Hoka Kaha 3 GTX Sustainability Report

The Kaha 3 features a full-leather upper and a full rubber outsole. While the midsole is still soft and plush, Hoka’s reworked design does a better job of shielding the foam than earlier iterations. Expect solid performance with a few cosmetic scuffs over time.

Choosing durable outdoor gear is perhaps the most effective way to reduce environmental impact—the longer it lasts, the less it needs to be produced. Our proprietary longevity rating evaluates overall build quality based on factors such as materials, fabric denier, component durability (including zippers and toggles), real-world performance as reported by our field testers, and our experiences with the brand. Overall, we feel strongly that reducing overall consumption is a cornerstone of sustainability.

The Hoka Kaha 3 GTX features a 71% recycled polyester upper and 100% recycled quarter, tongue, and lining. In 2024, Deckers Brands (Hoka’s parent company) used 55% recycled or renewable polyester in its footwear. It also used 2% recycled Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and 2% recycled rubber. Over 99% of Deckers Brand shoes contain at least one preferred material, which the company defines as recycled, renewable, or naturally sourced materials.

Outdoor gear can be made partly or entirely from recycled materials, the most common being nylon, polyester, wool, and down. Some products include a single recycled component or a partially recycled fabric, while others are 100% recycled (generally excluding accessories like zippers, Velcro, toggles, etc.). For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate the amount of recycled materials in a particular product and assign points accordingly.

The DWR on the Kaha 3 GTX is PFAS free. Deckers Brands does not intentionally add PFAS to any products and conducts regular testing to ensure that products remain PFAS free. Hoka does not label individual products with their PFAS content, but all of its DWR treatments are PFAS free.

The DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish is a product’s direct defense against outside moisture, and commonly contains PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These synthetic compounds, known as "forever chemicals,” are found in a range of gear categories, from jackets to footwear. They resist water, oil, and heat exceptionally well, making them ideal for outdoor use, but their nearly indestructible nature also means that they take an extremely long time to degrade in nature, if at all. PFAS can eventually end up in everything from soil to drinking water and have been linked to a range of health issues.

The waterproof membrane on the Hoka Kaha 3 GTX is PFAS free. Deckers Brands does not intentionally add PFAS to any products and conducts regular testing to ensure that products remain PFAS free. Hoka does not label individual products with their PFAS content, but all of its waterproof membrane materials are PFAS free.

The membranes of certain waterproof products, including rain jackets, ski jackets, ski bibs, hardshells, and hiking footwear, commonly contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These synthetic compounds, known as "forever chemicals,” resist water, oil, and heat exceptionally well, making them ideal for outdoor use, but their nearly indestructible nature also means that they take an extremely long time to degrade in nature, if at all. PFAS can eventually end up in everything from soil to drinking water and have been linked to a range of health issues.

The leather in the Kaha 3 GTX is Gold-rated by the Leather Working Group. All of the virgin leather used by Deckers Brands, Hoka’s parent company, is certified to Leather Working Group standards. Deckers also uses repurposed leather in some styles.

Companies typically source responsible leather from suppliers that meet the Leather Working Group Standards (LWG). LWG is a third-party non-profit organization that assesses the environmental impact of leather manufacturers and ensures compliance with its standards. This includes assessing water and energy use, waste and chemical management, air and noise emissions, traceability, health and safety, and the use of restricted substances. The LWG also gives tanneries ratings (bronze, silver, and gold), which we take into account when making our ratings.

There are no Bluesign-approved materials in the Kaha 3 GTX. Furthermore, Hoka is not a Bluesign System Partner, and we have not seen any Bluesign-approved materials in the Hoka products that Better Trail has reviewed.

Bluesign Technologies, based in Switzerland, operates a third-party textile certification system that ensures materials are manufactured to strict environmental, chemical, and worker safety standards. A Bluesign-approved material indicates that it has undergone a rigorous vetting process based on the criteria above. A Bluesign Product goes the next mile, containing at least 90% Bluesign-approved fabrics and at least 30% Bluesign-approved accessories.

Hoka brand’s parent company, Deckers Brands, uses several third-party social compliance tools to assess labor conditions. These include the Social and Labor Convergence Program, the Higg Facility Social and Labor Module, the Fair Factory Clearinghouse, and accredited Better Work auditors. These programs do not provide factory certification or ratings and thus do not meet our criteria. Hoka also partners with Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production and the amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative (both of which offer ratings and certification) to accredit some of its factories, but we have yet to confirm how many. To meet our responsible manufacturing criteria, we require brands to participate in a third-party program that provides certification and regular factory audits to ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, and reduced environmental impact.

This criterion evaluates a brand's commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing its environmental impact throughout the production process. Responsible manufacturing is most commonly demonstrated through certifications and membership in programs such as Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accreditation of Production, and the Fair Labor Association. We also recognize brands that prioritize local production, such as those that manufacture primarily in the United States or Europe, to reduce carbon emissions, maintain better oversight of working conditions, and comply with strict social and environmental regulations.

Over 98% of the packaging that Deckers Brands (Hoka’s parent company) uses for its products is made from recycled or Forest Stewardship Council-certified materials. It uses minimal plastic packaging for its footwear, but the majority of plastic it uses is virgin rather than recycled.

Packaging can add significant waste to an outdoor gear purchase and often ends up in landfills. Many brands are using recycled packaging and/or making efforts to reduce packaging altogether. For example, they may use a certain percentage of recycled cardboard or make efforts to use less plastic or paper across their packaging operation. In some cases, brands also use Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, which helps to ensure sustainable sourcing of forest materials.

Unlike footwear brands that have made greater efforts toward circularity, Hoka does not offer a resale platform or recycling services for its products.

Resale and recycling programs help keep outdoor gear in circulation for longer and out of landfills. The most common form is a trade-in program, where consumers can exchange items for store credit, which is then resold. Some brands accept products back for recycling at the end of their life, thereby reducing waste. Occasionally, some do both.

Since 2019, Deckers has tracked its emissions using Higg Index tools. In 2021, it set targets to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 46% and Scope 3 emissions by 58% per million dollars of gross profit by 2030 (compared to its 2019 baseline). Unlike similar brands, Deckers set an economic intensity goal for its Scope 3 emissions, rather than an absolute reduction goal (which decouples business growth from emissions). Still, Deckers’ targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative, which ensures that targets are aligned with Paris Agreement warming thresholds.

This criterion evaluates whether this brand measures its greenhouse gas emissions, along with its commitment to reduction and transparency in reporting. Typically, we require brands to follow established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. Most companies use the widely recognized scope categorization system for measuring brand emissions. Those who earn the most points in this category have emissions reduction goals verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a global organization that helps companies set greenhouse gas reduction targets in line with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C. To verify their goals through SBTi, companies undergo a rigorous assessment process and continual follow-up to ensure consistent progress towards achieving their targets.

Hoka’s annual impact report is produced by its parent company, Deckers Brands. The report is thorough and includes ample information about Hoka’s sustainability initiatives and next steps, such as sustainable packaging, material sourcing, and its overall carbon footprint and waste reduction. It also contains concrete information on Hoka’s operations, which is often not the case when a parent company writes a report about its constituent brands.

An impact report is an important step toward transparency and accountability on the sustainability front. These reports vary in form but generally cover topics such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions tracking, waste and water usage, supply chain analysis, and packaging efforts. For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate this criterion based on the depth and quality of the information provided in the report, and how often it is produced. Some brands produce their own impact report, while others are published by their parent company. In practice, we’ve found that reports produced by individual brands include more detailed information about their sustainability efforts.