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Originally Posted On: https://hyergoods.com/blogs/a-better-blog/putting-the-good-back-in-leather-goods-introducing-hyer-goods
It’s no secret fast fashion has dominated the fashion industry this last decade. Mass production of the latest trends has become the norm. Fads have replaced the once long-awaited, quality pieces that were built to last long beyond their years and before the term “outfit repeater” was coined an insult.
Fast fashion might be having its moment, but it is hard to deny a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ lacking in these microtrends. A type of classically cool and elevated individualism that only understated and quality materials can bring to the table, or the closet, if you will.
Where has all the effortlessly chic fashion gone?
What happened to the materials of substance? Like Italian merino wool or buttery, pebbled leather goods? The feathery light weight of cashmere? The handbag you can trust not to
unravel at your fingertips?
The world of fast fashion is replacing some of our most distinct and classic textiles with lower-quality, easy-to-produce alternatives. If you’re hungry for visually rich, luxuriously soft texture, you’re going to absolutely fall in love with HYER GOODS.
This ultra-lux, earth-friendly fashion brand is helping shoppers like you transform their closets with designer-crafted, high-end products. Each one is a limited quantity, one-of-a-kind creation. Not only that, but this innovative brand is sourcing its materials in cool and uniquely sustainable ways Beginning with their commitment to carbon-neutral shipping.
We can’t wait for the HYER GOODS upcycled Fall collection! In anticipation, we decided to chat with founder, Dana Cohen. During our conversation, we learned everything we could about the magic behind this new, woman-owned brand.
Keep reading to discover the reasons we’re rocking sustainable upcycled fashion this Fall—and beyond.
How HYER GOODS Is Changing the Fashion Game
The awesome, women-led team at HYER GOODS is on a mission. Their goal is to have a better future for the planet and the people living on it. That means reducing waste and carbon emissions. All while simultaneously satisfying the urges of the fashion obsessed.
This commitment begins with their dedication to using only luxurious, upcycled materials from the fashion industry that would otherwise end up in landfills. HYER GOODS extends this dedication to a 100% carbon neutrality commitment during the shipping process, as well.
Waste-Led Fashion: The HYER GOODS Story
It all began when fashion industry veteran Dana Cohen started noticing just how much fabric and resources went into the design process of corporate fashion, much of which was never even used. All of the excess waste she was witnessing was keeping her up at night. She knew there had to be a better way . Dana Cohen asked herself if she could, instead, harness those “leftovers” to create something beautiful and unprecedented.
Rather than clearing forests and stirring up chemical baths, Dana visited factories. There, she took a close look at the incredible, high-end materials that already existed. It turned out that there was a wealth of luxury deadstock and fabric scraps available. Most of them were just sitting on the factory floor, taking up space and waiting to be thrown out.
These luxury-quality materials would go straight to landfills rather than closets, and what a shame that would be.
These weren’t cheap, mass-produced textiles, either. Dana found herself absolutely bathing in Italian crocs, Saffiano leathers, and luxe patents from Europe and beyond. She saw fabrics and findings the likes of which you’d find on the high fashion runway. These leftovers were all cast-offs from some of the biggest luxury fashion brands on Earth.
Utilizing the scraps seemed like a great solution to the lack of texture and mass production in the contemporary wardrobe. Plus, it would allow these forgotten materials to have a newer, longer life.
At once, Dana began partnering with the manufacturers she’d worked with throughout her career. They were happy to relinquish the waste material that other brands had left behind.
It was then that she began the process of transforming “trash” into treasure, and HYER GOODS was born.
Unique Leather Goods, Unique Materials
The up-and-coming brand already has a reputation for luxe materials (like upcycled, glossy European leathers), limited-quantity designs, distinct silhouettes, and elevated accessories.
HYER GOODS leather products feature a level of craftsmanship, fashion knowledge, and overall quality that you can’t find elsewhere. Dana’s team produces these products in extremely small batches, so each one is like a rare work of art.
Guilt-Free, Carbon-Neutral Style
Our favorite part? You can feel genuinely good about rocking these hobo silhouette purses, sustainable leather blazers, and butter-soft beanies. To add, Dana Cohen didn’t love the environmental role the shipping industry was playing on our changing climate. As a result, HYER GOODS offsets 100% of their carbon emissions from shipping.
Thus, your favorite recycled leather products arrive on your doorstep guilt-free. When you open the package, you can expect an heirloom quality piece that will last for generations. Not only is it an investment in a bag or wallet, but it’s also an investment in our planet.
Fast fashion, who?
Wait, What’s Guilt-Free Leather?
If you’re like us, your first thought was probably, “What about vegan leather?” After all, the loudest activists have conditioned us to believe that ‘vegan’ is always synonymous with ‘better.’ In the case of textiles, however, that claim is super iffy.
We asked Dana about her stance on vegan leather, and she shed some light on the issue for us. First, she was sure to emphasize her personal motto: progress, not perfection. She believes utilizing upcycled leather is the closest you can get to a cruelty-free animal skin textile.
Why? It turns out that even the most “sustainable” vegan leathers, like mushroom-based leathers, mostly consist of plastics. These materials, while cruelty-free, often sit in landfills for hundreds or thousands of years before breaking down. They may have good intentions, but they aren’t sustainable.
In contrast, animal leather will break down in as few as ten years in the same conditions.
The truth is, even if you personally eat a plant-based diet, the meat industry isn’t going out of business anytime soon. As long as that’s true, HYER GOODS believes it is more sustainable to use the existing byproducts of those processes. It feels more respectful to the animal than letting the gorgeous material go to waste or adding even more plastic to landfills.
