Ethical brand Made in Africa

Producing leather bags in Ethiopia, where no one expects it, is a signal that EVERYTHING can be done... if you dare to do it.

"When I left my job in 2013 to create Inaden, nobody understood. Going to fWhen I left my job in 2013 to create Inaden, no one understood. Going to Africa to make bags seemed completely crazy... and it must have been a bit!

Today, things have evolved: producing differently, defending values, proposing ethical and eco-responsible alternatives, there are more committed brands and not only in fashion.

Our mission is not to revolutionize fashion but to offerquality and sustainable leather bags.

We take more time to design our handbags than other big brands. We love to design bags that we will still love to wear in 10 years!

Among our timeless bags: the bucket Woodé bag, the Aky shoulder bag, the Alem tote bag, the Sofia shoulder bag...

Our style? Minimalist with a hint of bohemian chic for an always feminine look!

"It is often said that buying is voting. It is the same when you produce. When you produce, you decide HOW you do things. As a committed brand, we make the choice to create as much added value as possible on the African continent and that this benefits the women and men who make our bags."

All our collections are designed in our Paris office.

From the purchase of raw materials to the manufacture of our bags , everything (or almost everything*) takes place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

*97% des matières premières utilisées en production sont d’origine africaines et 100% des cuirs utilisés pour nos articles de maroquinerie sont issus de tanneries locales certifiées ISO Environnement.

Many are inspired by Africa, its creativity and diversity.Many are inspired by Africa, its creativity and diversity. Even more draw on its natural resources every day.

Who really benefits from all this?

It is time to "render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar".

Supporting local employment and developing local production sectors are the logical keys to empowering the African continent.

Our ambition as an eco-friendly brand? To be an active part of change in our small way: Africa is not the future. Africa is now !

*L’Afrique n’est pas le Futur. Le changement s’écrit aujourd’hui !

The production of a bag involves many steps to which we pay the greatest attention. This lengthy manufacturing process requires expertise and attention to detail.

We are proud to participate in the empowerment of women who represent the majority of artisans in our partner leather goods workshops.

All the craftsmen are trained and qualified in the various leather goods trades.

From the cutting of the leather, to the assembly, to the sewing and then to the finishing, all the hands that work the material and give life to the Inaden bags, ensure the final quality of the article.

Authentic, durable and timeless, this is our vision of quality craftsmanship.

Natural materials carefully crafted to create unique and original pieces that will last a lifetime.

And behind each product, women and men who work in dignified and fair conditions.

Our leather goods are made from smooth, waxy or sometimes grained full grain leather, suede, embossed leather with patterns...

"Often, the first question I am asked is: WHERE does the leather come from?"

With more than 50 million head, Ethiopia has the largest livestock population on the African continent in the Abyssinian highlands.

Recognised for their quality, the skins were - until the early 2000s - mainly exported internationally as wet blue* leathers to American, Asian or European production lines.

Since then, strict measures have been taken by the government to preserve and boost the Ethiopian leather industry, one of the country's economic pillars. From now on, only finished leathers, garments and leather goods are allowed to be exported.

In addition, there was a growing awareness of the environmental impact of the tanneries, which were required to comply with international standards, particularly in terms of waste reprocessing , or face permanent closure.

Leather: what alternatives?

If fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world, the leather industry is no exception.

If vegan fashion is a real trend and wants to offer alternatives to leather, one can ask the question of sustainability: 

"Is a material made of 98% petroleum inherently more environmentally friendly than leather?

We do not have the answer to this question.

But we choose to use natural leathers:

Our next challenge is to develop a line of leather goods made from 100% vegetable tanned leather and 100% made in Africa.

We are working on it and even if it takes time, we are not slackening our efforts to obtain a result that meets our requirements.

Transport: what solutions?

Our bags are designed and produced between Paris and Addis Ababa, and then sold worldwide.

We work in a short circuit and favour local sourcing as close as possible to our production workshops in Ethiopia, which allows us to have simplified logistics - where other brands multiply the transport of raw materials to finished products.

We choose air transport because sea transport solutions are both complex and offer little flexibility for a small company.

Packaging: how to do without it?

All our bags are protected in a screen-printed cotton pouch, packaged in unprinted recycled cardboard and accompanied by thank you cards.

Although we would like to keep packaging to a minimum, it is difficult for us to sacrifice the customer experience altogether.

We are still thinking and testing without having found the perfect solution yet.

Overconsumption

Although we are proud of our bags and the way we make them, we have questions. 

Do we really need to buy so many handbags?

Our product is part of what is called "fashion", so what is wrong with wearing the same bag for years?

Do we always need the latest model?

Est-ce qu’un beau sac en cuir ne devrait pas être chéri et apprécié pour les marques que le temps laisse sur lui et qui le rendent unique ?

"AFRICA IS THE FUTURE

There you have it, a familiar refrain.

Yet if I tell you Africa, what do you think? 

Safaris, nomads, traditions, poverty, NGOs... 

A future on a drip... not always exciting.

And then it hit me: Sustainable development. Responsible consumption. Conscious production methods.

3 months later, it was decided: I would make "something" in Africa!

It is 2013 and I cannot imagine how profoundly this decision will change lives.

A first trip is improvised in Niger.

There I meet hard-working, talented and ambitious people.

It's the rush: the heart that believes in it hard, hard.

Then came the first complications... then the great disillusionment.

Return to Paris Case Départ. 

Then one day, this sentence like a flash: Impossible is nothing.

Africa is big... Why not try again elsewhere?

Paris / Addis Ababa - 6000 km. For me, it's 6000 km of challenge.

There, extraordinary encounters.

A workshop, caring hands and laughter.

Successes and obstacles. 

But always the desire to move forward, to believe in it more strongly. 

One production, then two, then three...and always: this wonder.

Today, Inaden is no longer a crazy bet.

It is a story that is written, collection after collection, with respect and pride in a job well done.

Inaden is the idea that a beautiful bag made in Africa can tell a different story.

A story where the future is already here.

Shall I tell you?