ethical wonder brand: scaramanga

As much as I love a good vintage bag, mine seems to be coming to the end of its life, and for a while I’ve been debating on something that’s a little bit more like a satchel. I’ve wanted one for a while now, and while they seem to be ten a penny on the high street, I decided at the end of last year that all my clothing and accessories purchases should be a) well considered and b) a little more ethical and long-lasting. I literally have had enough of cheap, man-made fibres, mass production and unethical manufacturing (the fact that I’m reading this book only cements my decisions), and am at the age where I can now afford to help make a small difference through my purchase choices. I looked at all the usual satchel companies, and while they were made in the UK, and were all incredibly beautiful (oh, wonderful red satchel, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways….), we just don’t have almost £90 to spend on what is essentially just a bag. The other issue, for me, was the size of them – I’m going to be carrying a newborn in a sling, while trying to keep hold of a toddler – a whopping great satchel whacking me on the backside while I run down the road after the Boy is really not a situation I ever want to be in.

After trawling the internet for what seemed like hours, and dismissing everything I came across, I was almost ready to give up and head to the charity shops. Then suddenly (there was practically a fanfare), I stumbled across eco-friendly company Scaramanga. The first thing I noticed, I have to be honest, is the styling – beautiful pictures with lovely bags, in all shapes and sizes. My interest captured, I read through the ethical policy section of the site, and it was then that I got really excited – all of the bags for sale are not only handmade, and fairly traded, but the leather is tanned using traditional methods rather than the new-fangled chemical format. Hurrah for chemical free accessories, I thought, and fired off a quick e-mail to find out a bit more.

Carl Morenikeji, the owner and founder of Scaramanga, replied the very next day, and told me all about the business and how things started out (simply bringing things home from his travels to sell on) – they launched officially in 2006, and still use all of the original suppliers to this day. Eventually things grew, and the company now stock a variety of accessories and homewares, all fairly traded and handmade (I’ve got my eye on the cushion covers, and if money were no object, some of those old suitcases….).

The most wonderful vintage cushion covers and bedspreads

Retro-fabric covered notebooks

Heart-shaped stamps!

Take Che shopping with you….

The bag I’ve chosen is the Mini Wide Leather Satchel (11 inch), and comes in at £49.50 – a bargain considering it’s both guilt and chemical free, and will last me years and years. It seems almost too good to be true that it has internal pockets, and is lined in teal, one of my favourite colours – my biggest complaint about my current bag was that I could never find anything, and would spend ages standing at the front door wailing, “but where have my keys gone?” The Husband has kindly offered to buy it for me as a birthday present, so expect to see a post around the middle of February, complete with pictures of me looking incredibly pleased with my new bag!

I don’t usually endorse products on my blog – the whole thing is entirely non-profit, and I haven’t even considered using advertising. I chose to post about Scaramanga because I felt they were a great company, who fitted in with the theme of my ramblings, and sold beautiful, ethical things. I have received no payment, and no goods have changed hands. At least, not until the Husband orders my birthday present…..