Founded in 1928, Serapian is one of a growing number of labels touting eco-alternatives to animal leather.
Known for its selection of sophisticated leather goods including handbags, wallets and travel pieces, Serapian – a Milanese luxury house that’s nearly 100-years-old – has launched a line of pieces crafted with an eco-friendly leather alternative made by way of the creation of another iconic Italian staple: The leftovers from grapes used in the process of vinification.
“This capsule collection reinforces our commitment towards sustainability, combining advanced innovation with Italian savoir-faire,” Giacomo Cortesi, CEO of Serapian, said in a press release. The company’s vegetable-based textile finds its origin in the by-products of wine-making in Italy’s northern region, and is now part of the expanding offering of eco-fabrications that more and more brands are starting to embrace. It joins the ranks of other recent material innovations including a leather made from cactus, and a fabric crafted from charcoal foam composite conceived by Canadian designer Stephanie Moscall-Varey and material researcher Bonnie Hvillum from Denmark.
The Serapian Grape Eco-leather collection is composed of a billfold wallet, a card case and a wash bag, as well as something many of us likely wouldn’t have considered a potential purchase before 2020: A chic carrying case for one’s face mask. The Mask Pouch comes with five “protective kits” that include masks and sanitizing gel, and features a partially removable lining for quick cleaning.
Coming in black and–what else but–a rich burgundy hue akin to that of a full-bodied bottle of red, the new wares and their novel origin are now another chapter in Serapian’s almost century-old story, and certainly its most exciting.