Challenging the face of the fashion industry: German Brand, Buckle and Seam are striving to bring ethics and compassion to the world of fashion through their premium leather bags.
In 2017, a completely unknown German brand, Buckle and Seam, launched its first collection of premium leather bags for men. They were 3 young founders, building a company from scratch, who didn’t want to sit back and accept the immoral practices of the fashion industry.
They put all their knowledge and energy into designing a new landscape for the fashion of the future.
Now, in 2018, Buckle and Seam have a team of 50 passionate individuals who are not only designing, producing and bringing to market high-quality leather bags for the modern man but also helping to improve the economic prospects of the Third-World countries in which it works and help protect the environment for future generations.
Having lived and travelled around South Asia, the founders left a part of their hearts in the region; the rich craftsmanship and aesthetic heritage will surely impress every traveller.
The shocking truth is that 90% of high-end leather accessories are actually produced in a region without giving any recognition to the local masters.
Relations between a brand and a manufacturer usually end in the production phase; not every company is eager to look at the origins of the products. The Buckle & Seam team is instead proud to state that the bags are “Designed in Berlin. Produced in Pakistan. Made for you”.
The idea behind Buckle & Seam is not only to bring to the market an amazing product but also to fight for a better future for those who sew, craft and put all their effort into these bags.
The company has decided to acquire its own facility in Pakistan, providing safe and comfortable working conditions similar to those workers experience in Europe.
“The craftsmanship and all efforts should be appreciated. The workers spend most of their time at the facility, and it’s our responsibility to make sure that it’s safe and fair,” says Georg Wolff –Founder of Buckle & Seam.
Buckle & Seam goes beyond fulfilling minimum standards, instead giving workers’ rights, ensuring workers’ safety & offering good wages in its facilities around Karachi. All craftsmen/women who work for Buckle & Seam have health insurance, and sufficient monetary support is provided for their families, too.
One Bag – One Child
Buckle & Seam also started donating 3% of its revenue to ANUM school. This was already enough to welcome more young students, hire teachers and provide them with study materials. Now, as the team sees the progress and happiness of the students, they want to achieve more.
Buckle and Seam has a clear vision of the girls’ education project and, with the success of the brand, is keen to expand upon it.
The literacy rate in Pakistan is only 54.9%. Among women, this figure is even lower at 45%. Many face daily discrimination, and less than half have access to any form of education.
It was a straightforward decision made by the Buckle and Seam team to provide access to education to those who, without its help, might not be able to look forward to a bright future.
“One of the best ways to invest in the future of the country is to bring opportunities to the children. I met an amazing lady who is running an ANUM school for girls, and I realised how hard it is for her to fight for equality and women’s rights,” comments Jena Bautmans – Creative Director & Co-Founder of Buckle & Seam.
ANUM not only teaches the girls numeracy and literacy but they are also taught history, hygiene, respect and tolerance, which makes the value of education much higher. The school has developed an excellent reputation and cannot nearly accommodate all the demands it faces.
Vision
“It was never about just producing bags of premium quality; we were always aiming for more. Seeing the results of our work and the desire of the girls in the school to learn, seeing their first step on the way to a better future, is the best motivation for us.” – says Marco Feelisch – Founder of Buckle & Seam.
In Autumn 2017, Buckle and Seam managed to cover 100% of the school’s running costs and improved the lighting system and the classroom environment. Buckle & Seam’s future plans include renting a bigger facility in order to welcome more children or even founding its own school.
Currently, with Buckle & Seam’s support, there are 71 children currently attending ANUM School and 40 young professionals working hard and getting a fair wage for their stunning work.
A new teacher has recently joined the educative team, and all teachers’ salaries have gone up by thirty per cent. As Buckle and Seam continue to grow, the team is continuing to look into other projects in Pakistan where they can help.
The full Buckle and Seam range can be viewed here. Prices in pounds are listed below:
- Weekender £400
- Willow £300
- Sierra £235
- Cara £220
- Cali £170
- Aspen £90
- Terra £70
About Buckle and Seam
Buckle and Seamed was formed in 2016 by three co-founders in their twenties who, while working for Rocket Internet in Pakistan and Myanmar in Bangladesh, introduced and developed e-commerce companies to these fast-growing mobile markets and also organised the first shoppable fashion show and introduced the legendary Black Friday Sales into the region.
While working abroad, Buckle and Seam discovered Pakistan’s rich craftsmanship and fashion heritage and, with the ability to work closely with family tanneries and highly skilled manufacturers, believe this country’s talents should be promoted proudly as well as the quality of the raw material.
Buckle and Seam’s goal was not just to produce bags and leave without looking back, it is to produce high-end quality bags at affordable prices thanks to a shortened supply chain and to be transparent about it.
In addition, Buckle and Seam want to give back by supporting a school that promotes girl’s education in Karachi. Buckle & Seam’s designs are classic, elegant, and functional and can be customised with creative inside prints and engraving initials.
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