KAYA&KATO GmbH
KAYA&KATO from Cologne offers stylish, sustainable workwear for gastronomy, hospitality, and care. Founded by Stefanie and Stefan Rennicke, the company focuses on fair production, high-quality materials, and social responsibility. Quality and environmental awareness are the focus.
KAYA&KATO: Sustainable Workwear with Style and Quality
editKAYA&KATO, founded by Stefanie and Stefan Rennicke, is an innovative textile manufacturing company from Cologne that has specialized in the production of fully sustainable workwear since 2017. The company combines stylish design with high-quality and consistent sustainability.
Key Products and Services
editKAYA&KATO offers a wide range of workwear for various industries, including gastronomy, hospitality, retail, and care. The products include chef jackets, chef shirts, aprons, t-shirts, service clothing, tunics, and complementary textile products. In addition to workwear, the company also offers flat and terry linen for hotels, clinics, and care facilities[2][4].
Main Mission and Values
editThe mission of KAYA&KATO is to fundamentally change the market for workwear by placing sustainability, fair production, and high quality at the forefront. The company advocates for fair pay and safe jobs and collaborates worldwide with partners who share these values. The founders, Stefanie and Stefan Rennicke, bring their extensive experience in international political cooperation and PR to ensure a transparent and sustainable supply chain[2][4].
Sustainability Goals and Initiatives
editKAYA&KATO is particularly known for its sustainable production methods. The products are made from organic cotton grown in Uganda and Kyrgyzstan in partnership with the eco-fair company Cotonea. Additionally, the company uses recycled plastic waste from the sea, collected by fishermen off the coast of Spain, to produce polyester-cotton blends[4][5].
Production takes place exclusively in Europe, mainly in Portugal and Spain, as well as in the Czech Republic and Cologne. This minimizes transport distances and CO² emissions and allows for close collaboration with suppliers to ensure fair working conditions and high product quality. KAYA&KATO is certified according to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the Global Recycle Standard, and the Fairtrade label[4][5].
Another important project is the development of the blockchain-based platform "textile trust" in collaboration with IBM, which enables a transparent and tamper-proof representation of the value chain[4].
Social Responsibility
editIn addition to ecological sustainability, KAYA&KATO also focuses on social responsibility. The company collaborates with the Alexianer workshops in Cologne, which support people who are temporarily on their way to the primary labor market. This partnership promotes inclusion in the workforce and contributes to the social function of the company[5].
With KAYA&KATO, Stefanie and Stefan Rennicke have created a company that not only offers fashionable and functional workwear but also embodies sustainable and responsible corporate governance. Through their innovative approaches and commitment to sustainability and fair working conditions, they are making strong impacts in the textile industry.