Responsibly Made
We go to great lengths to make our bottles safe and affordable
Responsibly made in China.
When we created the very first Klean Kanteen, our goal was to promote healthy living and respect for the environment by giving people an affordable alternative to plastic bottles. From the get go, we shared some of the concerns our customers have expressed about manufacturing in China. However, after much time and research into manufacturing options, manufacture of Klean Kanteens in China would allow us to provide a handcrafted product of exceptional quality at a price point that would support broad accessibility and cultivation of mindful, reusable habits.
At Klean Kanteen, we are driven to ensure the materials and operations involved with the manufacture of our products meet acceptable standards for quality and safety, fair labor, ethical business practices, and environmental responsibility.
We work to achieve these standards through the following endeavors:
- Establishment of supplier relations and production management in accordance with a thorough, custom design, Supplier Code of Conduct.
- Third-party social audits.
- Regular facility visits by Klean Kanteen and its representatives.
- Klean Kanteen representative on-site for observation during production.
- Materials and product safety testing.
- Quality assurance inspections.
The manufacturers who produce Klean Kanteen bottles and caps maintain certifications for Quality Management System (ISO 9001) and Environmental Management System (ISO 14001) standards established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The stainless steel supplier for Klean Kanteen production also maintains the ISO 9001 certification, as well as the more intensive ISO/TS 16949 quality management certification required for stainless steel suppliers of auto manufacturers.
Meet Yao Shen Fu
—one of the workers at our manufacturing site in China. During one of our regular visits, he sat down with Klean Kanteen and shared a little about his life and what it's like to work at the factory.
Yao wears many hats. He works on the production line forming the main body of the bottle, and also performs quality control during the transfer of bottles from the main production line to the finishing department.
Yao had just finished his shift and was happy to join Klean Kanteen co-owner Jeff Cresswell on the patio that overlooks the open quad at the factory grounds. Over tea and some tasty Chinese pastries, he told us he moved from the province of Gui Zhon, known for steel production, to work at the Klean Kanteen factory four years ago. He pointed out that he's been with the company since the very beginning, working on the manufacturing side.
"Many people want to work at this factory because it has a reputation for being a good place," he said, explaining that the factory's reputation is part of the reason he moved here. He hopes it will continue to grow.
He travels home to see his family about twice a year and always goes during Chinese New Year.
When Jeff asked him where he'd go if he could travel anywhere in the world, Yao said he'd love to visit New York City.
Public dances are a popular social activity in China, and Yao said he loves to go to the dances in the local town square on weekends. He also admitted that he usually just watches because he's kind of shy.
