Circular product design
The brand does not use any new materials at all, only post-consumer leather including deadstock collected over the years, or deadstock from other local companies, or old leather brought in by consumers. This keeps the materials in use, restarting their lifecycle, and keeping them out of landfills.
Circular business models
Dominique focuses on repair, refurbish, remanufacture, and repurpose - which are all different levels of circularity – and people can approach her atelier for any of these services. She believes that the most sustainable handbag “…is the handbag you already have”, hence she repairs handbags brought in by customers, or uses old materials to make a new one that can be treasured by the owner. She views repairing old handbags as her contribution to society.
Mien pays attention to circularity in every aspect of her work, for instance the furniture in her studio is bought second-hand or made locally, she works with leftover paper to draw out patterns and reuses packaging materials.