The Read | Behind the Business An Inside Look: José and María Antonia’s Leather Bag Factory April 23, 2020 2-minute read Working with a small and transparent supply chain allows us to develop close relationships with our factory owners. It’s no surprise that the factories we partner with mirror our values of using their business as a force for good and we want to shed light on the incredible innovations and initiatives taken by our accessories factory in León, Mexico. The Story Location: León, MEXICO Number of employees: 55Year established: 1989José and wife, María Antonia, moved from Spain to Mexico (where he’s originally from) in 1989 to start a better life for their family. Making handbags in their kitchen, they invested $2000 USD to buy a leather-cutting table, a used sewing machine and a trip to L.A. to purchase sheepskin imported from Europe.As the Co-owner, José's main responsibilities revolve around business management, from business development to client care. He's very social and loves hosting and sharing a glass of wine—or a shot of tequila—with friends and family!With a degree in Industrial Design and after shadowing his mom, María Antonia, for years, Sebastián is now leading Product Development with the intent of taking over the family business when José retires. In his spare time, you can find Sebastian on the tennis court. Today, their factory is recognized as the top handbag producer in Mexico and handcrafts all of our sustainably-made accessories, including the Poppy Barley cult-favourites like The Backpack, The Hobo Tote and The Co-Worker Tote. 1000 Masks Donated to Hope Mission A few weeks ago, José, María Antonia and Sebastián were quick to pivot their leather bag factory to produce masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Mexico. Since then, they’ve produced thousands of masks to protect factory workers in Mexico. We’ve partnered with them to supply 1000 non-medical grade masks that we’ll be donating to Hope Mission to protect some of our most vulnerable populations.How can you support them? Shop our handcrafted accessories. A Bright Idea Did you know that León, Mexico is one of the sunniest places in the world? In 2018, the family initiated installing solar panels on the roof of the factory. Now, their factory is solely run on solar energy and is a leading manufacturer in the country. To learn more about our factories and supply chain, click here. Shop Poppy Barley The Universal Pouch Large Black Pebble $125.00 CAD The Large Shopper - Nylon $3.00 CAD The Small Shopper - Nylon $2.00 CAD The Leather Kit $25.00 CAD Older Post Newer Post
