The Importance of Sustainability
The Importance of Sustainability at KIN+ILK. Part 1.
At KIN+ILK we operate in a way that reduces our impact on the planet to be as minimal as practically possible. This is through both reducing our footprint and offsetting unavoidable costs such as shipping Corozo from El Salvador. Grab a cup of Corozo and enjoy!
The colossal size of the problem that is climate change can sometimes be daunting, “realistically what can I do?” people often ask. We go for the small wins knowing in the back of our mind they’re all adding up - one easy win is using local suppliers. Goodwash (from Barry) make our beautiful smelling hand soap, they’re a prime example of an amazing company really making a difference. They create luxury soap and handwash made from organic essential oils and natural ingredients. Their cruelty free products boast natural health benefits and leaves your skin feeling amazing. Goodwash also holds social change at the heart of its ethos - they used upcycled packaging, won awards of Social Enterprise concept and Ethical Purchasing as well as making a whopping £4,600 made in direct donations to various charities. God you’re good.
All single use packaging used in KIN+ILK is 100% compostable and most of it is produced by Vegware who have been named the best eco packaging brand since 2006. They are constantly looking for innovative ways to help reduce the waste sector as well as identifying new routes to commercially compost. Their packaging is made from plants, yes plants. So remember if you are walking home with your fresh Chai Latte from KIN+ILK you need to compost it, NOT RECYCLE.
Now let’s talk Direct Trade…What does it really mean? There is a lot of performative jargon found online about direct trade but in simple terms it means we buy our delicious coffee straight from the farmer, Fernando ‘The Don’ Lima. There are many positives that come from direct trade such as a stronger relationship with the producer, transparency and traceability. We’ve had the amazing opportunity to visit El Salvador and the farm where our coffee is produced, Finca El Corozo. We were able to see first-hand how trade positively impacts the local community through Fernando’s fantastic projects. The aim is to create a sustainable partnership where the producer can give back to their local community whilst we can offer the best quality coffee.
Not only have we got amazing suppliers who are always looking for new ways in which to be sustainable but we also have an incredible team who share our sustainability focused values. There is an active effort to minimise food waste, cycle to work and do our bit for the planet.
Where you can’t reduce your impact, it’s important to offset. We have worked with Climate Partner to find regulated and transparent projects to fund and we are super excited to tell you more about these in part 2!