Kate Wood Originals
Kate Wood Originals is a Netherlands-based, founder-owned DTC brand that sells handcrafted sunglasses, watches, bamboo bicycles, surfboards, and apparel made from sustainably sourced wood and bamboo to eco-conscious consumers worldwide via e-commerce and a Bali flagship store.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersCentral, Hong Kong SAR China
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kate Wood Originals does
Kate Wood Originals is a Netherlands-domiciled, founder-owned lifestyle brand founded in 2012 by Pim Gietelink in Amsterdam that designs and sells handcrafted products made from sustainably sourced natural materials. Its core catalog spans wooden sunglasses (UV400, Category 3 lenses, 30-step handcrafting), wooden watches equipped with Swiss Ronda movements, bamboo bicycles (fixie, city, and electric models using honey-wax-infused bamboo and hemp-fiber joints), sustainable clothing, accessories, and co-branded surfboards produced in partnership with KAYU Surfboards Bali. Commercial operations run direct-to-consumer through the katewood.com e-commerce site with global shipping via DHL GoGreen, supplemented by a flagship retail store in Bali (opened May 2019) and a representative contact office in Hong Kong; the company is privately held with no disclosed external funding. The business model is unit-pricing on small-ticket, premium-positioned SKUs (watches $145–$219, sunglasses from $129), with a stated commitment to donate 10% of proceeds to the Orbis Foundation as a social-impact differentiator. The intended customer base is eco-conscious, fashion-forward consumers and sustainable-transportation enthusiasts seeking distinctive, handcrafted alternatives to mass-produced plastic and metal accessories.
Kate Wood Originals firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kate Wood Originals
- Legal name
- Kate Wood Originals
- Website
- https://katewood.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kate Wood Originals is a Netherlands-based, founder-owned DTC brand that sells handcrafted sunglasses, watches, bamboo bicycles, surfboards, and apparel made from sustainably sourced wood and bamboo to eco-conscious consumers worldwide via e-commerce and a Bali flagship store.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kate Wood Originals industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Wooden Lifestyle Products
- NAICS
- All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing (321999)
- SIC
- Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Leather & Leather Products (3100), Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alternative Materials Fashion Jewelry (Acrylic/Resin/Wood/Fabric/Ceramic) (CRAKABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tech & Utility Accessories (Phone Cases, Watch Bands, Key Holders) (CRAAAJAK), Small Leather Goods (Wallets, Cardholders, Keyholders) (CRAKAEAB), Leather, Suede & Alternatives (PU/Bio-based) (CRAAAMAG), Small Leather Accessories Manufacturing (Belts/Straps/Watch Bands) (IMAOAFAG)
Keywords
Where Kate Wood Originals is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Central
- HQ country
- Hong Kong SAR China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Kate Wood Originals business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct retail sales of handcrafted wooden products including sunglasses, watches, bamboo bicycles, clothing, accessories, and surfboards through e-commerce and flagship store.
- Social Impact Donation: Company donates 10% of proceeds to the Orbis Foundation for sight-saving initiatives worldwide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard per-unit pricing for watches and accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free shipping threshold |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Kate Wood Originals product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kate Wood Originals designs, handcrafts, and retails sustainable lifestyle products made primarily from natural wood, bamboo, and cotton-based acetate. The core offering includes wooden sunglasses (30-step handcrafted with UV400 lenses), wooden watches (Swiss Ronda movements, various wood types), bamboo bicycles (honey-wax-infused frames with hemp-fiber joints), sustainable clothing and accessories, and bamboo/wooden surfboards. Products are sold direct-to-consumer globally through the company website and a flagship store in Bali.
Product overview
Kate Wood Originals is an eco-friendly lifestyle brand offering handcrafted wooden products. The portfolio includes wooden sunglasses with UV400 protection, wooden watches with Swiss movements, bamboo bicycles, sustainable clothing, bamboo/wooden accessories, and surfboards. Products are made from ethically harvested plantation timbers and sustainable materials including cotton-based acetate, bamboo, and various natural woods. The company operates flagship stores in Bali and Hong Kong, with free worldwide shipping via DHL GoGreen for orders over $50.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wooden Watches Handcrafted wooden timepieces featuring Swiss Ronda movements and hypoallergenic materials. Available in men's ($219) and women's ($199) styles with various wood types including Red Sandalwood, Olive Wood, Purple Heart Wood, Zebra Wood, and Maple, plus metal color options (Rose Gold, Silver, Black). Adjustable bands and FSC certified ethically harvested plantation timbers.
- Wooden Sunglasses Handcrafted wooden sunglasses produced via a 30-step manufacturing process with UV400 100% UVA/UVB protection and Category 3 lenses compliant with European Directive 89/686/EEC standard EN-1836:20005 + A1:2007. Stainless steel spring hinges for comfortable fit. Available in Acetate & Wood (Italian Mazzucchelli cotton-based acetate), Metal & Wood, and Full Wood collections, starting at $129.
- Bamboo Bicycles Lightweight bamboo bicycles with honey wax infused frames, hemp fiber natural joints, and leather saddles on KW Fixie models. Available in three styles — KW Retro, KW Fixie, and KW City Bike — featuring tensile strength greater than steel with low density. Includes accessories subcategory for bicycle parts and add-ons.
