Poppy Barley screens all its factories for positive working conditions, including a living wage (Poppy Barley pays, on average, six times the region’s minimum wage), full-time permanent employment with health care and pension benefits, fair working hours, paid vacation and sick leave, and ongoing training and opportunity. We work closely with our factory partners, and maintain ongoing and open communication with the people who make our products.
Poppy Barley only works with factories that meet our standards for ethical production.
We certify our factories every two years.
The Poppy Barley Factory Code of Conduct Tool was developed based on the International Labour Organization core labour standards and the laws in the countries where we operate. These are the minimum requirements we seek from all factories.
We believe working long-term with factories furthers our triple bottom line of people, planet and profits.
Location: León, Mexico
Number of Employees: 22
Year Established: 1996
The Owner
A true trailblazer, Lupita founded her factory in 1996, an uncommon undertaking for a woman in Mexico. Most factories are founded by men and passed from generation to generation.
Poppy Barley Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Kendall and Justine serendipitously met Lupita through Lupita's daughter, Alba. Lupita was the first factory owner to take a chance on Kendall and Justine, agreeing to make Poppy Barley's first products.
The Factory
Lupita recruits her shoemakers from the sample rooms of León’s top manufacturers. It is in the sample rooms of large factories where the first prototype of a new shoe is handcrafted before it is mass-produced. These artisans have decades of experience in shoemaking, having launched their careers when it was still the norm to make shoes entirely by hand.
Location: León, Mexico
Number of Employees: 55
Year Established: 1989
The Owners
Husband and wife José and Maria Antonia moved from Spain to Mexico in 1989 to create 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. Nowadays, their son Sebastian is training to take over the family business.
The Factory
Today, José and Maria Antonia's factory is recognized as the top handbag producer in Mexico. The factory runs on 100% solar power, taking advantage of the fact that Léon is one of the sunniest places in the world.
Location: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Number of Employees: 28
Year Established: 1990
The Owner
Francisco knew from an early age he wanted to operate his own business. With an entrepreneurial spirit and many years of experience in the leather goods industry, Fransico opened his factory in 1990.
The Factory
Francisco leads a small team of skilled artisans who specialize in the production of small leather goods. Francisco's factory is a place of opportunity for many aspirational artisans. Half of Francisco's team is made up of women, many of whom enter the industry for the first time here.
Location: Cuenca, Spain
Number of Employees: 30
Year Established: 1977
The Owner
Initially founded by his father, Rafa took over the family business in 2013. Rafa's factory is known for its combination of impeccable craftsmanship and use of the finest European materials.
The Factory
With over three decades of experience, this generational factory has grown with the industry, investing in the highest quality machinery and training for its team. Many team members have been with the factory for over 20 years.
Styles made by this factory:
Location: Guadalajara, Mexico
Number of Employees: 17
Year Established: 1999
The Owner
Gabriel founded his belt factory in 1998, and was later joined by his wife and son. A true family business!
The Factory
Their small studio in Guadalajara focuses on sourcing the best components to make beautiful, high-quality belts. Their diverse team has the opportunity to explore different areas of the business, if desired, to ensure they have professional development opportunities.
Styles made by this factory:
Location: Petrer, Spain
Number of Employees: 90
Year Established: 1934
The Owners
As third-generation business owners, brothers Juanjo and Pablo have lived and breathed footwear all their lives. This duo takes pride in combining tradition with innovative manufacturing practices to produce top-notch footwear.
The Factory
Beyond their commitment to impeccable craftsmanship, the factory works with the best, most sustainable suppliers from all over Europe. From working with Leather Working Group-certified tanneries to leading packaging suppliers, their commitment to sustainability is unmatched.
Styles made by this factory:
Location: Naples, Italy
Number of Employees: 15
Year Established: 1980
The Owner
Andrea and his family are the owners and operators of this renowned Italian glove factory. They take pride in creating timeless products that you will cherish for years. They have been sharing this passion with their clients worldwide for decades, establishing themselves as the best of the best in the industry.
The Factory
Their team of expert artisans is involved in all phases of production to ensure the final result is always superb. They pride themselves in blending the refinement and techniques of the past with the fashion trends and materials of the present.
Location: Montemurlo, Italy
Number of Employees: 10
Year Established: 2017
The Owners
After working in the garment industry for over 15 years, Francesca was compelled to start her own manufacturing business that prioritized the planet.
The Factory
Her factory specializes in recycled natural fibres, especially wool and cashmere. The entire sourcing and production process takes place in Italy. Like Poppy Barley, they pride themselves in developing high-quality products with a lower environmental footprint.
Styles made by this factory:
Location: São João da Madeira, Portugal
Number of Employees: 30
Year Established: 1975
The Owners
Founded by their father, Rufino, sisters Karina and Ivania took over the family business to keep the tradition alive.
The Factory
Located in Portugal's leather goods manufacturing hub, Karina and Ivania's factory is positioned to work with the best suppliers in the industry. Their passionate team's attention to detail takes our small leather goods to another level of luxury.