Sustainability Takes a Stylish Turn with Zuri Bags

Trends and new designs are all fine and dandy, but as the world of fashion continues to have a dire impact on the environment, sustainability is well due to be placed at the forefront of the runway sooner rather than later. In our opinion, we think little is more fashionable than ethically-made apparel, so naturally we’re living for up-and-coming local bag brand Zuri which thinks of the environment first, and trends later.

Made from sackcloth, aka kheish, and accented with linen and leather details, the local brand sources all its materials from recycled or recyclable fabrics. Their first release, the Quad bag, is an amalgamation of minimal design and uber practicality. “I wanted to design something sustainable and durable," founder Mai Reda tells #CairoScene. "It needed to be very practical so that it could be used for work, the beach, or really anything you need it for.”

Designed as a love letter to architecture, Reda’s primary line of work, the bags feature clean lines and a strong sense of structure. “I love product design, not just architectural design," Reda adds. "And being a fan of fashion myself, I wanted to start a passion project in this field that I could combine with my civic duty to be sustainable and provide work for local artisans.”

The brand employs only local craftsmen, dropping the factory fashion model that has a dreaded environmental impact and pays its workers poorly. Soon enough, Zuri will be dishing out more bag designs and hopes to expand their product line shortly, which will be made available to order through their social media pages. Slow fashion, as it turns out, is the sexiest new trend of all.