1 Atelier is an independent luxury brand that began in New York City, and the brand’s goal is to circulate positive change well beyond its city of origin. 1 Atelier believes that accessories shouldn’t just empower the wearer, but they should reflect their values and outlook on the world. For the ethical, custom luxury brand, that outlook is optimistic. As the climate crisis surges on, 1 Atelier is dedicated to bettering the fashion industry and the consequences of hyper consumption. Marking a monumental milestone for the brand and within the wider world of fashion, 1 Atelier recently unveiled the Farm to Arm collection — the first-ever luxury range designed to be net-zero carbon, biodegradable, and waste-free. Through employing regenerative farming techniques and a made-to-order process, the brand not only offers durable pieces that can stand up to the test of time, but it also gives us a sneak peek into the sustainable possibilities of the future.

PhotoBook Magazine sat down with the CEO of 1 Atelier, Stephanie Sarka, to get a crash course on regenerative farming and what it could mean for the future of leather goods, and the overarching industry. “Our intention from conception has been to leverage technology and business process reinvention to transform the entire fashion value chain, including eco-conscious raw materials and supply chain, waste-free production, a zero-inventory system, and a reimagined consumer experience through our direct-to-client distribution. We are radically rethinking luxury, starting with our business model: the only one in the industry that offers clients the opportunity to create one-of-a-kind luxury handbags and accessories using our proprietary digital design platform online.”

Our artisans meticulously handcraft each piece to order at our workshop in the Garment District of New York City. 1 Atelier has been a pioneer in sustainable luxury from the beginning as the only luxury brand exclusively practicing on-demand production, which eliminates overproduction and excess inventory that other brands dispose of by burning or burying.

Discuss regenerative farming and how it has become integral to the Farm to Arm collection. How could regenerative farming also become integral to bettering the fashion industry as a whole?
I’ve borrowed heavily from our partner Thousand Hills’ website as they do a thorough job of describing regenerative agriculture in detail. This is summarized, but we initially set out to understand our opportunity to create a more sustainable supply chain and raw materials. It was wide and all-encompassing research both here and abroad that included evaluating most of the available vegan materials and trying to better understand why leather has gone out of favor.

In that process, we decided to create a completely circular handbag that reduced our carbon footprint and was also biodegradable. We quickly recognized that: 1. Vegan materials do not address sustainability; they address the population that chooses not to eat or wear animal products. In most cases, vegan materials contain a significant proportion of content derived from fossil fuels to bind the organic matter. Further, there are two main issues with leather. The first is how leather is typically sourced from livestock in feedlots supported by industrially farmed corn, which is bad for the animals, the soil, and the planet. The other issue is how leather is traditionally tanned, using chrome and other chemicals.

How does regenerative farming combat these issues when it comes to leather sourcing?
Below is a summary of what we have learned through Kiss The Ground, The Savory Institute, Other Half Processing, and Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed, among others, about regenerative agriculture.

Healthy soil depends upon a thriving community of healthy bacteria, fungi, and microbes to remain balanced. Microorganisms give the soil structure and help it to retain more water. Plants with healthy soil become more nutrient-rich, drought-tolerant, and resistant to pests. Conventional agriculture, including corn production, destroys and depletes the soil. Because of long-term tilling, overgrazing, erosion, and chemical use, our soil has lost up to 80 percent of its carbon. Soil destruction creates a vicious cycle, in which less carbon is stored, greenhouse gases are released, the world gets hotter, and the land is further degraded.

The mainstream conventional farming approach separates livestock from the land. Animals fatten up on grain, while much of the soil is devoted to corn production to make the feed. Fossil fuels are required to raise and harvest feed and spread manure. Corn plants absorb minerals from the soil, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, but also boron, copper, iron, manganese, potassium, and zinc. Continually replanting corn strips the soil, rendering it nearly useless over time.

How does regenerative farming differ from these traditional agricultural practices?
In contrast, regenerative agriculture defines farming and grazing practices that aim to restore and enhance the natural resources that are used, rather than deplete them. Regenerative agriculture creates a sustainable ecosystem that builds soil health, increases water retention, improves biodiversity and ecosystem resiliency, and most importantly, can result in increased carbon drawdown.

Regenerative agriculture links cattle and crops. The animals help feed the plants while the plants, in turn, feed the animals. Responsible, sustainable ranching encourages plant growth and nutrient re-population with natural fertilizer. The cattle eat pests, bugs, and unwelcome weeds, while less land is devoted to feed production. Cattle also play a vital role in soil health. Through carefully planned grazing that mimics the patterns of wild animal herds, ranchers ensure the land is not overgrazed while producing healthier crops with improved yields.

Regenerative grazing applies the rule of thirds: graze a third, trample a third, and leave a third. This promotes photosynthesis in the plant by forcing it to regrow. This moves the carbon from the atmosphere into the soil which is fueled by carbon molecules. In return, those microorganisms feed all the plants, and those plants feed the animals, which then feed us. Healthier soil, healthier cows, and a healthier planet all lead to a healthier you. Mother Nature had this all figured out. We’ve spent years of industrial farming destroying this delicately balanced cycle. taking but not giving back. But there is hope. Mother Nature, left to herself, is adaptive, resilient, and regenerative. Regenerative agriculture looks at mother nature as a system that holistically promotes working together to improve as a whole. These practices virtually eliminate the carbon emissions that come from farming, taking important steps to reverse climate change.

