Ancient Balinese weaving techniques are being reimagined at Stelar. Founded by Lorna Watson, the accessory brand with offices in London and Bali boasts luxurious hand-woven bags and hats with modern design sensibilities—each and every ware laboriously crafted by Balinese artisans through heritage skills.
An advocate for both people and purpose, Stelar not only brings age-old artisanal techniques to the forefront of today’s international marketplace, but also empowers the local community to sustain their livelihoods. In addition, traceability is at the heart of the brand, so each item is accompanied by a unique digital code to connect consumer and maker. Watson tells us more about her vision and the focus on quality products.
What does it mean to be a positive impact accessories brand?
We focus on three main areas of positive impact. Firstly, craftsmanship and community. We pay our artisans on average slightly more than double the regional minimum wage and help them upskill, ensuring they can sustain future generations. Also, transparency. Allowing our customers to trace the product journey creates a ‘passport of provenance’ with definitive transparency throughout our supply chain. Then, regeneration. Using circular design principles helps us adopt a take-make-replace approach to minimise the human and environmental impact of production.
We received a Common Objective Leadership Award in 2022 for excellence in sustainable fashion business. We continue to take our responsibilities seriously and are currently undergoing our B Corp application, with an initial score of 93.8 in the Impact Assessment Report.
What would you say incentivised the Balinese artisans to work with Stelar given the many sustainable fashion brands in the market?
I spent the first six months on the ground in Bali researching and meeting with artisanal communities who had been forced to find alternative means of income—their skills had become so under-valued at that time due to mass production in Java and China. We had a very collaborative approach and sought to preserve the high-level weaving skills from the outset.
As we work in communities, not factories, the artisans we collaborate with have a heritage in craftsmanship that dates back many generations. Their skills are embedded in their culture and rooted in their life values, the wealth of indigenous knowledge running through everything that they do.
Tell us about the different materials and weaves used.
We currently work with six different natural plant fibres in addition to nappa leather, all of which are sourced responsibly and grown organically. More than 60 percent of these materials are 90 percent biodegradable. Our basket bags are not made from ordinary straw-type material that many customers associate basket bags with. They are crafted from the highest quality plant fibres that have robust- and water-resistant characteristics and will last for more than 50 years if cared for properly.
Our butter-soft nappa leather is sourced from a responsible tannery in Java that is Silver Rate-certified by the Leather Working Group. It is committed to organic farming and the ethical treatment of animals, using sustainable practices that reduce deforestation and use low-level chemicals. Our leather contains no micro plastic and is fully biodegradable.
Why is traceability at the forefront?
We believe that knowing where your purchases come from should be a standard, not a luxury. The unique digital code ensures that we are committed to the ethical business practices. It also places us in a unique position in an industry renowned for a blatant lack of supply chain visibility.
Traceability is now an industry goal, not a token initiative, driven by the demands of today’s customers who insist that brands take accountability for the way they treat their workers and the environment. The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide a blueprint for this, with the aim to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
Sustainable products typically come with premium price tags. How can we justify the splurge?
Unfortunately, exploitation by the fast fashion industry has distorted our view of what things cost. We have become familiar with goods that are unrealistically cheap. It is imperative that we question why things are so cheap rather than why sustainable products some with a premium price tag because these prices are reflective of fair pay. They are far more realistic.
