Piper & Skye Sustainable Handbags

Why To Buy: Piper & Skye handbags are the epitome of subtle luxury. Each of the rare, luxurious handbags and accessories are handmade in New York and Toronto and defines the company ethos: Responsible Luxury.

Piper & Skye values responsibility first and foremost when creating its collections. Piper & Skye’s signature materials include Pirarucu fish leather, an innovative and environmentally responsible material. Traditionally, Pirarucu has been fished for food and historically discarded as a waste by-product, today this leather alternative has lowered C2 emissions and assists in avoiding deforestation of the Amazon. The skins of the South American Pirarucu are tanned at an award-winning sustainable tannery which has been a partner of theirs for years.

Founder and Creative Director, Joanna MacDonald has launched a nonprofit organization which supports overrun shelters to transition residents into safe and affordable homes by way of partnering with local property management companies.

What we love: Piper & Skye considers the impacts of everything it does, while designing and creating high-quality luxury accessories with care and concern for everything this planet embodies. Joanna MacDonald credits her late grandmother for teaching her the value of carrying a piece of fashion that was made with genuine purpose. Joanna believes the future of luxury goods lies in being environmentally-conscious, ethically-minded, and responsible for ensuring the supply chain and materials sourcing is sustainable. Every handbag has a story to tell.

Piper & Skye works to ensure the fair and ethical treatment of all those who work with their supply chain partners and is dedicated to creating extraordinary exotic leather accessories with care and concern for people, animals, and the environment. Carrying a rare Piper & Skye accessory showcases your commitment to change the world for better and sets you apart in any crowd. Get used to being stopped and asked “where did you get that bag?!”

Price:  Small Goods: $85-$385 / Bags: $425-$1,795 | Shop it now: www.piperandskye.com

Customized handbags bags by Vertana

Why to buy: Vertara is a young luxury brand from the San Francisco Bay Area with tall aspirations and firm convictions. Vertara believes empowered women empower women. Its mission: enable power, voice, and choice. The Vertara team is majority owned, operated, and managed by women; and 10% of Vertara’s annual profits are committed to gender equality initiatives.

Vertara’s exclusive handbags are built to order. The company renders designer accessories in 3D and creates them to the specifications of their discerning customers. This approach minimizes waste; the brand neither holds inventory nor discards unsold stock. Vertara’s brilliant designs strike the elusive balance between avant-garde form and elevated function. By creating a modern classic which is intrinsically one-of-a-kind, Vertara encourages women to do more, choose well, buy less, and make it last.

The Vertara team evaluated hundreds of producers to identify suppliers that met Social Accountability 8000 standards and were based in developing countries. Today, every Vertara bag is meticulously handcrafted by women artisans in India. Vertara practices sustainability in a holistic 3E approach: it is a business which is ethical, environmentally conscious, and equitable.

What we love:  Vertara is the answer to the conscious urban woman’s fashion conundrum: “can I be the proud owner of a handbag that is fair and fabulous, and fully functional at the same time?”. Vertara’s unique designs are inspired by global movements that challenge gender-based stereotypes. Asteria Prêt reflects imagery of iconic women in French Military as its phone pocket reminds us how women broke free from the corset. The over-the-shoulder Asteria Métallique is a bold insignia like the Epaulette. Urban Triad’s vertical design urges women to stand tall and stand-up. Ember epitomizes industrial chic: a woman’s tool belt for handsfree independence.

We love the touch and feel of a Vertara bag! 100% top grain leather speaks for itself. Structured Vertara silhouettes offer effortless versatility and styling. Urban Triad (featured in the picture) is 3-bags-in-1: day-bag, clutch, and laptop case! Ember can be styled as a clutch, wristlet, belt-bag, cross-body, and more! Asteria is the art of sprezzatura: just one bag and a few chic accessories offer effortless mix and (mis)match options!

“Vertara” is derived from Latin “Ver” (True) and Vedic “Tara” (Astral Goddess of strength). A Vertara handbag is a powerful essential: customize one to embrace your true star.

Price:  65 – 685 € / $ 75-795 USD |  Discount Code: TrueStarLuxider30 | Shop it now: VERTARA

Eco-conscious Jewellery by Jemma Whitehouse

Why to buy: At Jemma Whitehouse they are mindful of the challenges facing humanity, including the impact on the environment, which is why they believe it is vital to help in the journey towards sustainability. Proud to be an eco-conscious jewellery brand, using only recycled Sterling Silver and 9k Yellow Gold in their collections as well as producing only the required quantity eliminates the dependence of mass-produced, cheaply made jewellery. Using solid silver and Gold means that the jewellery is made to last. The packaging they use is made from 100% recycled materials.

