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FREE STRAP WITH ANY PURCHASE $299 AND OVER | FREE SHIPPING ON NZ + AUS ORDERS
FREE STRAP WITH ANY PURCHASE $299 AND OVER | FREE SHIPPING ON NZ + AUS ORDERS
Responsibility, Sustainability &
Reducing our Footprint
Saben is a business which is mindful of their impact.
Each season we create a limited edition range which is thoughtfully and responsibly made by our production partners.
Roanne and her team are constantly striving to do better in the sustainability space, working closely with our makers to reduce our footprint throughout the production process.
Saben uses top grain leather which is selected for it's quality and enduring nature. Being a natural fiber it is naturally biodegradable unlike PU & other plastic based alternatives.
Saben's leather is sourced from a tannery with a Gold standard certification, appointed by the LWG(Leather Working Group), an independent body which visits and audits factories globally, and inspects their environmental impacts. This leather is sourced local to our makers, but hides are from Australia, New Zealand, USA and Europe.
At Saben our goal is to be by your side, for many years to come. By choosing a durable, hardwearing product like leather, and by caring for your piece you will enjoy the longevity and sustainable nature of leather.
We currently work with two small family-run factories in Guangzhou, China. Designer and founder Roanne visits twice yearly* to work alongside our sampling rooms, and to explore new techniques with the leather artisans. We also have a
local Saben representative, Ting, she is based in China and visits the factories regularly on our behalf.
While we can't always be on the ground, we request independent audits to ensure they are meeting SEDEXstandards for ethical supply chains and employment. This is alongside the following ISO standards which are internationally agreed by experts as best practice:
ISO 9001:2015, and ISO 14001:2015.
Our makers are our long-term partners, and an extension of the Saben team. As we strive to do better in the sustainability space, we are working closely with our makers to develop changes at a production level to innovate processes, reduce impact and be accountable for minimising waste and packaging.
*Covid-19 prohibited Roanne’s 20/21 visits
Behind the scenes, the Saben team have been working to minimise and eliminate plastic from our supply chain wherever possible. We are excited to share our progress, while we continue to make improvements where possible.
The journey begins at our factory where each piece is protected in a 'YOU LUCKY LUCKY THING' re-usable carry bag, which can be recycled with no. [7] recycling (like your supermarket shopping bag).
Each piece is then packaged in a corn-starch home compostable bag, recyclable cardboard, and includes biodegradable clay moisture sachets to protect the bag on its journey from our makers to our boutiques.
All Saben stockist and online orders are dispatched in a home compostable mailer or recyclable cardboard.
All swing tags, wallet and shoe boxes, gift cards, receipt folders and carry bags are made from FSC(Forest Steward Council) certified responsibly sourced paper, which can be recycled (no sneaky plastic coatings!).
Care-We always recommend you protect your bag with our Protective spray, regularly clean it with our Cleanser,and moisturise it with our nourishing gel. Read our leather care guide.
Repair -Repairing your bag will extend the lifetime of your
purchase and is the best way to consciously consume. We offer free repairs on any manufacturing fault within the first year. We keep a collection of limited edition coloured leather components, straps, studs, hardware and zips which can extend the lifespan of your purchase
We are happy to facilitate your repair with one of our partners. Please contact our customer care team via email on info@saben.co.nz to discuss your repair.
Rent-We have partnered with Designer Wardrobe to support and strengthen new ways of enjoying fashion that reduces the consumption of natural resources.
Recycle -We have launched the Give Back program.
In 2019 Saben began making bags from Recycled Leather as part of an effort to reduce waste and use technology to create new products.
Recycled leather is created through an innovative upcycling process. Industrial leather glove offcuts are ground down and then combined with a natural binding agent sourced from rubber trees to produce a high-quality, supple, second-generation material.
We recognise that sustainable solutions are no overnight job, there is no magic switch to flick ON. As a brand, spearheaded by our founder Roanne, we are continually researching, and implementing better practices, materials and packaging to become a brand with a lighter footprint, guided by our values.
We believe in slow fashion, and we know good things take
time. To reduce our carbon footprint, wherever possible we opt to use sea freight, over air-freight. This process actively slows down the arrival of new products, and slows down the fashion calendar.
Waste not, want not - There is a saying “waste is a design flaw.” We use off-cuts and smaller pieces of leather to
create leather pulls, zip tabs, and small goods like Winona. We use leather offcuts repurposed into certified Recycled Leather.
We are made to order- You might have noticed we don’t do many sales? That’s because we don’t over produce. We try and make just the right amount of everything, following our fewer, more beautiful philosophy.
Season-less pieces-Design is not only an act of creativity and expression, it also has a role to play when it comes to circularity. We create a core permanent collection of modern pieces that exemplify our design philosophy. We ignore seasonality and enable fresh inspiration to come from limited edition runs of exclusive colours and styles.
Saben is inspired by the women who wear them.
Each month we profile women from all walks of life in two series called Women in Business, and Women for Good. We want to use our platform to share inspiring stories of other women who run businesses, juggle family life and are doing good in our community. We want to use our voice to support other small businesses, and important causes.
Some of the amazing women we have profiled include:
Grace and Shenine of Doe Donuts (pictured), Dani from The Period Place, Charli from Koha Apparel, Ash and Em of Reemi Org, Talia and Nia from Layplan,Carmel Van der Hoeven and MelissafromTurua Galleryand many more.
This October we launch our Givesback program where you will be able re-home your preloved Saben bag, and in turn donate to charity.
HOW IT WORKS:
1. You send us your Pre-loved Saben bag in wearable condition.
2. As a thank you, we will send you a $50 voucher towards your next purchase.
3. We will assess your bag, and price it accordingly for sale at our annual sample sale. These bags will be tagged with a special SABEN GIVEBACK tag, and 100% of the sale price will be donated to one of our charity partners.
4. Your Saben bag goes on to live it's next happy life in a circular bag economy.
