Responsibility
We recognize human-caused environmental degradation is a threat not only to healthy markets and healthy businesses, but most importantly to our quality of life.
As a result, we’re on a mission to fundamentally change how business operates – from sourcing to design to the well being of our people.
01 Supply Chain02 Products & Packaging03 End of Life04 Our FootprintBeing a consumer goods company, we have an inherent impact on the planet.
With this in mind, we refrain from referring to anything we do as inherently “sustainable.” Instead, we’re committed to a responsible business model - one that puts an emphasis on continuous learning and evolution of process, all in the name of reducing our negative environmental impacts.
Our responsibility efforts are guided by the following commitments:
Measure & Manage
We commit to continuously improving upon the measurement and management of our environmental impacts.
Minimize Impact
We commit to minimizing the impact of our materials, manufacturing, and distribution.
Maximize Product Lifespan
We commit to maximizing product lifespans, reusability and recyclability.
01
Supply Chain
Fair Labor & Environmental Responsibility
At MiiR, it is pivotal that our suppliers uphold the highest standards of social and environmental compliance. To ensure these standards, we have a dedicated team based in the same cities as our suppliers to help enforce our code of conduct. Additionally, we regularly perform third-party audits to ensure that all practices are conducted responsibly. Click here for detailed information on where our supply chain partners are located, our selection process, our code of conduct, and more.
Logistics & Distribution
In 2019, we opened a logistics hub in Asia to more rapidly serve our customers around the globe. This significantly reduced the freight emissions from shipping goods to the US and then back around the globe to our customers. Through enhanced planning and processes, along with support from our freight forwarders and U.S. distribution center team, we have reduced the environmental impact of shipping goods worldwide and continue to assess and minimize our reliance on high-emission transportation methods.
02
Products & Packaging
Our product development team is dedicated to creating products in the most responsible way possible, taking into account the following elements:
Durability
The most sustainable product is the one that already exists, so we engineer our products to stay in play as long as possible.
Replaceability
We understand that accidents happen, so we aim to design all of our products with replaceable parts. If something breaks, we want to be able to fix it, issuing you a replacement part instead of having to replace the entire product.
Recyclability
If a product reaches the end of its useful life, we want to ensure it doesn’t end up in a landfill. We use commercially recyclable materials to enable the creation of new products from old ones. Recognizing not everyone has access to commercial recycling systems, we designed our Re:Claimed program so you (the customer) can help us recycle these products responsibly.
Materials
We carefully select the materials used in our products to uphold the design standards outlined above. Below are some of the most commonly used materials across our product lines and their specific applications.
Stainless Steel
What it is:
Stainless steel is a manufactured metal that combines iron, chromium and nickel to create durable and corrosion resistant qualities.
What we use it in:
Drinkware and kitchenware products.
Why we use it:
It’s durable, clean, easy to modify, can be recycled multiple times and has a beautiful finish.
Recycled Stainless Steel
What it is:
Recycled Stainless Steel (RSS) is an alternative to virgin stainless steel and contains 90% recycled steel and 10% virgin steel.
What we use it in:
Most of our drinkware and kitchenware products. Some products cannot utilize RSS due to the steel thickness.
Why we use it:
It looks and performs identical to virgin stainless steel but requires significantly fewer resources to produce, thereby reducing its environmental impact.
Polypropylene
What it is:
A highly durable, food safe plastic material.
What we use it in:
Primarily used in the lids for products that contain color / are not clear.
Why we use it:
It’s safe, durable and can be easily modified.
Recycled Polypropylene
What it is:
A replica of virgin Polypropylene but made of recycled material.
What we use it in:
Primarily used in the lids for products that contain color / are not clear.
Why we use it:
It looks and performs just like virgin polypropylene but requires significantly fewer resources to produce, thereby reducing its environmental impact.
Tritan™
What it is:
A hyper durable, BPA-free, clear plastic made by Eastman, that offers great strength to weight ratios.
What we use it in:
Products that are designed with a clear lid.
Why we use it:
This material can withstand intense conditions giving it a long lifespan. The longer something can last the fewer times you need to replace it.
Tritan™ Renew
What it is:
A hyper durable, BPA-free plastic made by Eastman, incorporating up to 50% recycled content through molecular recycling technology.
What we use it in:
Our Everywhere Collection and select lids starting in 2025!
Why we use it:
It looks and performs identical to Tritan, but includes up to 50% recycled content, which reduces the environmental impact of the material.
Silicone
What it is:
Silicone is an inert synthetic compound that is typically heat-resistant and rubber-like.
What we use it in:
Silicone is used as a sealing mechanism on our products due to its ability to stretch and comply with a myriad of different surfaces.
Why we use it:
Silicone is considered to be the premium option for food contact items because it is a naturally occurring material that does not react to the stressors of a food-contact environment.
Organic Cotton
What it is:
Organic Cotton is a soft, fluffy fiber that is grown and processed without harmful chemicals.
What we use it in:
Apparel products.
