"Summer 2016: "- It's the hottest summer! How about going at the beach? - Yes, but with the little kids, we need a sun umbrella!". It's as simple as it all began... for me, Claudia Calcina, the brand's creator. In this photo, by the way, it's me and my daughter Jasmine, who were going at the beach with my very first creation!

I have learned so much from this experience and today I am proud to offer my creations to a public sensitive to the causes that I care so much."

STARTING POINT
An umbrella European industry in a very bad shape

The umbrella and parasol industry is complex: many players and competitors in the rain umbrella market, and a small number of parasol industries, fighting in a market that is flooded with low-end, unattractive and poorly made products.

An example is the rain umbrella: it is estimated that an umbrella is thrown out every two seconds in the world! An example with the rain umbrella:

STRONG VALUES AT THE HEART OF OUR PRODUCTS

Taking into consideration the state of our planet is essential if we want to change our production and consumption habits and move towards a better world.

 

Global warming, loss of biodiversity, widespread pollution by plastics and synthetic substances, invasion of waste into all natural ecosystems, over-consumption of products and energy... This too long list reflects the urgency of changing the paradigm!

 

At Klaoos, action focuses on the necessary transformation of our consumption and production habits. For example:

• Buying a good quality product reduces our repeated purchases, limiting overconsumption.
• The use of recycled materials from plastic waste contributes both to the massive reduction in oil extraction and to the increase of recycling.

 

Only 9% of the world's plastic waste is recycled. There's a lot of work out there to be done!

 

RESPONSIBLE MANUFACTURING

Today this concept has become a catch-all where more or less ethical brands are rushing in... at the risk of trivializing a crucial subject for our planet and the people who live on it.

At Klaoos, when it comes to responsible manufacturing, our commitments take concrete form.

 

RECYCLED OR ETHICAL MATERIALS

We give priority to using recycled materials rather than virgin materials.

The fabric of our umbrellas and beach umbrellas are now 100% recycled from plastic or textile waste. According to estimates, this contributes to saving 2/3 of the CO2 emissions on this production item.

The handles of our umbrellas are mostly made from industrial plastic waste.

The wooden handles of our umbrellas are made exclusively from European FSC-certified wood.

All the raw textiles that we buy are labelled OEKOTEX, a European certification that excludes the use of many chemical substances in the elaboration of fabrics.

 

 

 

 

TISSUE DYEING

 

Did you know that textile dyeing and printing are among the most polluting processes in the global industry?

 

Rivers, fertile land and water tables are affected by this pollution with solvents, heavy metals and other harmful substances. These processes are all the more difficult to control when they are carried out in faraway countries with almost non-existent environmental standards.

At Klaoos, three quarters of our products are now printed using textile printing processes with the french Imprim'vert® label, which excludes many toxic substances at this stage of production.

 PREMIUM QUALITY

In choosing our manufacturing facilities, we have made a point of honour of the premium quality of our products. This is reflected in the choice of our materials, our structures, but also the care taken in the seams and finishes of our parasols and umbrellas. The thickness of the metal sheets used in our structures, the choice of solid ribs, the rigorous selection of textiles resistant to all weather conditions, make our products strong and resistant to all situations.

Premium quality means durability over time. Our products are designed to accompany you as long as possible, it is our wish, for you and for our planet.

 

100% MADE IN EUROPE AND LOCAL SUPPLY CHAIN

Social commitment often goes hand in hand with environmental commitment.

 

This is why Klaoos manufactures its products within a radius of 1000 km around its headquarters in Bordeaux, which allows us to limit CO2 emissions due to the transport and routing of materials within the industry.

 

Secondly, producing in France and Europe now appears to be a crucial issue in order to keep production close to home, enhance local know-how and preserve jobs in areas suffering from massive deindustrialization.

 

Finally, the common law base guaranteed by the European Union ensures that certain rules are respected. This is the case of the regulation on the use of chemical substances in industry, for example, or the protection of the fundamental rights of workers with the payment of a legal and decent minimum wage, the prohibition of child labour, forced labour and respect for safety at work.