Carolina sitting at her desk writing some designs on a piece of paper

Our Design Approach

Our Founder and Creative Director, Carolina Kleinman, designs her collections on the foundation of versatility and functionality. Each piece is thoughtfully created and showcases intricate details, timeless silhouettes, and conscious materials.

 

Throughout our creative process, Carolina travels to the communities, spends time with the artisans and lives through each collection. We carefully evaluate our designs and determine whether they ultimately respect people and the environment. We are diligently working on our core collection of our most-loved wardrobe staples that withstand the test of time.

Our Materials

Our designs are created with responsible fabric choices and each material is chosen with love and the utmost care for the environment. We prioritize natural and recycled fibers to ensure our impact on the environment is as minimal as possible.

 

To improve our future environmental actions and collections, we evaluate materials used in past seasons. Along with collaborating with suppliers on more sustainable material choices, we have also begun requesting certificates for each material to gain more transparency and traceability.

A clothing rack of Carolina K handmade pieces hanging in our Little River store in Miami.

Organic Cotton

We source only (GOTS) certified organic cotton fabric, which is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.

Cupro

A regenerated cellulose fabric made from cotton waste, cupro is made from 100% plant-based materials, so it’s biodegradable. It is produced in a closed loop like Tencel and Lyocell, which means that the chemicals used can be extracted afterwards and the water can be reused.

Sustainable Viscose

Viscose is a plant-based material made from regenerated cellulose fibers from trees such as pine, bamboo and eucalyptus. The raw materials that are used to make our viscose are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, which makes it a sustainable viscose. FSC certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social & economic benefits.

Linen

Made from the flax plant, linen is known to be one of the best fibers out there as it requires less energy and water to be produced. It is not only strong, but also breezy and gentle to the touch and the environment since, like organic cotton, it is typically grown without the use of pesticides.

Ecocean

Our most recent swimwear collections are made with ECOCEAN® - Recycled polyester from PET bottles, industrial polyester wastes and even clothing. The printing process is environmentally friendly, being a dry print (without the use of water) and ecological and certified inks.

Econyl

ECONYL® is an 100% regenerated nylon fiber made from pre and post-consumer waste. Using ECONYL® instead of sourcing new nylon allows us to recycle waste materials and given them new life.

Tencel

Tencel, also known as Lyocell, is a sustainable and eco-friendly fabric made from wood pulp, typically sourced from eucalyptus, beech, or spruce trees. It involves a closed-loop process, where the solvent used to dissolve the wood pulp is recycled, minimizing waste and chemical usage. This process significantly reduces water consumption compared to other fabrics.

Ecovero

Ecovero is a sustainable and environmentally friendly fabric derived from wood pulp, often sourced from sustainably managed forests and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). It is considered a more eco-conscious alternative to traditional viscose or rayon fabrics, as it uses a closed-loop system.

Hemp

Hemp fabric is a textile material made from the fibers of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. It is considered one of the most environmentally friendly fibers, as it requires minimal water and pesticides, making it a sustainable crop. It also improves soil health and can be grown without depleting natural resources.

Bemberg

Bemberg is derived from natural cellulose, making it a bio-based fiber. Cotton linters, the source material for Bemberg, are a byproduct of the cotton industry, so Bemberg is indirectly derived from a renewable resource. It is also used to make vegan silk, as it does not harm silk worms.

Other Materials

  • Hangtags – Made from 100% recycled paper, our hangtags are also printed with soy-based inks.

  • Compostable Poly Bags – We have implemented the use of biodegradable poly bags made of Biopolymer of corn starch, brand INZEA reference F10. It is a biodegradable and compostable biopolymer, whose biodegradation process is generated under certain environmental conditions. If these bags are subjected to an industrial composting process, they disappear within a month, otherwise their biodegradation process takes approximately 180 to 360 days, depending on the environmental conditions in which they are found.

  • Recycled Hangers – We have begun the switch to recycled cardboard hangers from plastic to continue to minimize the negative impacts of using standard plastic.

Our Artisans

Traditional craft preservation and artisanal empowerment is the heart and soul of Carolina K. We work with around 300 artisans, from Latin America and India, year-round whose skilled hands bring our visions to life in thoughtful and sustainable ways. Our distinctive embroidery details and appliqués offer insight into Carolina K’s ongoing commitment to create meaningful clothes that goes beyond simple adornment and highlights our collective’s cultural traditions and craft.