Why we use it:
It’s grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, which supports healthier soil and minimizes farmers' exposure to harmful chemicals. It’s a resilient fiber, and fabrics made from it can last for years with proper care. It is also naturally soft, breathable, and absorbent.
Recycled Polyester
What it is:
Recycled Polyester is a type of fiber made from recycled plastic waste.
What we use it in:
Apparel and headwear products.
Why we use it:
It’s just as strong and durable as virgin polyester but with a lower environmental impact. It is also moisture resistant. Using recycled polyester helps divert plastic waste from landfills and reduces dependence on new plastic.
Packaging
Our packaging uses FSC Certified materials and all of our bulk boxes are 90% post-consumer recycled cardboard. Every Kraft hang-tag, product backer card, and box is made with the most sustainable materials available and they’re recyclable.
We’ve joined PrAna’s Responsible Packaging Movement and are committing to eliminate single-use plastic and virgin forest fiber from our packaging, as well as excess packaging waste in our supply chain. We’re inviting fellow brands and our community to adopt goals and join us in our journey to #ReshapePackaging
03
End of Life
Re:Claimed
In 2022, we launched our first Re:Claimed program, the Re:Claimed LTO. Since then, our end of life solutions, AKA “Re:Claimed” have grown and morphed into two distinct programs:
Recycle responsibly with our Take-Back Program
Our stainless steel products are designed to last generations. Sometimes, though, life happens. Whether your MiiR is dented and dinged or your style has changed, recycle responsibly with us through our Re:Claimed take-back program.
Learn More
Limited edition prints on perfectly good products
Sometimes mistakes happen to perfectly good products. Misprints, an upside-down logo, a fleck of ink out of place. From our printing partners to our customers, we’re all sticklers for standards. And occasionally, less than .007% of the time, (yeah, not very often) that leaves a perfectly good product without a home. We take these never-before-used products, fix the cosmetic mistakes, and create something new. To keep up to date with the latest limited edition Re:Claimed products, click here.
04
Our Footprint
Measurement & Accountability
Measuring our carbon footprint gives us a clear target for improvement. Our footprint is measured on an annual basis with the help of Change Climate (formerly known as Climate Neutral). For the past four years, we’ve partnered with the Change Climate Project to manage our carbon impacts and achieve certification. To learn more about the Change Climate Project and The Climate Label, click here.
With the help of Change Climate, we:
Measure
We start by measuring emissions and assessing the carbon impacts of all of our products and services from cradle to customer. It all starts here: with a solid inventory of the carbon emissions from making and delivering our products and services. Measurements include Scopes 1, 2, and upstream Scope 3 emissions (per the Greenhouse Gas Protocol).
Fund
To obtain the Change Climate label, a price on carbon is applied, and MiiR’s “Climate Transition Budget” is developed. MiiR is responsible for spending that budget on value chain abatement efforts, and making our contribution to global net-zero GHG emissions by purchasing eligible verified carbon and clean energy credits that support climate projects outside our value chain.
Reduce
Once we’ve identified our “hot spots,” and established a climate transition budget for the year, we work to reduce value chain carbon emissions, and annually document plans and progress toward emissions reductions. We work with the Change Climate team to develop and implement reduction action plans (RAPs) that chart goals over a period of 12-24 months.
Our 2023 Footprint
Visit our Change Climate profile page to learn more about our emissions, and how we’re tracking against our reduction goals.
Measurement & Accountability
In 2023, our footprint decreased from the previous year’s 13,038.75 to 9,637.7 tCO2es. This drop is mainly due to macroeconomic slowdowns, which resulted in reduced purchases from suppliers. Nevertheless, our supply chain continues to become more efficient, driven by the transition of the energy grid towards renewable sources and our ongoing collaborative efforts with suppliers to improve our processes.
The overwhelming amount of emissions coming from materials and manufacturing tells us to double down on our efforts to transition to lower carbon materials and manufacturing processes. In keeping with previous years' trends, stainless steel continues to be our largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for 54% of our total footprint.
Reduction Goals
Recognizing the significant emissions associated with stainless steel and other materials such as polypropylene, we have invested time and resources into transitioning to lower-carbon materials like recycled stainless steel and recycled plastics. We are committed to replacing virgin materials with recycled ones wherever possible. Stay tuned for updates on our journey!
Investments in Carbon Reduction
This year, we applied a per-tonne carbon fee, establishing a climate transition budget to deploy within and beyond our value chain.
In 2023, we invested:
- $22,766.97 into value chain projects like transitioning to recycled materials and supply chain decarbonization projects, with the goal of reducing the impact of our materials and manufacturing.
- $94,875.78 into climate projects outside our value chain, partnering with Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to support initiatives like natural climate solutions, clean energy, and responsible agriculture.
Explore our investments in carbon reduction beyond the value chain.
Click HereLearn More
To learn more about our emissions over time, flick through our impact reports below, or visit our profile on the Change Climate website.
If you’re interested in the full suite of certifications and alliances that empower MiiR to do this work, click here.
Past Impact Reports
2023
2022
2021
2020
