“Keen was founded in 2003 to make shoes, bags, and socks, with a focus on outdoor activity; their first product was a sandal with a distinctive rubber toe-protector that quickly found a market among sailors, kayakers and hikers. The company makes social responsibility a major focus of its work, donating its entire marketing budget to relief efforts after the 2004 Asian tsunami and partnering with environmental groups and other NGOs around the world through its HybridLife program. Keen is working to increase the responsibility of its supply chain and has even opened a factory in Portland to make shoes in the United States, a counterintuitive move when its cheaper to manufacture shoes abroad (other Keen products are made in China and North Carolina).” – Tim Fernholz, GOOD Business editor
