Where are your leathers sourced from?

We use tanneries in Italy, Turkey and Pakistan who source their hides from Australia, Europe and South America. All our tanneries must be certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG) who ensure ethical and sustainable sourcing. We prefer Gold Standard. Cecily Clune specifies most of our leathers to be made for our particular products' use and look. 

Why do you use animal leather?

We exclusively use ethically-sourced leathers for their premium quality, longevity and circularity. Animal leather is a by-product of the meat industry and is a highly efficient use of resources. Chemically it is a collagen and inherently natural and will biodegrade. The alternative is “vegan leathers” that use strong chemicals and have high water use to create a product that is similar to leather but is NOT biodegradable. The publicity for vegan leather is often misleading. Leather is a natural product and with The Leather Working Group stewardship is no longer a hazardous industry. Our bag designs are not trend driven and made to last for many years when properly cared for, ultimately producing less waste to landfill, and having less long term impact on the environment.

Are your products made in Australia?

While we design, sample and quality check all of our products in our Geelong, Victoria office, we do not manufacture in Australia. There are not the resources available in Australia unfortunately. We have chosen to partner with small ateliers run by families with whom we have a close relationship. All our designs are a collaboration with these talented artisans. We manufacture in Hui Zhou China with a Japanese company. Oshima San personally makes the patterns with me and oversees every aspect of workmanship. We are also starting to manufacture in Izmir, Turkey where the traditions of leather making have been ongoing since the 15^th Century. The family run atelier there is able to source leather locally from tanneries used by couture houses of the world and together we make magic.

How do you know your products are made ethically?

We know our products are made ethically because we work closely with our partners and visit them regularly and see first-hand how things are done. We do not work with huge factories with assembly lines. Our ateliers are small and usually in one or two rooms with a few tables with people working together. Most of their staff have been with them for many years. Their craft is valued and nurtured. 

Do you provide good customer care?

We work on the principal “Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself”. We want you to LOVE your Cecily Clune product and will make sure you do. We are always just an email away on customercare@cecilyclune.com