What is Cork?

Cork is a remarkable material that begins its journey in the Mediterranean as the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber). This natural wonder is hydrophobic, making it naturally water-repellent.

The Harvesting Process

Cork oak trees experience their first harvest after 25 years of growth. Expert laborers, with a precise and careful touch, use axes to peel the bark from the trees, ensuring no damage is done to the tree's living parts. Remarkably, a cork oak can offer up to 1.5 tons of cork over its lifetime, which can span up to 300 years. The cork is then processed through boiling to soften it and is ultimately transformed into a workable material without the need for harmful chemicals or practices. This process not only leaves the trees unharmed but actually enhances their ability to absorb carbon dioxide — to the tune of 3-5 times more than unharvested trees, making a substantial contribution to carbon offset.

From Bark to Fabric

The journey from rugged bark to supple fabric is one of patience and expertise. After the initial harvest, which is not used for fashion, the bark is left to weather naturally for six months. Following this, it is boiled for increased pliability and then crafted into thin sheets, which are supported with a fabric backing. The result is a high-durability, unique textile that stands out for its resilience and aesthetic appeal.

Why Choose Cork? The Benefits:

• Eco-Friendly: Cork oak trees regenerate their bark and capture more carbon dioxide in the process, helping to fight climate change.
• Natural: Comprised of pure cork attached to a backing of cotton or PU, maintaining its organic integrity.
• Unique: No two pieces of cork are identical, each with its own distinctive pattern, unlike standardized animal leather.
• Sustainable: A renewable resource that regrows every nine years, cork is a testament to sustainability in material production.
• Plant-Based: Harvested from trees without harm, cork provides a cruelty-free alternative to animal-derived materials.
• Soft & Durable: Despite its botanical origins, cork is surprisingly soft, yet resilient enough for use in various fashion items and even in aerospace by agencies like NASA.
• Stain and Scratch Resistant: Designed to withstand the elements, cork maintains its pristine condition over time.
• Insulating & Hypoallergenic: Cork's low conductivity makes it an excellent insulator, and its dust-repelling qualities make it hypoallergenic.
• Water Resistance: Cork's natural substance, suberin, acts as a waterproof barrier, making the material inherently impermeable. This allows cork to resist moisture effectively, contributing to its longevity without succumbing to deterioration typically associated with water exposure.
• Wear and Tear Resistance: The material's honeycomb structure lends it a high friction coefficient, adding to its robust nature.
• Slow Burning: An inherent fire retardant, cork's slow combustion rate offers an additional layer of safety.
• Extreme Lightness: With more than 50% of its volume being air, cork's lightweight nature is unparalleled.

The cork used in our products is sourced from reputable suppliers in Portugal, ensuring quality and sustainability from bark to finished product. We needed a leather alternative to make our bags more durable and to complement the vintage fabric and cork emerged as the optimal choice. Our conviction in this material reflects our dedication to both craftsmanship and environmental stewardship.

Linen, one of the oldest and most cherished textiles in human history, is a symbol of natural simplicity and an exemplar of sustainability in the fabric world.

Crafted from the flax plant, linen is inherently eco-friendly. Flax grows naturally and requires far less water and pesticides than cotton, making it a more sustainable crop. It thrives in rainfed conditions, drawing strength from the earth without imposing heavy irrigation demands. The entire plant is used in the production of linen, leaving no waste behind and embodying the principles of a circular economy.

Our linen's journey from plant to product is steeped in tradition, yet aligned with modern ecological values. It undergoes minimal processing, which not only retains its biodegradable qualities but also preserves the natural texture that gives linen its distinctive, timeless appeal.

Moreover, linen is a bastion of durability. It grows stronger with every wash and lasts generations, reducing the need for frequent replacements and the associated environmental impact. This longevity stands in defiance of the throwaway culture prevalent in today’s fast fashion industry.

We choose linen for the lining of our bags for its low environmental impact and its high cultural value. By incorporating this ancient, noble textile into our designs, we offer our customers not just a product, but a promise: a promise of enduring quality, unwavering sustainability, and timeless style.

Linen aligns with our ethos of sustainability, where we create products not just for the present but for a greener future.

Hemp stands out in the natural fiber realm for its extraordinary strength and durability. This resilient material boasts a tensile strength that is up to three times that of cotton, making it supremely suited for everyday use and capable of withstanding the rigors of wear and tear. This durability does not come at the expense of comfort or luxury; hemp naturally softens over time, offering a texture that is both pleasant to touch and robust enough to protect your valued possessions.

