Sustainability

Our bags are delicately constructed by craftsmen in Lombardia, a region famous for its legacy of fastidious leatherwork. Here we follow strict labor laws that protect worker rights and fair wages. Secondly, the farms we source our leathers from provide jobs in communities that typically lack employment opportunities, thus improving livelihoods and reducing the incidences of poaching in nearby parks.

Given the methane emissions from cattle, crocodile leather actually has a much smaller carbon footprint than bovine leather. It's 100% biodegradable and we never use synthetic or plastic materials in our products. Our leathers are tanned in Italy which means that the environmental impact of this process is much more highly regulated than in most places outside of the EU. Lastly, because of the durability and timelessness of crocodile leather, our bags are to be treasured for generations, not simply for a season.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature actually advocates for the continued regulated trade of exotic reptile leathers. The scientific evidence shows that industries like ours can actually create an environment for preservation. All of our leathers are CITES certified by the UN, meaning that our materials are not from endangered species and they are produced in a way that protects animals from becoming endangered or threatened. Furthermore, by certifying each one of our bags under CITES we are continuously funding a branch of the UN that advocates for and protects other endangered species.

Within our workshop our bags are made in limited quantities, which prevents us from ever having to destroy unsold merchandise. Just like bovine leather, the animals reared for our leathers, are also bred for a variety of other uses. For example, both crocodile and ostrich meat are delicacies, given their healthy, lean nature compared to other kinds of red meat. Even an ostrich’s feathers are sold, and any other unused parts of these animals are often used for pet food or pet treats, ensuring that there is minimal wastage.

LAURUS uses only the highest-quality leathers, which are a direct result of the healthy and humane environments in which the animals we use are reared in.