The Shopper in Natural

A major difference with this next generation of bags is the leather. I love veg tan leather. It has a life of its own, ages beautifully, and is hard wearing, while maintaining subtle characteristics in its performance and appearance over time. It is created using natural ingredients in the tanning process which, for obvious reasons, is better... But there is always room for improvement and this particular veg tan leather is specific because it is part of a consortium of Italian veg tanneries. This consortium complies with the following ethical standards:

-100% By-product By-products of the meat industry are used from farms which comply with EU legislation on animal welfare. The use of by-products also addresses the problem of animal waste disposal.

-Metal Free The production process of our associated tanneries is metal-free, and always has been, thanks to the raw materials linked to the centuries old history of vegetable tanning. Traditional and natural products are used in a production process which respects the precepts of sustainability and circularity.

-Work Ethic The Consortium and all the associated tanneries ensure compliance with current regulations in the field of health, safety in the workplace, contracts and wages without discrimination of gender, and ethnicity or religious belief.

BUT Most importantly:

The associated tanneries use centralized consortium treatment plants, controlled by competent bodies that ensure the correct treatment and purification of tanning wastewater. According to the principles of circular economy of recover - recycle - reuse, the waste from the various processing steps is turned into useful raw materials for other supply chains.

Basically, these guys use water from the rivers and, when they are done with it, it is thoroughly cleaned to not decrease the quality of water or the environment it travels through. If you have read this far, thank you! I know it’s just a bag, but all the qualities in the process of how an object is made and where it comes from are important. I used to think that these things were a given and should not have to be explained, but it seems I’m wrong....This consortium (Pelle Conciata Al Vegetale in Toscana) has been working towards clean water technology for a long time and, to be honest, this is not a given and should be known about...and maybe one day be the norm!

If we don't say anything, no one will know and the quality we should expect as normal will get polluted with lesser versions. So this is how a good product should be made and what you should expect. It is these points above that you are paying for as a customer. Other people’s genuine thoughts and efforts towards the product, its environment, and the time taken to carry it out.