Sustainability & Ethics

Watson & Wolfe began with the intention of creating a luxury leather accessories brand. With over a decade of experience in multi-channel retail at Aspinal of London, our founder, Helen Farr-Leander, had the insight, drive, and clarity to build a premium brand. But in the early stages of development, a single Google search shifted everything. What started as a research session on leather production quickly became a deep dive into an industry rife with pollution, cruelty, and exploitation.

The scale of harm, both environmental and ethical, was staggering: toxic tannery runoff contaminating water systems, vast greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming, and working conditions that endangered human lives. The vision for Watson & Wolfe changed overnight. Leather was out and was quickly followed by a vegan lifestyle and a journey to build an ethical and sustainable brand.

Luxury is no longer defined by scarcity or the use of animal-derived materials. True luxury is intentional. It combines innovation, performance, design, and responsibility.

We believe that crafting beautiful accessories should never come at the expense of people, animals, or the planet. That’s why Watson & Wolfe is dedicated to using cutting-edge, future-forward materials that look, feel, and perform like traditional leather, but without the environmental price tag.

Craftsmanship, quality, and aesthetics remain at the heart of everything we do. But so does the belief that fashion must evolve. We’re proud to be part of a movement redefining what it means to buy better.

Where and how our products are made matters. We work exclusively with small, artisan factories in Portugal and Turkiye, longstanding partners to European brands, now embracing the future of ethical manufacturing.

Each of our partner factories:
> Maintains ethical working conditions
> Implements fair pay and safe environments
> Uses green energy and minimises water use
> Recycles production waste and manages air quality responsibly

We deliberately manufacture our cork accessories in Portugal and our rPET-lined goods in Turkiye to minimise the transport of raw materials. Every decision is made with purpose: reducing our supply chain’s carbon footprint while supporting expert craftsmanship.

Every Watson & Wolfe order arrives in entirely plastic-free, recyclable packaging. Our gift boxes are crafted from 100% collected waste paper and contain recycled fibre particles, yet their premium finish defies expectations.

The card stock is biodegradable, FSC certified, and produced using a chlorine-free process. Even the print is eco-conscious, using vegetable-based inks.

Beautiful presentation should never come at the expense of the planet.

At Watson & Wolfe, our commitment to ethical design extends beyond our brand. We actively align our work with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that guide global efforts to create a better world:

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production:- By using low-impact, recycled, and renewable materials, we minimise waste and prioritise conscious production.

Goal 13: Climate Action:- We make intentional choices to reduce emissions, from sourcing closer to manufacturing bases to using plastic-free packaging.

Goal 15: Life on Land:- We opt out of animal-derived materials, choosing innovative plant-based alternatives that preserve biodiversity and support sustainable land use.

These goals provide a framework, but it’s our everyday decisions that count.