Keen is an American footwear company known for its innovative outdoor and casual shoes. Founded in 2003, the brand has made significant strides in sustainability, particularly in eliminating harmful chemicals from its products.
Keen became PFAS-free in 2018 after a four-year effort to remove these chemicals from their supply chain. The company is committed to using safe alternatives for water repellency, sourcing from suppliers that provide effective DWR (durable water repellency) treatments without fluorinated chemistries. Keen’s approach to sustainability extends beyond PFAS elimination, encompassing the use of environmentally preferred leather, probiotic technology for odor control, and a strong focus on reducing overall environmental impact. The brand is transparent about its practices, acknowledging that while they aim for 100% PFAS-free products, environmental contamination makes it challenging to guarantee absolute absence, leading them to claim 97% PFAS-free status.
