Important note: Shee Sen Tannery is temporarily not LWG Gold certified due to issues identified at the shared wastewater treatment facility in Kolkata, India (the Central Effluent Treatment Plant in Bantala) which is managed externally and used by multiple tanneries in the area.
The Leather Working Group (LWG) has suspended certification for tanneries connected to this facility until its operations are fully reviewed and independently verified. The tannery itself remains committed to responsible practices and is actively involved in the process toward reinstatement.The Leather Working Group is currently in dialogue to arrange an inspection of the facility, with a review expected in early 2026. Certification can be reinstated once the facility meets LWG’s requirements again. Here you can read the statement of LWG.We stay in close contact with our suppliers and continue to follow this process carefully, prioritising transparency and responsible sourcing at every step.
Sustainable Materials
Ensuring the longevity and durability of our bags is critical in our design process. At the same time, we always strive toward choosing sustainable, low-impact materials.
Shee Sen Tannery temporarily not LWG Gold certified
Leather
Our premium quality leather is tanned without the use of chromium. We choose to work with naturally tanned leather, not only because of its safety for people and the planet but also because it gives all our products their natural trademark look. To verify the absence of chromium, the leather is tested by independent laboratories. Instead of chromium, vegetable tannins are used in the tanning process.
To ensure a best practice tannery, we work with Leather Working Group (LWG) Gold certified tanneries: Il Ponte and Shee Sen Leather Pvt. The Leather Working Group (LWG) Audit Standards provide transparency and accountability within the leather supply chain, covering energy and water usage, worker health and safety, safe chemical practices, and wastewater management. A 'Gold' rating is the highest standard a tannery can receive. 100% of our leather comes from these highest rated tanneries.
If you want to know more about the tanning process of sustainable leather, click here.
Energy consumption
Water management
Effluent treatment
Safe working conditions
Ditching the dirty.
35700mg
of harmful chemicals avoided per Dirty Harry
20%
of the water used in the tanning process is water collected during the monsoon season
Uppeal™
Uppeal™ is part of our vegan collection, produced by two innovative factories, Frumat and Mabel Synthetic, who are based in Italy. This is a bio-based material made from apples which utilizes the waste from the local fruit juice and apple sauce industry. Just like our real leather bags, this vegan alternative to leather is also a by-product of an industry to utilize “waste” as a resource. It’s a durable and low-impact material that is 100% vegan.
In addition to providing an alternative to leather for our vegan customers, we are excited to support the innovation and development of new sustainable materials in the industry. This includes improving the footprint of our existing process, and as technology develops in the vegan leather space, exploring additional materials that match our sustainability goals.
If you would like to read more about the production of Uppeal™, click here.
MIRUM ®
Made from plants, not plastic.
Guided by our bold mission, we are continuously researching and testing innovative materials for our bags. We’re excited to add MIRUM® to our vegan collection in 2024.
MIRUM® is the world’s first plastic-free alternative to leather, boasting an impressively low carbon footprint - significantly lower than conventional leather and leather alternatives. Additionally, the material is a 100% biobased.
This plant-based leather alternative is made from responsibly sourced natural rubber, plant-based oil, natural pigments and minerals. Designed to look and feel like real leather, it’s durable, water resistant and 100% vegan. MIRUM® is layered on a GOTS certified organic cotton backing.
Curious and want to know more? Click here to read how MIRUM® is made.
Organic & Recycled Cotton
Next to leather, cotton is a material we use a lot, for the lining on the inside of our bags, the webbing straps and the dustbags. All the cotton fabric we use comes from Dibella India, an innovative organization based in the South of India that shares our values, ensures traceability up to farmer level and also ensures that the cotton farmers receive a fair price.
All our cotton is certified. The fabric of our signature lining is 100% recycled cotton, certified by Global Recycle Standard (GRS). The webbing straps and dustbags are Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified. The dyes used for our webbing straps are organic too.
We prioritize switching to recycled cotton fabric for our signature lining as a first step in lowering our materials impact. Avoiding or minimising the use of virgin fibres and increasing the use of recycled fibres significantly lowers a product's environmental impact - especially from water usage in the cultivation phase of cotton production.
