Kotn Brings its Better-for-the-Earth Basics and a Bit of Egypt to L.A.

Shop the Toronto-based label's cult-favorite basics, artisan home decor sourced directly from Egypt, and more at its new Highland Park shop.

View Gallery 10 Photos
33240
33243
33247
33239
33237
33242
33245
33244
33246
33241

Kotn, the fourth-highest ranked apparel B Corporation in North America that hails from Toronto, has made Highland Park its first forever home in the U.S.

Located in a historic building with an original façade, the community-focused store stocks Kotn's cult-favorite everyday basics for women and men as well as homewares like its best-selling linen bedding collection—all of which are designed in Canada and ethically made in Egypt and Portugal.

Paying homage to the brand's Egyptian roots, the interior design was a collaborative effort between Kotn and L.A.-based architecture and design firm Venn Studio. The tile in the front of the store is reminiscent of cobblestone streets in Egypt and the fitting rooms' blue fabric was sourced from the country where it's used as car coverings. Scattered throughout and for sale are ceramic bowls and vases from Kotn's Bazaar collection that were handcrafted by Egyptian artisans using centuries-old traditions. And in keeping with Kotn's sustainable ethos, 80% of the furniture in the store was sourced locally from vintage stores and Facebook Marketplace.

Founded in 2015 by friends Mackenzie Yeates, Rami Helali, and Benjamin Sehl, Kotn uses direct-trade practices, sourcing its raw cotton straight from the farming communities they work with. By cutting out the traditional middle people, the brand works directly with responsibly-run yarn mills, dye houses, and cut-and-sew facilities, ensuring fair wages and treatment throughout their supply chain, better prices for their customers, and traceability.

Guided by the mantra "For Lasting Ways of Life," the brand uses the finest natural fibers, which can biodegrade at the end of their life cycle. Doing so results in long-lasting quality products while avoiding synthetics helps reduce micro-plastics. Its denim, for example, is made from a recycled cotton blend, utilizing certified safe indigo dyes and power washing methods in lieu of the toxic techniques commonly used, like bleach, acid, and sandblasting.

Everyday wear that transcends time and takes care of the planet is just the tip of the iceberg. Kotn pays it forward in a big way, too. In rural Egypt, where the cotton for much of Kotn's collections is grown, 32% of people don't know their ABC's. So, in 2017, it opened its first primary school in rural Egypt. For Black Friday that year, it decided to skip the sale.

From there, The ABCs Project was born: a literacy program it created with the local NGO Misr El Kheir foundation to reinvest proceeds from every order into building and operating schools for the children of Kotn's cotton farmers. Given Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are among the world's largest pollutants, since then Kotn has reinvested 100% of its Black Friday proceeds to help build a sustainable future for the communities that grow its cotton.

Last year, to celebrate its fifth anniversary of doing so, Kotn collaborated with a group of artists to create a limited-edition collection inspired by what a lasting community means to them. Kotn donated 100% of the proceeds to build five primary schools, up to $250,000 CAD. And throughout the year, a portion of all its sales is donated to The ABCs Project.

The brand has brick-and-mortar stores in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver and plans to open eight to ten new stores in Canada and the U.S. within the next year and a half. Check out the gallery above and address below as Kotn looks forward to becoming a part of Highland Park through monthly events and collaborations with local artisans and makers.

Kotn, 5701 N. Figueroa St., Highland Park, 90042; open from Monday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

ADVERTISEMENT
Proud Member Of FFC
Get Our Newsletter