The conclusion? Sustainable leather goods are more eco-friendly than the majority of even the best vegan leather alternatives. We’re with Dana on this one: a small step in the right direction is always better than no step at all.
That’s another thing we love about Dana and HYER GOODS—they do their research!
Sustainable Fashion Is Individual Fashion
We asked Dana about the exclusive nature of the Fall collection and exactly what “limited edition” means to her. We wondered—are we talking a hundred pieces? A thousand?
“It’s really limited,” Dana explained. “We’ve made, sometimes, just six units of something.”
We don’t get the impression that Cohen is keeping her releases exclusive to create a frenzy, however. Her goal isn’t to drive demand. The reason why HYER GOODS makes so few of each piece is that luxury upcycled materials are incredibly limited. They literally can’t restock a piece after it sells out.
The result? Once one of these stunning, unique pieces is gone, it’s gone for good.
The small number of one-of-a-kind garments demonstrates the brand’s commitment to truly sustainable creation. HYER GOODS uses what they have—no more, no less. The result is a high-end, limited line of truly special and bespoke accessories.
Their solid craftsmanship and timeless nature mean these recycled leather goods won’t be going out of style, either. The unique character of each product allows fans to add something wholly original to their closets.
Needless to say, stalking the brand’s Instagram for product drops has become our new favorite pastime. Basically, we’re obsessed.
Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow: Embracing Angora
This Fall, HYER GOODS is branching out beyond leather accessories and blazers. They are putting out unique, one-time-only collections driven by luxury leftovers from across the fashion industry. This season, in addition to their popular leather goods, they are experimenting with unique fibers, including angora.
And, yes, angora can be just as sustainable as leather under the right circumstances!
In this instance, Dana explained, HYER GOODS rescued a stock of angora abandoned by another manufacturer. The original owner was worried about getting bad press for using the controversial material. Instead of using up their stock, they abandoned it.
As a result, the beautiful, high-end rabbit fur was dumped in a warehouse. Without intervention, it might have stayed there for years. Instead, Dana and her team swooped in to rescue it.
Now, HYER GOODS is giving the dreamy, baby-soft material new life as beanies and scarves.
In an incredibly on-brand move, the available materials dictated these new products, not the other way around. This tells you everything you need to know about the brand’s innovative “waste-led” process. Instead of leaving the angora behind, the HYER GOODS designers developed a brand-new product that would put it to use, and with appreciation.
A Sneak Peak at the HYER GOODS Autumn Collection
We were eager for a sneak peek of what we can expect when the new HYER GOODS line drops this Fall. Dana swore us to secrecy, but here’s what we can reveal about what’s coming in the next few weeks.
The Autumn Knitwear Collection
First, HYER GOODS will be offering soft and cozy Merino wool knits, perfect for the chilly Autumn weather. This fiber has the distinction of being one of the most sustainable animal byproducts on Earth.
New this year, the brand will also be working with found sources of cashmere and angora, as described above. These addictively soft materials are all locally sourced from the fashion industry. Instead of going to waste, they will get a new life as warm, luxurious cold-weather accessories. Each one is a versatile “wardrobe hero” that you can wear season after season.
Specifically, you can expect classic, timeless pieces in neutral, Fall-forward color schemes. Dana could hardly contain her excitement when she shared the fun, playful colors and designs her team has in store.
Keep an eye on the brand’s Instagram for sneak peeks, as this knitwear is also extremely limited in quantity!
Limited Colors
The nature of working with waste materials is that some colors will always be more common than others. For example, there’s always an excess of black leather. That’s why HYER GOODS usually has a few incredible black Italian leather bags in stock.
More unique colors, textures, and designs tend to be rarer finds, however. As a result, when release day comes around, the more distinct bags and blazers tend to go the fastest.
This fall, be on the lookout for chocolate brown and emerald green croc, luscious autumnal burgundies, sterling whites, and more. As always, once these dynamic leather goods are gone, you’re unlikely to see them again.
Bags for Back To School
HYER GOODS always comes out with scrumptiously soft, elevated handbags. This Fall, Dana is hopeful that she’ll be able to offer practical products, too. These prospective finds are perfect for the students and working women out there. Output will depend on the availability of materials, but we’re crossing our fingers for laptop bags and sleeves!
Fresh Tech Accessories
One of the most popular HYER GOODS products are their Apple watch bands and other small, high-end tech accessories. They add a touch of class to your favorite gadgets. Gorgeous leather bands add elegance and sophistication through their natural color and texture.
In the Autumn, HYER GOODS is expanding on these offerings. We were stoked to see a brand new Air Pod Pro case in the online store. The handy keychain will keep your favorite earbuds safe and scuff-free in style.
Our favorite part? The smallest items that HYER GOODS offers take sustainability to new heights. All of their smaller items start off as production scraps from their bags and blazers. When literally nothing is going to waste, you can feel great about even the tiniest purchases you make!
HYER GOODS: Sustainable, Small-Batch Style For Conscientious Fashionistas
We had a blast chatting with Dana Cohen about this new, up-and-coming sustainable leather goods brand. You can be one of the first to score a piece from the extremely limited edition HYER GOODS Fall collection.
We’re certain you’ll fall in love with these eco-friendly, one-of-a-kind pieces. Best of all, you’ll be rocking them proudly for generations to come.
Are you ready to see fashion industry waste transform into your new favorite bag, blazer, beanie, or watch band? Keep an eye on the HYER GOODS Fall collection and get your hands on your favorite pieces. Click fast—before they’re gone for good!
