Counselor Top 40 supplier Koozie Group (asi/40480) has given 520 more products a KG Factor designation – an identification that means the items lessen environmental impact through longevity.

Most of the products were in the IMAGEN Brands assortment, which rolled into Koozie Group’s portfolio earlier this year. Thanks to the recent addition, Koozie Group now has nearly 2,000 products – or 77% of its portfolio – carrying the Keep It. Give It. Factor.

Debbie Disparte, director of product innovation & sustainability at Koozie Group (asi/40480)

Since late 2020, Koozie Group has been working with a third party, Hanover Research, to conduct end-user surveys to identify KG Factor items, an internal initiative that’s part of the supplier’s Keep It. Give It. social impact and sustainability commitment.

“Four out of five people would keep or give a KG Factor product because it was useful, functional, durable and attractive,” said Debbie Disparte, director of product innovation & sustainability. “Additionally, 85% of respondents said they would keep these items through their useful life. The KG Factor gives our distributors a simple way to identify high-quality items that have appeal and longevity in the marketplace.”

Since the KG Factor’s inception, Hanover Research has gathered responses from 30,645 women and men ages 18 to 75+ from all 50 states and household incomes. Participants viewed items from Koozie Group’s assortment and answered questions to determine what they would do if they received the product, why they would take that action and how long they would keep an item. Based on these answers, products that received a minimum score earn the KG Factor designation, according to Koozie Group.

Nearly
2,000
Koozie Group products – or 77% of its portfolio – carry the “Keep It. Give It. Factor” designation.

The supplier said it began working on the KG Factor project after seeing increased interest in social responsibility from their employees.

“The KG Factor is one way we have evolved how we do business to benefit our people, customers, communities and the promotional products industry,” said CEO Pierre Montaubin, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people.

He added that the project has been a springboard for Koozie Group’s other sustainability efforts, including earning CarbonNeutral certification in 2023 and maintaining Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative certifications for domestic factories.

“We continue to explore ways to expand these efforts and have exciting things planned for 2025,” Montaubin added.

Based on reported 2023 North American promotional product revenue of $317 million, Koozie Group ranked seventh on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.

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