Bringing you the most sustainable options.
A big part of Poppy Barley’s environmental impact comes from the materials we use. We are committed to searching the globe to bring the most sustainable material options to you.
All of the leathers used by Poppy Barley are a by-product of food production and a natural alternative to fossil fuel synthetics. We source our leather from tanneries that are audited and certified by The Leather Working Group, an international not-for-profit that audits tanneries for environmental performance. LWG is responsible for the world’s largest leather sustainability program. The average LWG-accredited tannery saves 12.1 billion litres of water and 775 megawatts of energy per year through its sustainable practices.
The leather that lines our footwear is a vegetable-tanned leather that comes from a Gold Certified Leather Working Group tannery. This natural coloured leather is chemical and chrome free, and uses less water. It also has performance benefits - it fights bacteria for improved foot health and reduced odours, and has an ultra soft finish.
While no material is perfect, we believe leather has enough advantages - long-lasting, repairable and biodegradable - to make it a good choice for the present.
PB PLNT represents our commitment to vegan alternatives. The majority of vegan leathers are created using harmful plastics like PVC or PU. For us, the only way path forward involved plants-and PB PLNT was born.
Sourced in Mexico, Desserto® is ethically made by harvesting cactus leaves. This process is done with minimal environmental impact as cacti are Mexico’s most abundant plant, they require no water to grow and only the leaves are harvested leaving the remainder of the cactus intact. The cactus-based leather is made from 62% organic plant-based content, along with water-based finishes, organic pigments and bio-based compounds.
Many of our bags are lined with a cotton canvas grown, milled and woven in Puebla, Mexico.
We strive for continual improvement and have a multi-year goal to use 100% A and B rated materials (plant-based leathers and LWG certified leather) by 2023.