From the Studio Series: materials matter

Today's post is the second of our "From the Studio" series, where we share how we createMAIKA products: from inspiration to finished product. Check out our first post here.

Right from the inception of our brand, we truly valued the quality of the materials we wanted to use for our products. All our products are made from sturdy recycled cotton canvas and printed with eco-friendly inks. What does this really mean?

Recycled Cotton Canvas
Recycling cotton refers to the process where used cotton waste is re-spun into "new" yarns. First, the cotton is sorted by type and color, then processed through stripping machines that breaks down the fabric into smaller pieces before they are pulled apart into fiber. The mix is then carded to clean and mix the fibers before they are spun into new yarns.

We chose recycled over traditional cotton because as a crop, cotton is extremely resource-intensive so using recycled cotton helps to reduce the use of natural resources and reduces agriculture pollution.

Vegan Leather
When we were looking at trimming options, we learned that not all vegan leather is created equal. Our straps and details are made from PU leather, not to be confused with PVC leather. PVC leather is made from a blend of plastic materials and treated with chemicals to form essentially a plastic imitation of leather. Conversely, PU leather is made from leftover parts of the hide, and bonded with a layer of polyurethane. 

We love hearing how pleasantly surprised our customers often are when they discover how supple and soft our straps are, as opposed to the sticky, plasticky feel of PVC leather. The best part? PU leather is stain-resistant, fade-proof and easy to clean by wiping with a damp cloth.

Eco-friendly pigment inks
All our products are hand-printed with eco-friendly pigment inks. These inks are water-based and do not contain chemicals (such as toxic phthalates and PVC) that are harmful to your body and the environment. 

Packaging
Down to our hangtags, we are conscious of the materials we use. Our tags are made from post-consumer recycled kraft paper, which is recyclable and biodegradable, and printed with water-based inks.

Till the next post...