Moreover, hemp is a bastion of sustainability. It enriches the soil in which it's planted, leaving it in better condition for future cultivation. Known for its low environmental impact, hemp grows rapidly and requires significantly less water and no pesticides, making it a champion of eco-friendly agriculture. The fibers are naturally resistant to mold and ultraviolet light, ensuring that the fabric maintains its integrity and appearance over time without the need for synthetic protectants.

In our quest for sustainable excellence, we've chosen vintage, raw hemp for our dust bags. Each one of them is crafted from handwoven hemp, made using age-old methods that have been passed down through generations. This process not only gives each piece with a unique history but also ensures that the fabric's environmental footprint is minimal.

Our vintage hemp also excels in environmental stewardship, embodying the principle of 'reduce, reuse, recycle.' In its second life as a dust bag, the fabric continues to provide value, reducing the need for new materials and the environmental strain that their production would entail. By repurposing existing materials, we not only reduce the demand for new resources but also honor the work of artisans who have crafted these textiles with skills honed over lifetimes. Handmade from scratch, our hemp dust bags represent not just a protective enclosure for your belongings, but a continuation of a legacy – one that treasures the planet and its traditions equally.

Through the use of hemp, we create products that not only stand the test of time but also contribute positively to the test of sustainability.

Our ‘Modernist traditional’ bags are lined with a material that is as gentle on your belongings as it is on the environment – raw cotton. This natural fabric is chosen for its breathability, softness, and enduring comfort. Its innate strength ensures durability while its hypoallergenic quality makes it kind to every skin type, embodying a seamless blend of protection and purity.

Our supplier, a family-run mill with over three decades of expertise in textile research and production, has brought to life a unique fabric that resonates with our ethos of sustainability and quality.

Sustainability is interwoven into the very threads of our raw cotton. Its journey begins in fields where it is grown with a commitment to preserving nature's delicate balance. The cotton is processed without harmful chemicals, using only organic, GOTS-certified dyes, making it a responsible choice for those who are mindful of the planet's future. This fabric represents a tradition of quality that's inherent not only in the textile itself but in the meticulous process of creating it.

This philosophy extends to the very fibers that hug the contents of your bag; our raw cotton is a testament to crafting things 'slowly and well'.

Metal Accessories

In crafting accessories that both accentuate style and stand up to time, we turn to metal components sourced from Italy's esteemed Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified suppliers. This certification isn't just a label; it's a guarantee that each metal piece, the sturdiest of buckles to the sleekest of clasps, meets rigorous environmental and safety standards, ensuring they are free from harmful substances.

Each buckle, clasp, and hook is selected not only for its unbeatable durability but also for its commitment to rigorous environmental and safety standards. Our metal elements are crafted to last, to resist wear and to gain character over time. Their robustness underscores our commitment to sustainable practices, intertwining the resilience of metal with a mindful artistry. In this way, we ensure our accessories remain enduring in both design and function.

Wooden Handles

For our limited edition 'Modernist traditional' bags we chose a wooden handle - a touch of nature's nobility. These handles represent the perfect balance between strength and environmental consideration, ensuring they leave a minimal footprint upon their natural return to the earth. The smooth, organic feel of the wood brings a sense of tranquil harmony to our design, celebrating the raw beauty of nature. In our commitment to sustainability, we not only prioritize materials that are kind to the earth but also support a life cycle that includes responsible production and the potential for recycling.

The tactile warmth of our wooden handles adds a serene, organic element to the design, seamlessly blending artisanal craftsmanship with the unrefined beauty of natural materials. This choice represents our dedication to an eco-conscious ethos that values the natural over the artificial, the enduring over the ephemeral.

rPET Cord

rPET, which stands for recycled polyethylene terephthalate is made by recycling plastics that were previously used as packaging materials, including plastic bottles. These plastics are collected, cleaned, and processed into flakes, which can then be melted down and spun into fibers to create a polyester fabric. Producing rPET uses less energy and water compared to virgin polyester and helps reduce plastic waste. By converting existing plastic into fabric, it prevents that plastic from ending up in landfills or the ocean. Furthermore, rPET can be recycled again after its second life as a fabric, contributing to a circular economy.

In our continuous journey to blend functionality with environmental stewardship, we chose rPET cord for the straps of our 'Village street style' bags, a material that showcases the remarkable potential of recycling. Crafted entirely from 100% recycled PET bottles, this innovative cord demonstrates a sustainable lifecycle that begins not with oil, but with reclaiming and repurposing what was once considered waste. Each strand of rPET cord is a testament to the possibility of a second life for plastic, transforming discarded bottles into durable and resilient fibers.

The inherent strength of these recycled fibers ensures that the straps can withstand the rigors of daily use without compromise. Resistant to wear and tear, rPET cords offer longevity that rivals traditional materials, ensuring that the choice for sustainability does not come at the expense of quality or performance.