 

The pieces our artisans are creating from rural areas of Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, and Guatemala are hand-constructed over the course of 10 to 50 days. The culture and tradition of our artisans’ communities are reflected in the textiles and hand embroidery techniques that will live on through many generations to come. Our artisan groups work with the most natural materials to responsibly and ethically create handmade statement pieces without the use of electricity, pesticides or chemicals.

A women artisan weaving colorful organic threads on a wooden machine in Latin America.
Our homeware lamps and ottomans in our Little River store in Miami.

Our Products

Each of our products are thoughtfully designed and created with responsible materials. Our artisans utilize ancient artisanal techniques to produce unique statement pieces for you to cherish for years to come. Inspired by many cultures, art and music, Carolina K has created a Universe that includes clothing, home and decor that comprise her vibrant lifestyle brand.

Circularity

Zero Waste Initiative


We are always striving to operate in the most responsible, sustainable way. It’s something we have been passionate about since our early days, and we’re continuously looking for ways in which we can do better. To honor our commitment to circular fashion and reduce our environmental impact, we launched our Zero Waste initiative that makes use of every last scrap of fabric. The process used to create our Zero Waste collection is slow and intentional which allows us to give new life to all of our leftover fabrics. We are able to create art-like, one of a kind pieces, while being kinder and gentler on the environment. These pieces of fabric that would otherwise be discarded in a landfill, begin a new lifecycle as part of our collection.

Two female women hugging each other in our colorful Zero Waste Collection dresses

Giving Back

We invite you to join us in making a positive impact on your community. Whether it's through donations, volunteering, or simply taking mindful everyday actions, there are countless ways to make a difference. During checkout, select an organization, and we will contribute 5% of your purchase to the one you choose from the options below.

Lotus House

Lotus House, situated in Miami, is the country's largest women's shelter, aiding over 1,550 women, youth, and children every year. Their mission is to offer a safe place, access to vital resources, and comprehensive support to help these individuals transition out of homelessness and improve their lives. They want to empower these women to heal, learn, grow and seize enhanced opportunities. We've partnered with them for over three years, donating clothes and other resources to support their important work.

Bye Bye Plastic

Bye Bye Plastic is a dedicated team working to eliminate single-use plastics in the music industry. They organize clean-ups, support artists in going plastic-free, and help organizations make eco-friendly choices. Their efforts have led to plastic-free DJ booths and backstage areas, and they're now encouraging clubs, festivals, and promoters to make permanent, plastic-free changes for a sustainable future.

15 Percent Pledge

Established by Aurora James in 2020, the 15 Percent Pledge is a US-based non-profit organization that encourages retailers to pledge at least 15 percent of their shelf-space to black-owned businesses. The Pledge is an invitation to retailers to give their valued community what they are asking for — variation of product and economic equality. It requires a comprehensive re-evaluation of “business as usual” and is an opportunity to create sustainable solutions over a multi-year horizon. It is an opportunity to grow and learn together.

Moroccan Tean Girls Earthquake Relief by Project Soar

The High Atlas region of Morocco has been significantly impacted by a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake, causing a devastating loss of 2000+ lives and significant damage to infrastructures. Project Soar is now focused on collecting and delivering menstrual products, diapers & other first aid essential needs to women and girls living in the badly affected villages. Project Soar's mission is to empower teen girls to become compassionate, driven leaders who champion inclusivity and democracy, both today and in the future. They work in Morocco, Uganda, and Syria, providing local facilitators with the tools to guide these girls through workshops and activities, helping them overcome discrimination and challenges associated with being young and female.

International Committee of the Red Cross

The ICRC is an impartial, independent organization working to protect lives and relive suffering in conflict zones, along with the Red Cross and Red Crescent partners. They are working closely with the Magen David Adom and the Palestine Red Crescent Society to assist those who are wounded or sick and in need. The ICRC provides humanitarian support to both sides, sends medical supplies to a Gaza hospital and helps identify missing people. They aim to protect healthcare workers and are ready to reunite families, clarify the fate of the missing, and evacuate the wounded with the PRCS and MDA.