We realized that to be net-zero carbon, Farm To Arm had to start with leather that comes from farmers practicing regenerative agriculture. We also embrace the fact that regenerative agriculture practices humane animal treatment. The cattle are raised in pasture settings where they can express their natural behaviors and not experience the pain and discomfort of Confined Animal Feeding Operations. Respectfully raising cattle is our responsibility and simultaneously contributes to healthy soil.

By partnering with Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed in the United States, renowned for its commitment to regenerative agriculture, 1 Atelier ensures that every piece in the Farm To Arm capsule contributes to this cause. A handful of other brands currently use regenerative leather in some portions of their offering, from Coach, to Timberland, to Patagonia and New Balance. To date, regenerative farming is more common in fibers such as cotton. It is critical from the climate and animal welfare perspectives that more brands embrace leather and fabrics, such as cotton, that come from regenerative practices, in turn, this will force conventional farming to embrace it.

An important distinction is that Farm To Arm regenerative leather is vegetable-tanned at Horween, a 117-year-old tannery in Chicago deploying a unique blend of plant liquors to infuse the leather with richness, depth, and character, resulting in a luxurious leather that is free from heavy metals and chemicals. Given the lack of chrome and dyes, the regenerative hides we receive have to be in very good condition. So we have been working closely with Thousand Hills and Horween to achieve the desired outcome. It has been a 2-year journey to put this supply chain together successfully.

Discuss your amazing collaborators. How do you all come together not only to create a boundary- breaking product but to better industry practices by leaning on natural ingredients and processes?
Incredibly, Matt Maier at Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed, John Culliton at Horween Leather Company, and Mark at OHP brought us all together. Everyone has the same vision: to bring regenerative leather to the mainstream. Diving deeper, given their expertise in vegetable-tanned leather, Horween embraced the opportunity to apply their signature vegetable-tanning to regenerative leather. This was no small feat given they don’t use chemicals and dyes to tan and color the leather so the leather is essentially naked. I will add that our leather is finished with Activated Silk™ biotechnology, an all-natural, biobased and carbon-reductive innovation from Evolved By Nature. Using natural silk proteins upcycled from discarded silkworm cocoons, the technology creates a higher performing, natural feeling, biodegradable leather. In creating Farm To Arm, 1 Atelier has painstakingly built a revolutionary new, completely American supply chain, using agricultural by-products every step of the way: leather, plants and barks, silkworm cocoons.

Can we dive into the styles in this collection and the process of designing and creating the silhouettes?
When creating the Farm to Arm collection, we carefully considered various factors. The aim is to showcase the necessity of regenerative farming, the authenticity of raw materials, and the harmony between fashion and nature. The Farm to Arm collection adheres to essential circular design principles. This means that we focused on designing for longevity and durability, minimizing waste, maximizing product utilization, and using renewable and biodegradable materials. The collection is designed to incorporate as few materials as possible which makes the bags easier to repurpose, recycle, and biodegrade. For example, we have removed fillers and hardware. The Farm to Arm bags consist of vegetable-tanned leather, recycled thread, and natural brass screw buttons that can be unscrewed.

Each silhouette is inspired by our natural world. By incorporating earthy color palettes, we infuse our handbags with the essence of nature itself. The Small Saddlebag draws inspiration from traditional horse-riding saddle bags, capturing their timeless design and shape. It features an adjustable strap, allowing for four different ways to wear it: hand-held, on the shoulder, as a short crossbody bag, or as a long crossbody bag.

The Feed Bag takes cues from horse feeding bags, embracing an elegant and minimalist aesthetic. Its simplistic tie closure serves as a unique design element, while the adjustable strap enables the bag to be carried by hand, on the shoulder, or as a short or long crossbody bag. The Messenger showcases a distinctive twist on the classic messenger bag. Instead of being carried horizontally, it is designed to be carried vertically. The bag’s narrow profile contributes to its sleek appearance, giving it a modern edge. The Messenger bag can be worn as a handheld, shoulder, or crossbody bag.

The collection is designed to be gender-neutral. The adjustable and minimalist designs maintain timelessness, transcending seasonal trends and reducing the need for constant replacements.

What does a healthy future in fashion look like to you? How do you expect 1 Atelier to continue to be a part of that positive shift?
We believe that fashion must harmonize with nature and respect the interconnectedness of all living beings. We are proud of the American supply chain we have created for regenerative, vegetable-tanned leather. We hope that others will follow in our footsteps.

To that end, as we refine and perfect our regenerative leather supply chain, we intend to take our learnings to move other leathers in our classic offering to American-sourced regenerative leather.

We also believe that choices are the hinges of destiny. We recognize that every individual possesses the power to influence and shape the world around them. It is through the choices we make that we can truly make a difference. We consider each person an influencer, a catalyst for positive change. We see Farm To Arm as a platform to educate and inspire luxury and fashion clients overall to appreciate and demand products that harmonize with nature.

Website: https://1atelier.com
Instagram: @1atelierluxury

Article by Kayla Curtis-Evans, Contributing Sustainable Editor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Chenglin Qu, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine
*All images provided by 1 Atelier.

From the Farm to Your Arm with 1 Atelier