In addition, a donation from each sale goes to a non-profit organisation, One Tree Planted. Working with One Tree Planted allows Jemma Whitehouse to offset carbon emissions from shipping orders all over the world, and be a part of something greater. Not only do reforestation projects help the planet, but they give jobs to local communities and provide new homes for wildlife.

What we love: Jemma Whitehouse jewellery is made ‘for life’s unfolding chapters’ and each original piece is designed and handmade by Jemma. They are unique sculptural pieces infusing her curiosity for ideas beyond the physical realm. As well as working with concepts she sees in her mind’s eye, Jemma draws inspiration from literature, movement and emotion – bridging the divide between our internal and external worlds. Each collection is an embodiment of such narratives, to travel with you on your own journey. They are there to ignite imagination, evoke emotion and capture truths and aspirations.

“The Jewellery is textured, some parts polished and others not, a reflection of life’s dance through light and dark” – declares the designer. The patterns in each piece comprise of symmetry, an embodiment of the notion that one element cannot exist without the other. Everyone has their own story to tell and Jemma wanted to create a brand that celebrates that.

Price: From 230 € / $ 260 USD  |  Shop it now: JEMMA WHITEHOUSE

One-of-a-kind Accessories by Krnach

Why to buy: You can make radical choices to challenge the mass production within the fashion industry! Krnach’s choice is both avant-garde and transparent. Using strike-offs, remnants and scrap materials that derive directly from Italian textile mills, then transforming them into one-of-a-kind accessories. The result is a series of beautiful bags, handcrafted in Italy, limited edition by nature and designed with passion.

The zip pouches are completely made from sample textile swatches.  Mixing and matching different fabrics together provides a second life to performance materials that are unable to biodegrade. The packaging is completely upcycled, recyclable or compostable leading to a circular eco-life. Krnach represents a piece of fashion’s industrial process and reworks it into a sustainable key.

What we love: You never know what you’re going to get with a Krnach bag and that is the reality behind this brand.  The designer mixes and matches materials in a beautifully unconventional way and obtains unique pieces. The array of fabrics are endless: fuzzy fleeces, ultralight transparent nylons, prints, solids, wools, jacquards, and the list goes on and on.  The minimalist shape allows the full creative force of the material to shine through.

Extending the fabric’s life cycle well beyond that of their initial purpose, Krnach unveils a truly sustainable fashion accessory.

Price: $129 – $445 / €110 – €380 |  Shop it now: KRNACH

‘Seastainable’ Eyewear by Sea2See

Why to buy: Sea2see design and produces optical frames and sunglasses entirely made with recycled marine plastic waste collected in collaboration with fishermen in Spain, France, Ghana and Senegal.The aim of the company is to create a global consciousness in regard to the issue of sea contamination through a stylish product that anybody can wear with pride.

They don’t produce glasses, but a statement of change. Where others see waste, they see raw material. Sea2see strongly believes that sustainable products design, use and assembly is a duty and one of the greater challenges of our time, that’s why they have decided to produce differently. Every second, 256 kg of plastic ends up in our Oceans, isn’t it time to act!

Celebrities such as Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz already showed interest for their cause and already wear Sea2see. The model Spy (on image) is one of our favourite, but not the only one. Have a look!

What we love:  Sea2See collaborates with fishing communities in 27 ports of Spain and 10 coastal areas of Ghana in order to collect discarded marine plastic waste such as fishnets, ropes, lines, or bottles. Its UPSEA waste collection program is active in Ghana and Senegal where coastal waste collection was inexistent. The company gives value to the waste and reward the fishermen for what they collect, hence having a direct impact on the environment and providing a new source of income to the communities.

Sea2see is the first eyewear brand manufactured with UPSEA™ recycled plastic Cradle to Cradle certified. The Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program is the world’s most advanced, science-based standard for designing and making products for the Circular Economy.  Sea2See also has the PETA-APPROVED VEGAN label for its entire collection.

Price:  110€  – 129$ USD |  Shop it now: SEA2SEE

High-performance business-casual clothing BaronMerino

Why to buy: „Merino wool meets sports underwear“. For the first time, BaronMerino® combines Merino wool with Meryl® Skinlife – an innovative material mainly used for sports underwear. Their unique production process bonds the fibers in a way that ensures that only the soft, high-tech material comes into contact with the skin. Retaining all the natural benefits of Merino wool while adding significant advantages.

It feels great on the skin, doesn’t scratch and is hypoallergenic. It regulates body temperature in all weather conditions, keeping you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. It remains fresher longer (both materials neutralize the bacteria that cause body odor). It preserves and maintains the natural pH balance of the skin. And the high-tech fiber reinforces the Merino wool making it more durable and keeping it in shape longer, even after frequent washing. It also pulls moisture away from the skin and evaporates it quickly, thereby avoiding sweating.

