Svala

Svala is a line of luxury vegan handbags, handcrafted from premium, innovative fabrics. Featured in VOGUE, Forbes, Fashionista and more, this cruelty-free label is inspired by animals and nature, the relaxed, colourful feel of Sydney and LA, and the simplicity of Scandinavian design.

About the Founder

Svala founder Helga Douglas was unable to find stylish and sustainable animal-friendly bags and accessories, which led her to start her own label. The inspiration for the brand's name comes from Iceland, where Helga's mother is from – “svala” means swallow in Icelandic. This bird is a symbol of love, loyalty, freedom and hope in many cultures - everything that Helga wanted her brand to stand for.

“We have searched the globe to find what we believe to be the most innovative, durable and sustainable animal-friendly fabrics available. This enables us to honour the beauty of animal skins, without the cruelty.”

Materials

Svala is committed to using the highest-quality vegan fabrics. Each Svala handbag is lined with organic cotton and recycled plastic bottles, and the brand was excited to be one of the first brands worldwide to include pineapple leather Piñatex in their collection. A by-product of pineapple harvest, Piñatex brings new income streams to subsistence farmers. No extra land, water, fertiliser or pesticides are required to produce the raw material.

Svala's cork fabric is sourced from Portugal – it is waterproof, stain-resistant and durable. The harvesting of cork is done in a sustainable manner so that no tree is damaged during the process – the harvesting actually helps the tree absorb CO2 and therefore the environment.

The polyurethane used by Svala is sourced from a family-owned factory in Italy that supplies several high-end European luxury designers.

People

Transparency in the supply chain is a main focus for Svala, which all its European suppliers abide by. All Svala products are assembled in a world-class factory in downtown Los Angeles which ensures that the workers are paid a fair wage and have comfortable working conditions. Each Svala bag has been handcrafted by artisans, and local production is close to the brand's heart.

Production

The eco-conscious Italian factory that supplies the materials used by Svala has installed photovoltaic generators on its roof in order to produce green energy and save CO2. Their processes are constantly monitored in order to provide a non-toxic product, fully compliant with the European REACH norms, which are more stringent than other countries.

Animals

Creating animal-free designs was what led Helga to start her brand – she struggled with finding a high-quality vegan product, so she created it herself, offering many consumers around the world an on-trend, cruelty-free option.