Kohler Co, a world-leading name in bathroom products, is celebrating 145 years of innovation and design excellence. Kohler’s journey, which began with a bathtub repurposed from a cast iron horse trough/ hog scalder, has seen many milestones with the company introducing several new award-winning products along the way, each one designed to improve the bathroom experience for households across the globe. Kohler has evolved into a global company today with manufacturing plants in 48 locations on five continents.
Founded by John Michael Kohler in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1873, Kohler was originally a manufacturer of farming implements. Since then, the company has forged a reputation for ground-breaking design and technology with a vast repertoire of beautiful fixtures, luxurious bathing experiences and the rare skill of melding art with design to create some of the most exquisite bathrooms in homes and hotels across the world.
Thanks to their pioneering approach, Kohler has several firsts to their credit. These innovations include the iconic Sok ‘overflowing’ bath in 2001; the DTV custom showering in 2006; Numi, the most advanced smart toilet in 2011; and Moxie the Bluetooth-enabled showerhead in 2013.
A popular choice for both consumers and design professionals, Kohler is also noted for introducing colour to bathroom fixtures such as basins, baths and toilets, beginning with pastels in 1927 and then going bolder and deeper in 1967. Since then, the brand has gone on to release multiple tapware collections in a choice of ‘precious’ metal PVD finishes such as Brushed Bronze, Rose Gold, Polished Gold and Brushed Nickel among many more.
Kohler’s collections have been recognised and honoured through a string of international design awards such as Good Design, Red Dot, iF and IDEA in addition to permanent exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Kohler’s contribution to design and user-experience is unparalleled; however, the brand is also known for their commitment to sustainability. In 2008, Kohler committed to a net zero environmental footprint by 2035, and is on track to achieve this significant goal.
The same year, Kohler was also awarded their first WaterSense award by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency; the company has since, received a WaterSense award every year.
