Being Good
We believe in Being Good. This is more than just talking about ‘sustainability’ which, unfortunately, has become a window dressing exercise and marketing tool for many brands. For a more honest approach we looked at the heart of sustainability and the production and pricing of Real Luxury.
Good design, highest quality artisan manufacturing, the finest materials, fair pricing, producing in small batches - all with great care and consideration. We are passionate about the product we make, how it impacts the environment, and we want you to be more than proud of your STOW. We live for what we do.
STOW is Real Luxury, not a label.
The heart of sustainability:
Finding a better balance, which is fair for all - the environment, our customer and us.
We believe there’s a need to slow down. We make beautiful products which will last and remain relevant for a long time. We are non-seasonal, pursue endless style and don’t chase fast-changing trends.
We produce in small batches. We can do this by being closely aligned with our factory partner (see MAKING) and undertaking distribution with them - we aim to make products flexibly as we see the demand, rather than order months in advance and risk overstocking.
We set fair prices which, given the materials and providence, will not be found elsewhere. There is no magic in this, rather just a case of us accepting a little less than others.
We do not undertake seasonal or promotional discounting, rather keeping fair prices year-round. We do charge a small amount towards the cost of shipping because we set our prices honestly in the first place. We believe this to be the fairest combined product pricing and shipping policy for all.
Really fair prices, no pressure to unnecessarily update product, no discounting to stimulate false demand and risk annoying our customers.
All part of Being Good.
Leather and materials
We only source leather from LWG certified suppliers. The Leather Working Group is the leading environmental certification for leather and means it is tanned in an environmentally responsible way. Both our smooth and pebbled outer leather are from the prestigious Badia tannery in Catalonia. This is some of the finest and, correspondingly, dearest, leather available. You will definitely notice the difference in touch, appearance and wear.
We use very limited metal hardware, instead searching for smart ways to design and make products without this impact. We use YKK Natulon zips which have 100% recycled polyester zip tape. Our lining is either faux suede made with 100% recycled polyester or LWG certified goatskin suede.
If you would like more information on the key materials we use, please see the following links: Badia leather, YKK Natulon zips, Textilin linings.
The 3Rs
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Less is more for sure. Our design aesthetic reflects this. We make timeless, elegant pieces that will not only last a long time but will also look good for a long time.
When your STOW product has given you good use and you want to give it some TLC, we will be happy to provide a fair quote for a product refresh. Please see our FAQ for details on our repair and refresh service.
Perhaps the greatest homage to a lovely product is when, apparently nearing its useful end, it is gifted a new lease of life by being upcycled into a new product. There are so many talented, independent artisans around the world doing this kind of work. We enjoy watching videos of bags being transformed and would love to see this happen to STOW pieces in the future.
Packaging
We apologise in advance but we are finished with gift boxes. We don´t need them anymore. They almost always end up collecting dust somewhere and not serving much purpose after their initial opening.
We do hope you will enjoy though our beautiful dust bags which are also made in Spain and included with every STOW item. Designed to be useful, these plush BCI-certified cotton bags are great for packing clothes when you travel or for running a quick errand. They have a beautiful, blind embossed leather patch stitched on the front which is taken from leftover production leather. Smart, beautiful, less waste.
Everything else in our packaging can be recycled as per instructions in the shipping box. All of our shipments are made with DHL and we will always select their carbon neutral “Go Green” option at our cost.
Giving
We support UNHCR which is the UN Refugee Agency. It is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives and protecting the rights of refugees. Our belief is that there is no worse situation to be in and therefore this is where we want to lend, albeit a very small, hand. Folks who have been displaced are susceptible to all of the problems and issues that we in more comfortable, developed areas might face – disease, natural disasters, violence – but all of this while living in the discomfort and fear that is life when you are forced to be away from what you call home.
We are committed to giving €1 for every purchase made on our STOW website.
