quite caught up with nature (yet). For tips on how to best break down your accessories and our biodegradable packaging...
plastic-free packaging & shipping
KOOSHOO packaging for all products is 100% recycled-content FSC certified paper. This applies to both the product packaging and the shipping envelopes we use. We ship every order 100% plastic-free using recycled FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper shipping materials and paper tape. All orders are shipped to you from sustainably-minded warehouse partners around the world. This results in smaller shipping footprints and faster ship times.
certifications
We have two types of certifications - those that are attributed to us directly and those that are attributed to our suppliers. In order for a certification to be attributed to our brand, KOOSHOO, we need to pay a licensing fee. The certification fees are high (up to $10,000 a year) - so as a small business, we have decided in some cases to use suppliers who already hold these important certifications. So despite not all our certifications being listed under KOOSHOO, our products are made from ingredients that do in fact hold the following certifications:
Fairtrade Certified Organic Cotton*
Fair Rubber Association certified Fair Rubber*
SEDEX member
Fairtrade production facility**
GOTS certified organic cotton & certified dyes**
OEKO-TEX certified dyes**
FSC certified natural rubber**
FSC certified recycled paper packaging**
*We are a licensee
**Our supplier holds this certificate - copies can be provided