Impact report
Every bag begins with a material decision
Long before it is carried, its footprint is shaped by what it is made of. At O My Bag, we know that sustainability is not about perfection.
how we do this
01
Responsible materials
02
Circular initiatives
Material breakdown 2025
Durability and longevity guide our material choices, which is why leather remains at the heart of our collection. Our leather meets LWG Gold standards, the highest for responsible leather production.
The vegetable-tanning process avoids hazardous chemicals, resulting in safer working conditions and cleaner water systems for local communities.
"Leather sometimes gets a bad reputation, but in terms of durability, it’s actually the best material for bags."
Paulien, founder & CEO
leading the way
Leather is a by-product of the meat and dairy industry. While we can trace hides to the tannery level, full traceability back to the farm-level origin remains complex. With the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), companies will need to disclose cattle origins. We welcome this opportunity and continue working to strengthen traceability and reinforcing responsible sourcing.
In 2025, issues at the shared wastewater treatment facility in Kolkata led to the suspension of LWG Gold certification for all tanneries connected to it, including our partner Shee Sen. Although unrelated to its internal operations, Shee Sen remains committed to responsible production and is actively working toward reinstatement, with an inspection of the LWG in the Kolkata Leather Complex expected in 2026. We continue to stay in close dialogue with our partner.
Hardware
Hardware
Zippers, buttons, and hooks carry a significant footprint. In 2025, we began reviewing all hardware and working with suppliers to develop more responsible options, focusing on corrosion-resistant materials, non-toxic finishes, and cleaner processes. This sets the foundation for a key 2026 priority: using less and better hardware.
Dustbag
Dustbag
Each dust bag that protects an O My Bag is sewn by a group of women near Kolkata, providing stable income and greater independence for themselves and their families.
Leather alternatives: where we stand
Second Chances,
keeping bags in circulation
+30% growth
In 2025, we sold 1,145 Second Chances bags, representing 3.44% of total sales with a +30% growth in sales compared to 2024.
Our Second Chances program gives our bags a longer life, keeping them in use, valued, and moving from one owner to the next.
Pre-loved
O My Bag pieces aren’t always kept in the same wardrobe forever. When a bag is no longer used, it can be returned in exchange for a gift card, ready to start a new chapter with someone else.
perfectly imperfect
Not every bag leaves production completely flawless. Some carry small marks or slight variations from their original design due to production or shipping. Rather than letting them go to waste, we offer these bags at a reduced price.
perfectly imperfect sold
723
pre-loved bags found a second home
422
Repairs: made to last
With our lifetime guarantee on hardware and production issues, we ensure our bags are made to last. In 2025, the bags that returned to us were on average 4.8 years old, a reflection of their lasting quality in everyday use. Each one carries a story of daily life, and more importantly, a story that continues.
1,689
repairs
were handled
IN 2025
a bag begins its journey
the first owner falls in love and carries it everywhere
something is broken. we repair.
because we offer a life-time warranty
finished your journey?
the owner returns the bag to us & receives a voucher
a second life
through the pre-loved program the bag finds a new owner
Constant quality
improvements
Our Second Chances and Repair programs give us valuable insights into how our bags perform over time. By analyzing customer feedback and repair data, we identify recurring issues and turn them into concrete design improvements.
We work closely with our producers and local Quality Control team in India to continuously improve construction, durability, and finishing. Our Quality Standard Book supports this process by aligning expectations across the supply chain and enabling on-site checks during production, reducing rejection rates and preventing unnecessary waste.
Our croco print leather
Our Croco Print Leather is a bold expression of responsible design, created by embossing a crocodile pattern into the leather. In this way, natural variations in the hides such as small tick bites, stretch marks, or light scratches, are seamlessly integrated into the texture. What once felt like a limitation now shapes our design. Helping us reduce waste and making the most out of every hide we work with.
Upcycling offcuts
Material efficiency does not stop at the cutting table. Up to 30% of leather is typically lost during the cutting process. Instead of discarding these remnants, we recover and repurpose as much as possible. By transforming offcuts into small leather goods, we turn excess material into new products, reflecting our commitment to thoughtful, resourceful design.
9,537 upcycled products
In 2025, we produced 65,246 items, of which 15% were upcycled using offcuts.