Our philosophy is simple: We create beauty. Our designs start with a beautiful aesthetic, and in the end, each product exists to add beauty to our world. We consider all phases of a product’s existence, and engineer beauty and goodness into each. We do not consider sustainability and human rights to be our “edge” or “niche,” but work to build a healthy, viable business built on principles of high-quality products, fair prices, and ethical means to that end.

The creation of each product must positively contribute to lives of each person who touches it from beginning to end, and the materials for our products must be sustainably sourced to the best of our current ability. The supply chain and material origins are painstakingly researched and carefully weighed for the most positive impact throughout the manufacturing process and for the end-product. We are proud to present transparent information about our supply chain, materials, and production on our product information pages and to inquiring parties.

Our studio (including kilns) is powered by wind-energy. We recycle all cardboard, styrofoam, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and ceramics that we receive and generate. Our ceramics and many of our textile products are made in-house or locally to reduce the footprint created by shipping materials and products to and fro. We constantly seek to reduce, reuse and recycle in our production processes and make purchasing and partnering decisions with sustainability in mind.

As we build Lo Home, we strive to create a foundation of prioritizing the environment and the well-being of others. We know our actions have impact, and we want our impact to be BIG and positive. We believe we have the responsibility to present transparent information about the products that we sell, and especially about the products we create and manufacture. While we do not exclusively sell sustainable products, all Lo Home exclusive products (products that we design, create, and manufacture) are as environmentally and socially responsible as possible through each stage of our growth. The following is a list of certifications and classifications that we find important in sustainable/ ethical manufacturing, and prioritize in our Lo Home exclusive products:

To be GOTS certified, a fabric must be made of from at least 70% organic fibers and up to 30% either regenerated fibers from certified organic raw materials, sustainable forestry management (FSC / PEFC) or certified recycled synthetic fibers (recycled polyester, polyamide, polypropylene or polyurethane).

GOTS certification requires low impact and low residual natural and synthetic chemical inputs. It prohibits many chemicals including all heavy metals.

Wastewater treatment must be in place before discharge to surface waters. This pertains to pH and temperature, as well as to biological and chemical residues in the water.

GOTS also requires compliance with the International Labor Organization (ILO – no forced, bonded, or slave labor; workers have the right to join or form trade unions and to bargain collectively; working conditions are safe and hygienic; there must be no recruitment of child labor; wages must meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmarks, whichever is higher; working hours are not excessive and inhumane treatment is prohibited.

Environmentally sound packaging requirements must be in place; PVC in packaging is prohibited; paper must be post-consumer recycled or certified according to FSC or PEFC.

GOTS has a dual system of quality assurance consisting of on-side annual inspection (including possible unannounced inspections based on risk assessment of the operations) and residue testing.

Our opinion is that the GOTS standard is the most comprehensive and rigorous certification regarding textiles. It’s also quite difficult to obtain and maintain.

 OEKO-TEX:

The goal of Oeko-Tex fabric safety standard is to ensure that fabrics pose no risk to human health. The Oeko-Tex 100 certification prohibits a lengthy list of chemicals which are known or suspected to harm health, including lead, antimony, arsenic, phthalates, pesticides, and chlorinated phenols, Azo dyes, all flame retardants, carcinogenicand allergy-inducing dyes, pesticides, chlorinated phenols, chloro-organic benzenes and toluenes, heavy metals, organotin compounds (TBT and DBT), and formaldehyde.

Additionally, Oeko-Tex certified fabrics are required to have a skin-friendly pH.

 Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Wood and Paper:

FSC certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. Below are the standards that FSC certified forests must abide by:

PRINCIPLE #1: COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND FSC PRINCIPLES - Forest management shall respect all applicable laws of the country in which they occur, and international treaties and agreements to which the country is a signatory, and comply with all FSC Principles and Criteria.

PRINCIPLE #2: TENURE AND USE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES - Long-term tenure and use rights to the land and forest resources shall be clearly defined, documented and legally established.

PRINCIPLE #3: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS - The legal and customary rights of indigenous peoples to own, use and manage their lands, territories, and resources shall be recognized and respected.

PRINCIPLE #4: COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND WORKER’S RIGHTS - Forest management operations shall maintain or enhance the long-term social and economic well being of forest workers and local communities.

PRINCIPLE # 5: BENEFITS FROM THE FOREST - Forest management operations shall encourage the efficient use of the forest’s multiple products and services to ensure economic viability and a wide range of environmental and social benefits.

PRINCIPLE #6: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT - Forest management shall conserve biological diversity and its associated values, water resources, soils, and unique and fragile ecosystems and landscapes, and, by so doing, maintain the ecological functions and the integrity of the forest.

PRINCIPLE #7: MANAGEMENT PLAN - A management plan — appropriate to the scale and intensity of the operations — shall be written, implemented, and kept up to date. The long-term objectives of management, and the means of achieving them, shall be clearly stated.

PRINCIPLE #8: MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT - Monitoring shall be conducted — appropriate to the scale and intensity of forest management — to assess the condition of the forest, yields of forest products, chain of custody, management activities and their social and environmental impacts.

PRINCIPLE # 9: MAINTENANCE OF HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE FORESTS - Management activities inhigh conservation value forests shall maintain or enhance the attributes which define such forests. Decisions regarding high conservation value forests shall always be considered in the context of a precautionary approach.

PRINCIPLE # 10: PLANTATIONS - Plantations shall be planned and managed in accordance with Principles and Criteria 1-9, and Principle 10 and its Criteria. While plantations can provide an array of social and economic benefits, and can contribute to satisfying the world’s needs for forest products, they should complement the management of, reduce pressures on, and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests.

 Wind-Powered Manufacturing:

Though more expensive in Oklahoma, we purchase Oklahoma-generated wind energy to 100% power our ceramics studio and office space.

 Made in the USA:

Choosing to manufacture our products in the USA not only supports employment and the economy in the United States, it also guarantees safe and fair working conditions for the production of goods. Most of our manufactured products are made local to us, minimizing transit during the production stage.

 Sustainable Packaging:

We do not use plastic in our box packaging. En lieu of bubble wrap and styrofoam, we use recycled paper cut in a hive pattern which creates a thick cushioned wrap and our packing peanuts are biodegradable (instantly dissolve in water) made from cornstarch. All of our paper products are recycled and are recyclable, and our bubble mailers are 100% recycled and are recyclable. We encourage you to recycle all Lo Home packaging.