Invest in quality over quantity: Buy fewer, well-made items that will last longer than trendy, cheaply made goods. 💖 Borneo Bags are robust, can last for years and will never go out of style. The unique covering on the handles increases the lifespan of the bag, adding comfort and hygiene to boot.
Choose sustainable brands: Research companies committed to ethical practices and eco-friendly production. Pay attention to materials, certifications, and labour standards. Ask about their supply chain! 💖 Here at Borneo Bags there are NO factories, NO middlemen… Straight from the weaver's home to yours. This means that the weavers who make our handbags are paid a fair wage and work in safe conditions, in their very own homes.
Support small businesses. Small businesses are often more likely to be committed to sustainability and ethical practices than large corporations. By supporting small businesses, you're helping to make a difference in the world. 💖 Borneo Bags is a small family run business and the profits are returned to the weavers to help with; healthcare, education, projects at village level and more!
Packaging: Opt for brands that use minimal packaging or packaging made from recycled materials. 💖 We’re committed to using as little plastic as possible, reusing courier bags from our retailers. If your parcel packaging arrives looking a little re-cycled, it is! and we are proud of it.
Ethical and fair trade fashion has never been cooler!!
Warm regards,
Jacky
]]>Tipong has been an old friend of mine since 2007 when he carved me the first of many beautiful walking sticks. His wife, Kiki also wove, as all Penan women do. Unfortunately she had a stroke and was left partially brain damaged, paralysed from the waist down. We sent financial resources to help. We have also employed their daughter to weave for Borneo Bags to help generate extra income. Tipong, Kiki and the Pastor praying for the family. She has now sadly past on, we could not save her. Tipong, seated in the yellow chair, has had and asthma attack and is in hospital. We are doing all we can.
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Three generations of women generating income and keeping the art of weaving alive; Bulan, daghter Supang and granddaughter Samantha. Supang suffers from high blood pressure and heart problems but we're able to ensure she's monitored and receives the best care possible. She's such a wonderful woman and role model.
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After trekking into the interior in 2003 I devised a plan where they would bring their woven items and tradable goods to sell to me while awaiting treatment at the hospital in a temporary shelter. I taught them dental hygiene, good nutrition, and sanitation, supplied clean flooring, gas cookers, bedding etc. With the help of others, I worked on designs, materials, and colour combinations of their woven craft to suit the western market. We managed to sell their products at the huge international school where I worked, established a charity there and parents and other teachers soon volunteered their help.
A fully registered charity in Kuching was established, The Penan Women Project, and for over a decade we've marketed their goods, constantly working on new designs and quality control. On returning to New Zealand in 2015 I established the social enterprise, Borneo Bags all profits being returned directly to the weavers and the charity.
A Better World Bag. A Bag for Life. Buying a handwoven Borneo Bag you are directly helping to empower the tribes from this region. With 100% of profits going to education, food, family, healthcare, child protection and more.
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