Kobo
Kobo offers 10 products on RevWix across Electronics & Tech, with an average ethics score of 79.5/10 and recurring certifications including FSC Certified, B Corp, Energy Star.
Standards & certifications
Verified credentials appearing across Kobo's product range.
Ethics breakdown
Average scores across our scoring pillars.
- Environment38.8/10
- Sourcing37.3/10
- Labor37/10
- Transparency33.6/10
- Animal Welfare31.2/10
Categories covered
Where Kobo shows up across our directory.
- Electronics & Tech10
What reviewers highlight
Strengths mentioned most often across Kobo's products.
- ✓Long battery life
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Excellent IPX8 waterproof rating for worry-free bath reading
- ✓High recycled content and carbon-neutral certification
- ✓Large 10.3-inch screen ideal for reading and annotating PDFs
- ✓Solid note-taking functionality with included stylus
Sustainability commitments
"Made with 85% recycled post-consumer plastic, FSC-certified packaging, and carbon-neutral certified through Climate Neutral. Kobo is a B Corp since 2020."
"The Clara HD is designed with a focus on reducing plastic consumption and providing a longer-lasting battery life to decrease electronic waste."
"Waterproof for longevity, adjustable colour reduces screen strain."
Kobo scores & reviews
Product scorecard
| # | Product | Ethics | Shopper rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakuten Kobo Elipsa 2E | 92 | 4.2(890) | $399.00 |
| 2 | Kobo Clara HD E-reader | 90 | 4.6(700) | $129.99 |
| 3 | Kobo Libra Colour | eReader | 85 | 4.4(4,249) | $259.99 |
| 4 | Waterfi Waterproof Kindle Paperwhite (2021) 8GB | 85 | 4.5(4,785) | $129.99 |
| 5 | Kobo Libra H2O – NatureFriend Paperwhite E Ink Reader | 78 | 4.6(1,100) | $229.99 |
| 6 | Kobo Stylus 2 | 75 | 4.6(643) | $69.99 |
| 7 | Kobo Libra Colour | 75 | 4.4(944) | $259.99 |
| 8 | Kobo Clara 2E | 75 | — | $149.99 |
| 9 | Kobo Clara BW eReader | 75 | 4.5(683) | $159.99 |
| 10 | Kobo Clara Colour | 65 | 4.6(303) | $179.99 |
Products from Kobo
The Rakuten Kobo Elipsa 2E is a waterproof e-reader with note-taking capabilities, ideal for eco-conscious readers who want a sustainable, repairable device with a 10.3-inch glare-free screen. Designed with recycled plastics and packaged in FSC-certified materials, this e-reader supports digital note-taking and e-book reading in bath or pool settings. It offers 32GB storage, stylus support, and OverDrive library access, making it a top choice for students and professionals seeking an ethical, large-screen reading solution.
The Kobo Clara HD is an e-reader with a 6-inch screen, 8GB of storage, and listed adjustable screen color temperature. It may suit readers seeking a dedicated digital reading device, but the supplied claims about waterproofing, battery endurance, and 30% less plastic need verification before treating it as a durable or more sustainable choice.
The Kobo Libra Colour is a waterproof, colour E Ink eReader ideal for book lovers. With its built-in adjustable colour and dark mode options, it provides a comfortable reading experience. Suitable for those seeking an eco-friendlier alternative to tablets.
The Kobo Waterfi Waterproof Kindle Paperwhite (2021) 8GB is a waterproof ereader perfect for readers who want a durable, waterproof device without compromising features like adjustable screen brightness and built-in seven-inch glare-free Carta screen. It suits avid readers who enjoy lounging by the pool or bath, or those with curious kids.
The Kobo Libra H2O is a waterproof eReader, perfect for bookworms who love reading by the pool or in the bath. This eco-conscious device uses FSC Certified paper for its e-ink display, reducing its environmental impact.
Designed for Kobo eReaders, the Kobo Stylus 2 lets you mark up, write notes, and highlight text on your 7" Libra or Kobo Sage. With a built-in pen clip and USB-C charging, it suits note-takers who prefer a dedicated eReader stylus.
The Kobo Libra Colour is a top-rated waterproof eReader featuring a 7-inch colour E Ink display, perfect for avid readers who love to relax by the pool or take their library on holiday. Its sustainability highlights include a 100% recyclable frame and a long-lasting battery. Keywords include waterproof eReader, colour E Ink, long battery life.
The Kobo Clara 2E is a waterproof eReader suited for avid readers seeking a glare-free display, with a sleek, eco-friendly design.
The Kobo Clara BW is a 6-inch, waterproof eReader with a glare-free touchscreen, ideal for book lovers who enjoy reading in various environments and want a durable device.
The Kobo Clara Colour is a six-inch e-reader with a glare-free colour E Ink Kaleido™ 3 display, perfect for readers who prefer a versatile, eco-friendly reading experience. It's waterproof, has a dark mode option, and supports audiobooks.
How to read Kobo's ethics scores
Each Kobo product on this page carries a 0–100 score built from four checkable inputs: active third-party certifications, disclosed ingredients or materials, published supply-chain information, and the brand's watchdog record. Nothing here is based on Kobo's own marketing language.
The spread matters as much as the top score. If Kobo's highest and lowest products sit far apart, verification is being applied to some lines and not others — common when a company certifies a flagship range and leaves the rest undocumented. A narrow spread, even at a moderate average, usually signals a consistent policy.
Scores can move without any editorial change, because certification status is re-checked as pages refresh. A lapsed certificate, a new audit or a recall notice will all show up in the product's certification and notes sections.
Questions worth asking before buying Kobo
Start with ownership: a parent company's testing or sourcing policy can change what a claim on the packaging actually covers. Then check scope — a certification often applies to one fibre, facility or ingredient rather than the whole product.
Finally, compare within the category rather than against Kobo's own range. A mid-scoring product can still be the strongest verified option at its price, and a high-scoring one can be beaten by a cheaper certified alternative.
What each score input covers
| Input | What we check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Certifications | Active listings in public registers, with scope and expiry | Only externally audited claims can be revoked |
| Ingredients & materials | Full disclosure, hazard flags, recycled or organic content | Comparable without trusting brand narrative |
| Transparency | Named suppliers, factories or audit summaries | Shows whether claims survive scrutiny |
| Record | Recalls, regulator rulings and greenwashing findings | Best short-term signal of quality control |
Buying Kobo with confidence
- Verify the mark, not the adjectiveSearch the certifier's register for the exact product line.
- Check the parent companyOwnership changes what cruelty-free or organic claims cover.
- Compare in-categoryThe same score means different things across categories.
- Read open notes firstAn unresolved recall outweighs a few score points.
Frequently asked
Is Kobo an ethical brand?+
Kobo's standing here is the average of its scored products, built only from verifiable inputs: active certifications, disclosed ingredients or materials, published supply-chain data and its recall or regulator record. Where a claim cannot be checked in a public register, it earns nothing.
Is Kobo certified by third parties?+
Any certification we could confirm appears on the individual product cards above. Marks shown are matched to the certifier's own register; self-declared logos and internal awards are not counted.
Why do Kobo products have different scores?+
Scores are per product, not per brand. Differences usually come from certification scope, ingredient or material disclosure, and packaging — a certified flagship can sit far above an undocumented line from the same company.
Are there better alternatives to Kobo?+
Compare within the category rather than the brand: category rankings list the highest-scoring verified options at each price level, so you can see whether a cheaper certified alternative beats the Kobo product you were considering.