Klean Kanteen helped to popularize plastic-free, reusable water bottles, weathering twenty years by specializing in sturdy merchandise reasonably than chasing aggressive development. Beliefs of serving “folks, planet and revenue” have helped the licensed B Company endure current challenges together with tariffs which might be uniquely hurting smaller companies. As well as, the model is adapting from a 2024 buyout and competing in opposition to copycats and the persistence of single-use plastic.
“We keep by staying core to who we’re and why we initially began, and never deviate an excessive amount of from that,” stated World Product Supervisor Hunter Shoop.
Standing in opposition to plastic
Privately held Klean Kanteen, which doesn’t launch gross sales figures, is navigating its share of the rising, $1.45 billion international market for stainless-steel bottles. That can attain $2.08 billion by 2032, based on Information Bridge Market Analysis.
That stated, with two provider crops in China, Klean Kanteen has discovered the erratic tariff insurance policies of the Trump administration a problem. “They’ve jumped from single digits to triple digits, so it’s a pretty big impression on the enterprise,” Shoop stated. Thus far, Klean Kanteen has capped worth will increase to about $2 on sure merchandise. Its 27-ounce bottles now listing for $21.95.
The tariffs haven’t damage Klean Kanteen’s sustainability efforts, although, which embody working with suppliers to watch their renewable power utilization and carbon footprints, based on Shoop.
However, the Chico, California, enterprise continues to swim upstream in its mission to supply alternate options to single-use plastic:
- Disposable plastic water bottle gross sales skyrocketed by almost 3,000 % between 1997 and 2021 in the USA, based on the Container Recycling Institute.
- Individuals toss greater than two-thirds of the 86 billion bottles offered yearly.
- That $4.34 billion worldwide plastic bottle market will hit $6.46 billion in 2032, based on Fortune Enterprise Insights.
Northern California roots
A father, son and daughter took over Klean Kanteen 19 years in the past from Robert Seals, a Northern California sculptor who formed the preliminary metal vessel. He had made Klean Kanteen a fixture at inexperienced festivals, music festivals and grocery co-ops. As a number of the first chrome steel refillable choices in the marketplace, they appealed to shoppers who thought-about single-use plastic water bottles severely uncool. (Shout out to my early-aughts mannequin from Photo voltaic Competition in Hopland, California.)
The corporate had a headstart in opposition to mainstream fears over the well being harms of ingesting out of plastics, resembling most cancers, infertility and poor mind improvement. That gained momentum in 2008, when Walmart yanked plastic bottles containing poisonous bisphenol-A from its cabinets. Klean Kanteen additionally rode the wellness wave as bring-your-own-bottle hydration turned the norm for fitness center rats and elementary schoolers.
In February 2024, the family-owned firm allowed a 3rd social gathering to take over a controlling stake. That English investor, Suppose Higher Group, is a mission-focused brand-holding group for sustainable merchandise. It’s a part of ABN AMRO SIF of Amsterdam, a $571 million institutional impression fund. Its different holdings embody Ecoriginals diapers, Colonna Espresso and Minor Figures drinks.
“They’re bringing in some optimization and issues like that, however for essentially the most half, we nonetheless get to run independently, and it’s enterprise as standard,” Shoop stated.
The employees of roughly 40 folks typically sees the co-owner siblings, Michelle Kalberer and Jeff Cresswell, as the primary within the constructing every day. “Their desks are actually out within the open in the course of our places of work,” Shoop stated.
Pursuing certifications
“Every part that we do is round sustainability, attempting to drive our footprints down, monitoring and measuring with third-party certifications,” Shoop stated.
As an example, Klean Kanteen aligns its local weather emissions reductions with these of the Science-Primarily based Targets initiative, though it’s not formally pursuing validation. The objectives embody a 58.8 % drop in emissions from Scopes 1 and a pair of from a 2016 baseline by 2030, and a 30 % Scope 3 discount in contrast with 2019. The corporate can also be Local weather Label Licensed.
By contributing 1 % of product sales to the 1% for the Planet program, Klean Kanteen has supported 135 nonprofits over 20 years. It’s going to attain $5 million in giving this yr, based on Caroleigh Pierce, who leads the corporate’s partnership and group engagement efforts.
Prizing sturdiness
Making long-lasting, sturdy merchandise that may be repaired and finally recycled underpins Klean Kanteen’s supplies and design decisions.
“When in any respect doable, we try to make our merchandise to allow them to be repaired,” Shoop stated, “or ensuring that they may be disassembled for correct finish of use.”
A single-wall, non-insulated bottle stays Klean Kanteen’s greatest vendor, particularly in Europe. Nevertheless, insulated bottles are more and more common, and an oven- and microwave-safe reusable meals field additionally sells effectively.
The corporate has spruced up bottle designs with colours and patterns, customizing caps for various drinks, however it hasn’t wildly diversified its product lineup.
Sturdy gross sales of substitute kits for lids and their silicone gaskets mirror that clients are shopping for in to Klean Kanteen’s circularity technique. How-to cleansing and upkeep movies encourage lifetime use.
Supplies and security
Along with the circular-economy focus of sturdiness, Klean Kanteen launched 90 % recycled metal in all merchandise a number of years in the past.
“There are different manufacturers which might be beginning to dabble slightly bit right here, slightly bit there, however we made a dedication to leap all in,” Shoop stated. The corporate labored with the uncooked metal producer, not simply the sourcing managers.
That recycled content material, licensed by Intertek, consists of reclaimed metal from sources resembling industrial gear and even used kitchen home equipment and tableware. The metal, a rust-proof alloy of 18 % chromium and eight % nickel, doesn’t leach chemical compounds or taste the water it holds, based on the corporate.
As well as, Klean Kanteen launched a Klean Coat end a number of years in the past to forestall shade chipping and dents. The end is utilized by spraying a powder of electrically charged polyester resins that’s then heat-cured.
The corporate makes use of the GreenScreen for Safer Chemical compounds commonplace to make sure the coating is freed from lead, BPA and phthalate chemical compounds.
In contrast to aluminum bottles, chrome steel bottles don’t have any plastic lining. As an alternative, an electropolish end smoothes out microscopic irregularities inside every bottle.
Klean Kanteen makes use of a chemical hazard evaluation for its bottle elements and packaging as effectively.
Its concentrate on chemical security is mirrored in partnerships with the Environmental Working Group and the Breast Most cancers Fund.
Small hangtags for retail shows comprise a lot of Klean Kanteen’s packaging footprint, though plastic luggage wrap merchandise which might be shipped. The corporate tried biobased plastic packaging however reverted to recycled petroleum plastic, which was extra prone to be recycled.
A lot of gross sales occur on-line, together with from Amazon. That stated, “We’re not shedding sight of our roots and the place we began,” Shoop stated. “So we’re nonetheless in these natural grocery shops and the smaller chains.”