- Sustainable Clothing Clothing collection made from eco-friendly materials aligned with the brand's environmental values, including Tees, Sweaters & Hoodies, Scarf/Hat/Gloves Sets, and Caps.
- Wooden & Bamboo Accessories Bamboo and wood-based accessories including Bags, Wallets, and other Wooden Accessories, made from sustainable and eco-friendly materials.
- Sustainable Surfboards Sustainable surfboards produced in collaboration with KAYU Surfboards Bali, featuring bamboo and sustainable materials. Available in Short, Medium, and Long board styles.
- Optical Eyewear Wooden optical frames for prescription use, featuring the same handcrafted quality and sustainable materials as the sunglasses line.
- Gift Cards Digital gift cards available for purchase, allowing customers to give the gift of sustainable wooden products.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10% of proceeds donated to Orbis Foundation for sight-saving initiatives worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Kate Wood Originals
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kate Wood Originals technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Kate Wood Originals partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Orbis FoundationcoreKate Wood Originals donates 10% of proceeds to the Orbis Foundation, which works to save sight worldwide. This social impact partnership is central to the company's mission as a socially conscious business.
- KAYU Surfboards, BaliminorExclusive collaboration between Kate Wood Originals, Pim Gietelink, and KAYU Surfboards (Erik Wijhe). The collaboration produces surfboards combining shared aesthetic taste and values, featuring bamboo and sustainable materials.
- DHL GoGreenminorEnvironmental shipping partner providing free climate neutral shipping worldwide for all Kate Wood Originals purchases over $50.
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)minorFSC certification ensures that materials come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. Displayed on website footer.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Kate Wood Originals competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Patagonia: Patagonia is a broad incumbent in sustainable apparel and lifestyle goods; it contextualizes Kate Wood's sustainable clothing/accessories expansion as participation in a category where much larger scaled brands already operate.
- Fossil Group: Fossil is a broad watch and accessories incumbent with global retail and licensing scale; it contextualizes Kate Wood's wooden watch niche as a specialized alternative inside a much larger fashion-watch market.
Direct peers
- Calfee Design: Calfee is a pioneer builder of bamboo-laminate and natural-fiber bicycles, directly comparable to Kate Wood's bamboo bike line on materials technology and premium urban-cycling positioning.
- Grover Bamboo Bicycles: Grover builds custom bamboo bicycles using natural fibers and adhesives, directly comparable to Kate Wood's bamboo bike category on craftsmanship and eco-material story.
- KAYU Surfboards: KAYU is Kate Wood's actual collaboration partner for sustainable bamboo surfboards; it is also a direct comparable as a sustainably-built surfboard brand targeting the same eco-conscious surf consumer.
- Proof Eyewear: Proof makes sustainable wood-and acetate-based sunglasses and optical frames, directly competing with Kate Wood's eyewear range on eco-materials, handcrafting story, and DTC channel mix.
- Sunski: Sunski offers recycled and bio-based sunglasses with a sustainability-first DTC brand, directly comparable to Kate Wood's eyewear positioning and target eco-conscious consumer.
- Bamboo Bike Studio: Bamboo Bike Studio hand-builds bamboo bicycles with natural fiber joints, directly mirroring Kate Wood's bamboo + hemp-fiber construction approach and artisan positioning.
- TENSE Wood Watches: TENSE produces handcrafted wooden watches from Canadian woods, overlapping directly with Kate Wood's watch line on materials, craftsmanship narrative, and premium pricing tier.
- WeWOOD: WeWOOD is one of the original wooden watch brands, directly competing with Kate Wood's core watch category on natural-material, FSC-style positioning. Highly comparable product, customer, and price band.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kate Wood Originals social profiles
Digital presenceKate Wood Originals financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kate Wood Originals leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kate Wood Originals funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kate Wood Originals M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kate Wood Originals
What does Kate Wood Originals do?
Kate Wood Originals designs, handcrafts, and retails sustainable lifestyle products made primarily from natural wood, bamboo, and cotton-based acetate. The core offering includes wooden sunglasses (30-step handcrafted with UV400 lenses), wooden watches (Swiss Ronda movements, various wood types), bamboo bicycles (honey-wax-infused frames with hemp-fiber joints), sustainable clothing and accessories, and bamboo/wooden surfboards. Products are sold direct-to-consumer globally through the company website and a flagship store in Bali.
Is Kate Wood Originals a public or private company?
Kate Wood Originals is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kate Wood Originals founded?
Kate Wood Originals was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kate Wood Originals based?
Kate Wood Originals is headquartered in Central, Hong Kong SAR China, in the Asia region.
How does Kate Wood Originals make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are social Impact Donation.
Who are Kate Wood Originals's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Patagonia and Fossil Group. Direct peers are Calfee Design, Grover Bamboo Bicycles, KAYU Surfboards, Proof Eyewear, Sunski, Bamboo Bike Studio, TENSE Wood Watches and WeWOOD.
Does Kate Wood Originals have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kate Wood Originals.
What industry is Kate Wood Originals in?
Kate Wood Originals's product category is Sustainable Wooden Lifestyle Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKABAK, Alternative Materials Fashion Jewelry (Acrylic/Resin/Wood/Fabric/Ceramic), with a secondary code of CRAAAJAK, Tech & Utility Accessories (Phone Cases, Watch Bands, Key Holders). Its NAICS code is 321999 and its SIC code is 2300.