Our leather, an eco-responsible choice!
If you only remember 4 things about our leather:
- All of our leather is repurposed from the agricultural food industry. No cows were raised to produce it!
- It is processed in France, through short supply chains, in compliance with some of the strictest environmental and social standards in the world.
- It is an extremely resistant material that will develop a patina and grow more beautiful with time. This allows us to craft bags and wallets that will stay with you for a long time. It is the exact opposite of fast fashion.
- No other material currently meets these criteria for quality and sustainability.
Why do we prefer leather?
Our main reason is quality. Did you know that a cowhide leather like the one we use is the guarantee of a product that is extremely resistant over time?
Leather is a very solid natural material, which possesses unparalleled resistance to abrasion and aging. Unpigmented leather on the surface, like the ones we use, will even improve with age. It will develop a patina, darken, and shine slightly.
Our second reason is the upcycling of waste into a noble and sustainable product. Indeed, all our leathers come from skin residues from the food industry. No animal was raised to produce the leathers worked in our workshops.
As long as humans consume meat, milk, or wool, it will be necessary to repurpose the hides from these farms. Without this natural and ancestral upcycling, hundreds of tons of hides would have to be processed through a costly and polluting rendering, landfilling, or incineration process. To avoid this waste, the hides are recovered and crafted to create a high-quality product: leather.
Furthermore, we also work with leather because it is:
- Almost waterproof: even untreated, leather protects your personal belongings from the elements without its quality being altered.
- Possessing an exceptional feel: we do not add any synthetic surface pigments, in order to offer you a soft and supple leather. A sensory experience, a fullness, and an incomparable feel!
- Repairable: our expertise allows us to offer you the repair of your old products rather than buying new ones. Because responsible consumption is also about saying no to overconsumption and disposable products.
What about plant-based alternatives and vegan leather?
You have to be careful with the terms “vegan leather” or “plant-based leather,” as they are misnomers. Leather that is not animal leather does not exist!
However, we fully understand and respect the choice of vegans who do not wish to consume any animal products. In order to avoid having to choose between veganism and "Made in France," we are working on alternatives to leather for future collections. We are actively looking for other materials that are satisfactory in terms of durability, strength, price, tactile quality, and suppleness.
Our approach has always been guided by the eco-responsibility of our products and our brand's impact on the planet. To avoid pollution, we must consume less. And to consume less, we must invest in sustainable products.
Unfortunately, vegan or plant-based leather alternatives do not align with these core values. They are not synonymous with quality or eco-responsibility.
- Faux leather is a product composed primarily of petroleum-derived plastics. It consists of a layer of polyurethane typically applied to a textile base, which itself is very often made of polyester.
- This is also the case for so-called "plant-based or organic" materials, made from apple, grape, cactus, mushrooms, etc. For these products, 15% to 30% organic matter is added to the polyurethane base. This layer is then applied to a polyester textile base. The overall organic content of the product is very limited compared to the plastic content.
- The durability of textiles or faux leather is very low. Its resistance to time and friction is significantly lower than that of leather. It is a product that will degrade quickly and age poorly, unlike a leather product that will develop a patina and last much longer. As soon as the thin layer of polyurethane wears off in high-friction areas, the textile material underneath will become visible. The same applies to a canvas bag, which will quickly wear out and develop holes.
- Recycling faux leather is costly and complicated: in most cases, these items are difficult to repair or upcycle and will ultimately need to be incinerated or sent to a landfill.
Alternative materials are generally chosen by fashion players for two reasons:
- They are vegan materials that meet the expectations of those who have adopted this lifestyle.
- Faux leathers and textiles are about 10 times cheaper than genuine leather. Thus, some major brands manage to manufacture, in Asia, where the average salary is less than €100 per month, a highly functional synthetic canvas backpack for €1.99. This is what we are fighting against.
So, genuine leather or plant-based alternative?
A genuine leather bag lasts much longer than a synthetic or “apple leather” bag. It will even get better looking with time! No leather alternative offers such durability.
We remain constantly on the lookout for new eco-friendly leathers and vegan materials in order to one day find the one that will allow us to offer you acceptable and affordable quality, without compromising our standards and values.
With this in mind, and to further reduce our ecological impact, we work through short supply chains. Our leather is produced in an EPV-certified tannery in Occitanie, a historic leather-producing region. Our tannery works for the biggest luxury brands. For you, this is a guarantee of high-quality leather and compliance with some of the strictest social and environmental standards in the world. Standards regarding water recovery and filtration, the use of dyes, leather conditioners, and other products, as well as labor regulations (hours, working conditions, wages, age, etc.) are scrupulously respected.
