Who makes my bag? The women behind Hadley Pollet

"I want to know whose hands made what I carry." Hadley Pollet bags are made by artisans in small workshops, not massive factories, and Hadley estimates that about 80% of the workshops we work with are owned by women.

Why it matters who makes it

Every piece tells a story, and the first chapter belongs to the woman who made it. She deserves to be seen, and so does the woman who carries her work. When the making is full of love, it comes through in every stitch.

How do we choose a workshop?

• We visit the workshops ourselves.
• We prefer workshops owned by women or by small families.
• We check that women are paid equally to the men in their families. We have declined to work with a workshop until a wife was paid.
• We work hand in hand with the artisans and help educate them.

The Destiny workshop

Our Destiny bags come from a small workshop owned by two women who left a large factory to build their own business. Today they teach other women in their community to do the same. We make only a few of each Destiny style, and when they're gone, we move on to new ones.

What does a matriarchal brand mean?

Hadley Pollet is a matriarchal brand. To us, that means women and children at the center, with everyone else in circles around them. In Hadley's words, "everybody holds hands." It isn't about anyone being on top, and it's never against anyone. It's about nurturing, shared leadership, and helping everyone spiral up together.

How we think about sustainability

To us, sustainability means economic growth and development for women, and everything we do supports it. The most sustainable thing we can do is inspire self-expression through love: a piece she reaches for again and again, made by a woman who was paid fairly to make it.

Where 20% goes

20% of every purchase supports Pouvoir de Femme, which supports women and children worldwide through economic empowerment programs, including education and food safety.

There is power in authenticity. Unique is chic.