Our mission is to make beautiful bags and accessories better.
BE BETTER is our programme for achieving this objective. These are our five principal pledges.
1. Intentional Production
At the heart of STOW lies a rare belief that small business is good business. Like a maker of fine wine, our production is limited.
Our proprietary atelier only allows for the crafting of five thousand bags a year and we are not growing. This is what we call "The 5,000 Limit" - a deliberate commitment to quality over quantity, substance over scale, and people over profit margins.
By choosing to remain intentionally small, STOW rejects waste and growth for growth's sake, focusing instead on sustainable production that honours both their artisans and their customers. Our bags are usually on pre-order but never discounted. This self-imposed limit creates the natural exclusivity that comes with limited and sustainable production—not through artificial scarcity tactics, but through the genuine constraints of handcrafted excellence. Every one of those 5,000 pieces represents a conscious choice to do better, be better, and prove that true luxury doesn't require endless expansion.
In a similar fashion, we are slowly building our collection with fresh styles released thoughtfully. We do not chase newness to satisfy a mindless retail calendar. The mantra that less is more is very much in-line with our design philosophy. Clean lines, details with purpose, nothing for pure adornment.
2. No Sales or Discounts
This is a practice employed by most of the luxury and fashion sector, to encourage over consumption and clear stock.
We don’t think it is fair for someone to pay full price one week, only to see the same item for 30% off or more the following week.
Given our intentional production philosophy, we are therefore often out of stock. Similarly, we release new designs and colours thoughtfully, with longevity in mind. Clearing stock because a style is no longer relevant, is not part of our playbook.
We make this pledge which many brands are not willing or able to make. We believe it verifies our commitment to actively practicing sustainability and not simply talking about it.
3. Handmade and Honest
In 2023 we became fully integrated with our original, family-run manufacturing partner, meaning we are one of the few luxury bag brands with in-house craftsmanship. It also means you know exactly who you are buying from.
Ubrique artisan craftsmanship is employed by the leading global brands in luxury and we are proud to be part of the town’s rich history and future.
All STOW styles are carefully crafted by hand, some taking over 10 hours to finish with up to 70 steps in the process.
Our factory is socially audited and considered a fantastic place to work by the local population.
It is only by working as an integrated brand and factory that we are able to achieve the commitments we make in this programme. Collectively we are striving to add more pledges and make STOW even BETTER.
4. Better Materials
All the leather we use, whether inside or out, is all from certified LWG (Leather Working Group) tanneries. This certification means that a tannery meets high environmental and social standards, including those related to water and energy usage, waste management, and chemical management, as well as ethical workplace practices.
The vast majority of the leather we use is from the prestigious Curtidos Badia tannery in Igualada, Spain. Their leathers are considered some of the best in the industry and when you see, touch and smell our bags, we think know you will see why.
We don’t waste leather, we use offcuts for smaller items. We actively employ unwanted leather, either from our own stocks or from other factories in Ubrique, as reinforcement materials.
Good leather is one of the most sustainable materials available for making bags. Our origins and DNA are in leather but we are also investigating the use of next generation materials. To this end we are collaborating with Uncaged Innovations (a US group developing cutting-edge materials) in their bio material development. Their Elevate material has leather-like qualities but is made from non-animal, natural products with almost zero plastic and has an extremely low carbon footprint.
5. Plastic Free Footprint
There is a lot of plastic in a typical luxury bag (a lot of it invisible in the form of reinforcement materials, many of which comprise plastic micro fibres).
From April 2024, our production no longer uses any form of plastic reinforcement.
In fact, a lot of the reinforcement material we use is surplus leather. Leather which could very easily end up being thrown away, we are able to reposition to strengthen and shape our bags, avoiding the need to use new resources.
This is a huge step forward and has been possible through the use of innovative, natural reinforcement materials, having our own factory and the relationship we have in the town of Ubrique.