balancing aesthetics with ethics
simétrie is the craft practice of founder Simone Agius, where she meticulously designs leather goods that harmoniously blends minimalism with artistic expression, resulting in distinctive and sculptural handbag forms.
Exclusively selecting leather from tanneries in Australia, the designs are handcrafted using traditional crafts-woman-ship techniques in her Melbourne atelier.
Catering to the individual seeking style that aligns with their principles, simétrie bags and accessories appeal to those conscious of their environmental impact, and those who seek an authentic connection to the story behind their belongings.
made from nature
The main materials used in simétrie bags are natural or water based, right down to the glues used to construct them. That means they are not harmful to produce or use, nor do they present any dangers to our planet's soils or waterways.
The leather is either Australian Bovine leather or Australian vegetable tanned kangaroo which is a natural, low-emission leather that is harvested from necessary wildlife management. Read more on why vegetable tanned kangaroo leather is used here.
simétrie bags are lined, either with the same vegetable tanned kangaroo leather, or a recycled hemp & organic cotton fabric.
The canvas range consists of organic hemp. Hemp is a superior fibre as it grows without pesticides & takes much less water to grow than cotton & other natural fibres.
little to no plastic
The visible materials aren't the only parts that create a handbag. Handbags need structure - which means there are hidden materials that reinforce the bag in between the lining and the exterior panels.
Simone uses a reinforcement that is reconstituted vegetable tanned leather, bonded together using natural latex and animal fats. This is a natural and durable material that strengthens and gives structure to our larger designs.
Most bag brands do not disclose what their reinforcement materials are. They are are commonly PVC, PU, PP or Polyester - ie. riddled with plastic - which all contain petrochemicals to varying toxicity.
Whilst Simone strives for her practice to be 100% derived from nature, the process is much more complex, so some plastics do need to be used.
The only plastic components in simétrie goods are the threads used to construct them - these are made from nylon. Simone has tried and tested many ways to machine sew with 100% cotton threads, yet they were not strong enough. One benefit of the plastic in the thread content is that it is a longer lasting stitch, and less repairs would be required over the bags lifetime of use.
Whilst we can't claim that all of simétrie's raw materials are 100% perfect for a long term solution, Simone believes that leather sourced locally and sustainably is the best one for now as it is natural and long lasting and keeps the final bag in use.
The plant based alternatives available often contain plastic, which would result in microplastics or landfill in a much shorter timeframe than leather. As a small practice, 100% plant based leather alternatives are not easily accessible, but we believe every step in right direction makes a difference.
creation
Everyone should experience the feeling of creation, because when we create something ourselves – we feel good and treasure it for longer, if not forever.
Simone has been offering bag-making workshops at her Brunswick atelier since she started the business in January 2019 with the aim to educate and empower all people who desire to learn new creative skills. Not only does this aim to teach people new creative skills, but new knowledge about the value of the labour that goes into making all of her handcrafted pieces.
Since COVID-19 the workshops have adapted to the online format so you can now learn to create a piece of simétrie from home through the MADE FROM HOME kits.
All workshops & kits are suitable for beginners with no prior leather experience, as well as experienced individuals who wish to flourish with new challenges too.
Come and create with simétrie here.
slow
The human desire to express ourselves through fashion is important. It allows us to show the world who we perceive ourselves to be. However, the impact that fast fashion & overproduction is having on our planet and people is at crisis stage.
It is well documented that the fashion manufacturing process is putting an unprecedented amount of pressure on our planet's resources in a bid to fuel the ever-growing desire to consume fashion products.
To combat this Simone's aim to create handcrafted goods that support fair wages and responsible materials, all while being beautiful and timeless, so you can enjoy your goods from season to season without the need to continuously update.
Simone also guarantees quality crafts-woman-ship with complimentary repairs for life. So you can love your simétrie wares for longer, saving them from landfills.
Consume less and consume well.
fair pay
One of the greatest exploitations of the fashion industry is the low, unliveable wages that are paid for the workers who make our clothes, or our fashion bags.
All simétrie leathergoods are produced in-house by Simone, and in busy times by and her team of leather craftswomen.
At simétrie we take pride in paying a fair, above minimum, hourly rate to our in-house workers [our in-house team is never subject to a piece rate].
Find out more about our craftswomen here.