How Volta Atelier stands out in a sea of greenwashing.
The global brand understands that sustainability is not just about giving new purpose to surplus leather.
You can check their outstanding upcycling work here before diving into their POV on today's and the future's consumption.
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The crew behind this whole globalized creative process told us all about the challenges of working with a raw material that was supposed to become waste – how creatively demanding it is – and of dealing with social media in a truthful and respectful way in the era of overconsumption and greenwashing.
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These are the most valuable insights about their fight to bring leather into the correct narrative.
“Working especially with upcycling, the work is very focused on each piece of leather that we receive. We actually only work with waste. If we have some leather that has a little more structure, we know that it can be used for one design or another. Sometimes, we imagine that a piece will become a backpack, but it doesn't. So, we have to adapt, making a slightly smaller bag or several small ones. Upcycling makes us work like this. We already know that we will have to be creative because each raw material behaves differently and comes in different sizes. We need to adapt, right? Each bag made is the result of a creative moment during which we understand what we can do with that piece.” Fernanda Daudt, brand founder, confided in us.
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But it’s not just the creative process that can be challenging. Trying to stand out in the fast-fashion and endless scrolling era results in a whole team making a move to communicate a different type of buying. Valentina Masallera, one of the creative minds at Volta, explains:
“The content that we try to make, we direct it much more toward sustainability than selling a product. The first objective is always to communicate the spirit of the brand. We never want to encourage hyperconsumerism.”
They value their experiences and acknowledge how these have shaped them into becoming what they are today.
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Aiming for bringing awareness to their customers, that powerful message relies on taking your own time to choose a bag that will actually stay with you over the years.
"We don't rush like this to buy, click on the link, go there and, you know? As it’s made of very good leather and very good stitching. It’s a very well-finished bag. Take your time to choose because it will stay with you for a long time. We really want this to be a very thoughtful choice. Really, you should internalize it, see if you like it. Don't rush to buy it.” Fernanda remarked.
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To support this idea, the brand tries to keep a permanent collection. The same iconic pieces can be found in different seasons, made in different hides and textures.
“How many times have you gone back to a store to see if you could find the same piece you’d fallen in love with and overworn? And you can't find it anymore, right?”
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Volta taught us that a bag shouldn’t be bought just for the sake of being bought.
"It’s important to understand how you are going to use it and how long this piece will remain in your life. Because a piece of leather, we know, like, we pass it on. It's not over yet, we give it to someone because we can't stand seeing it anymore, or we give it to our children, you know."
Therefore, in 2022, Volta decided to communicate their POV on their environmentally friendly approach to high-end accessories.
"We have this idea that if it’s in the wardrobe, it’s kept in the closet, it's not sustainable, because you're not repeating it, you're not using it, you're not in love.”
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That's why they’re not just another brand among a sea of greenwashed ones, and they want to make it clear for the next up-and-coming labels that might repeat the same moves.
“We're making a short movie where we talk about the processes and show these processes. These truths we've been working with, we have the refugees' signature, we have their photos, but this process we are narrating now, I think, will make a big difference because people will really see how it happens, right? Women sewing, talking about their lives. The idea is to bring it all together to tell this story, this true story."
Sustainability is remarkably well represented through their designs. Period.
Have you got yours? Choose here.