What we love: BaronMerino® is a fashion startup based in the heart of the Austrian Alps. The founder of the company has worked in the corporate world for the last 10 years and knows first-hand that when things get stressful at the office it’s important to feel comfortable and look professional so you can perform your best.

“We often found ourselves asking why the clothes we wear to the office every day were never as comfortable, durable and functional as the clothes we wear for sports. So, we created BaronMerino® – a company on a mission to sustainably produce the most high-performance business-casual clothes on the planet!” – BaronMerino® underlines.

BaronMerino® is produced responsibly in Austria in compliance with the highest industry standards for ethical and fair working conditions. The company sources the materials sustainably wherever possible and is always working to minimize its ecological footprint in any way they can.

Price: 85-127 € /$98 -$145 USD |  Shop it now: BARONMERINO.COM

Modern, classic sustainable pieces by Modern Capsule

Why to buy: Modern Capsule is a sustainable new brand offering modern, clean and classic pieces to build a modern wardrobe with functional looks. They create timeless pieces and modern silhouettes that are classic with a twist. They are made to be seasonless and lasts for many years to come. Modern Capsule is modern and sophisticated and luxurious at an affordable price.

They pride themselves on being completely sustainable and work on small orders and pre-orders for styles out of stock.

What we love: For its first collection, Modern Capsule used sustainable fabrics like Cupro and Tencel. Each piece can be worn in multiple ways. The company wanted to create a capsule collection that is transformable and allows the customers to wear it their own way and allows them to come up with their own style and creativity. They can style it their own way and make each piece truly theirs and unique to their own style.

Modern Capsule also believes in giving back and donates 10% of its profits to charity.

Price: 85 € to 120 € / $ 99 to $ 140 USD for Clothing | 15 € to 55 €  / $ 17 to $ 65 USD for Jewellery

Shop it now: www.modern-capsule.com

The perfect white shirt for eco-conscious women by Collaroy

Why to buy: Collaroy is the result of many years searching for the perfect white shirt for women. Collaroy shirts are a basic in your wardrobe, and last in time practically intact.

Aware of the environment and concerned about the pollution produced by the manufacture of synthetic garments, Collaroy manufactures its garments with 100% natural fabrics from textile factories in Catalonia, Spain. Betting on making in local workshops by authentic sewing professionals, each garment is treated as a small work of art, with special attention to every detail. The quality shows from the beginning to the end. The iconic signature garment is the white linen shirt, although other garments have been incorporated into the collection.

What we love: Collaroy believes in the elegance of simplicity. Basic garments that are worth investing in, for their quality, their preparation and for being garments that will remain in our undisturbed wardrobes. The cut of the garments looks for femininity without being tied to any ephemeral fashion, they are garments that feel good and make you feel good because the combination of buying clothes and caring for the planet is possible.

The garments are designed for the current woman who is not satisfied with any garment, in Collaroy quality and elegance go hand in hand.

Price:  From 40€ to 105€, 47$ to 123$ |  Shop it now: COLLAROY

100% Recycled Performance Wear by Rockay

Why to buy: Rockay is a Danish sportswear brand, heavily focused on performance, product durability, and sustainability. It started out as a passion project of an ultra-marathoner Daniel Chabert from Copenhagen, who wanted the best solution for quality running socks that are also ethically-made. Today, Rockay’s vision is to inspire change with high-end performance activewear and invite everyone to join a global sustainability movement to stop senseless waste.

The brand is known for intensive product testing, impeccable design, and sustainable choices. Its 100% recycled sock and sleeve collection is a true game-changer in the world of sports apparel and sustainable fashion. Rockay collects and reuses waste, such as fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring, and plastic, from landfills and oceans all over the world. The packaging is also made from recycled materials, where the inks are natural-based and everything is wrapped up in biodegradable polybags.

What we love: Rockay is not an everyday brand, focused on sales and overproduction. After traveling around the world and witnessing devastating views of plastic waste in the oceans and landfills, Daniel Chabert decided to do something about it. His passion for running and a mission with sustainability is how Rockay was born. The company carefully chooses its suppliers and partners, so they are certified in relevant environmental and social areas (GRS, GOTS, Oeko Tex, Blue Sign, ISO standards, among others).

Rockay’s collection characterizes unisex design with both classic and vibrant colors, careful positioning of features that enhance performance, premium quality and durability, with a final touch of sustainable materials and packaging, as well as eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Everything is produced in Europe to reduce the environmental impact of travel and carbon footprint. Their long-term goal is to become carbon neutral and further support the sustainability movement.

Price: From 13.12 € / $14.99 to 37.12 € / $42.42 |  Shop it now: ROCKAY

Luxiders Magazine Print Issue 4