Meet the Colombian designer creating handcrafted sustainable bags
There are several things you want to ask yourself when shopping for the best sustainable bag. Is the bag made with as little waste as possible? Does the brand use sustainably sourced materials? Is the brand thinking about its environmental footprint? If you’re a bit overwhelmed, lucky for you there is a luxury handbag brand that takes the guesswork out of sustainable shopping. Meet Carola. Made and designed in Colombia, the brand creates knitted crossbody, totes, and more made from organic silk, cumare palm, and reused plastic. Founder and Creative Director of the brand, Carolina Rocha, created Carola by drawing inspiration from “the beautiful nature of our motherland.”
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Rocha grew up in Bogota, Colombia, and was quickly exposed to the world of design and knitting. “I come from a family where everyone knows how to hand-knit, so I have always liked handmade things,” the Colombiana shared, adding, “I love the fact of knowing that something is unique, because something made with the hands can never be made exactly the same again.” Carolina wanted her shoppers to experience the same special feeling when rocking her one-of-kind bags. “Wearing a Carola bag is about making the dreams of many people come true, this is why all our bags are unique. Our bags are knitted by artisan single mothers and indigenous tribes of the Amazonia,” the designer said.
Purchasing these beautiful woven bags not only helps out the planet but also gives back to courageous single mothers in Colombia. After learning from her mother that 41% of mothers in Colombia are abandoned by their partners and left to raise their children alone, Carolina knew she needed to help out in some capacity. “From this reality, the idea of creating a brand to empower and create opportunities for women, and especially single mothers, was born. Ever since then we have decided to work with female single mother artisans, giving them the possibility to work from home while they take care of their children,” she said. Carlota aims to have fair wages and environmentally safe working conditions for artisans.
The luxury sustainable brand provides 100% transparency with all of its products. The REINS, which was inspired by freedom and the equestrian life, can take up to 25 days to knit. According to Rocha, “Each handbag has been knitted with horse rein patterns.” You truly get high quality and care for each piece you buy.
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While Rocha admits that her biggest mistake when starting Carola was waiting for the right moment to come, she advises young designers to stop waiting and simply start. “Go for it, stop waiting for the right moment. We cannot wait until we believe we have everything and it is the perfect time! Additionally, remember to do things in your own way, not how they think they should because of other people, and to remember how much inspiration Latin America has to offer.”