May Before April The everyday bag

Credits
  • Ringatoi Matua / Design Director
    Annabelle Nichols
  • Kaitautoko / Contributors
    Putu Sriani, James Irvine, Sonja Walsh
Description:

The Everyday Bag is a nod to the modern, multitasking woman who’s mindful about her impact on our planet. Conceived out of the need for a purposeful, professional handbag that takes you from work to play, the Everyday Bag is designed to be worn in three practical ways (backpack, tote and messenger).

12+ months were spent researching non-negotiables and wish-list items from women like us. This deep understanding led to rigorous refinement of material choices. The exterior lining is designed to be both stain-resistant, with spray-wipeable cleaning. The interior lining is light in colour and refined in structure to ensure every spill is easy to clean and every key is easy to find.

Designing an effortless transition through the three styles required careful consideration to create a seamless solution without mechanical hardware to increase the longevity, while retaining the elegant aesthetic. A multi-purpose, material solution for the strap transition was achieved through innovative pattern making and attention to the properties of the textile.

The generous yet everyday size includes a padded compartment featuring a dome closure to secure a laptop, while sleeve pockets hold essentials in easy reach. The need to hold discrete and delicate belongings led to the design of a soft, vegan suede pocket.

Our commitment to exceptional craftsmanship is synonymous to our awareness of social and environmental impact. From design to doorstep, two core values are behind every decision. 1. Create a product driven by demand (small-batch, sustainable production) and 2. Support an empathetic environment that empowers women.

Our founder spent 18+ months developing an ethical, slow fashion supply chain and connecting with suppliers who soon became family. Creating mindful relationships through paying our talented women-led team twice the local wage, connecting with them daily, and supporting their families through COVID is part of our ethos for an empathetic, ethical working practice.

Environmental impact was at the forefront of our material selection, assessing durability, longevity, and material breakdown. Created with a water-resistant, robust PVC exterior sourced locally and most commonly used for scooter seats, we determined a vegan composite textile to be the most suitable option.

Deliberate design driven by demand means little to no waste. Every bag is handmade with extra care and time, and one tree is planted for every bag purchased to offset emissions. Any miscalculated materials that cannot be used are reused by our team who teach others within their community to sew. By choosing the everyday bag, you’re wearing your values.
You’re supporting considered craftsmanship over mass production, small-scale supply over fast fashion, sustainable products over throw-away one-season items, and supporting 10 small women-led businesses around the world.