Hi, I’m Scarlett, designer, maker, and founder of KYODAI.

KYODAI is a small London-based brand built on a love of craftwomanship, sustainability, and timeless design. Every piece is handmade by me in my south London studio, using carefully sourced deadstock Italian leathers, organic cotton, and solid brass hardware. These are materials I choose not only for their beauty and durability, but for their lower environmental impact too.

Before starting KYODAI, I worked in womenswear and later learned the art of bag-making while working with a Japanese brand. That experience shaped the way I work today and inspired the name itself. KYODAI means “siblings” in Japanese, a reflection of where my craft began and of the ideas of connection, inclusivity, and community that sit at the heart of the brand.

Everything here is made slowly and with intention. There’s no mass production and no shortcuts, just thoughtfully made leather goods designed to be worn and loved.

Thank you so much for being here.

Scarlett


PRODUCTION

Sustainability is always something thats been the core value of my brand from the start. I believe in creating high quality products that are made to love and to last but with the lowest environmental impact. I work on a made to order basis or in small batches, ensuring as little waste as possible.


MATERIALS

Deadstock Leather - There is SO much textile waste in this world, which is why we choose to only use Italian dead-stock, and second-hand leathers to create our bags - this ensures we have a hugely lower environmental impact, whilst still creating a well-made, natural and long lasting product.

Moire - Our Moiré fabric is 64% CO and 36% VI, it is produced in Italy by local mills and every step of production is carefully monitored. The dyes and chemicals used during the production process are non-toxic/non-harmful, following Oeko-Tex standards. Of course, viscose is (wo)man-made, however it is biodegradable. To significantly lower the impact made by the production of the Viscose, a wide part of the cellulose used comes from scraps of wood recycled from other manufacturing industries. Moreover, our Moiré fabric is predominantly made with cotton fibre. In order to create the beautiful water mark pattern, the fabric goes under a hot damp metal cylinder which presses it on another rubber cylinder in an uneven motion, creating an ever-different moire design. Therefore, every single production is unique, giving this fabric an artisanal and luxurious feel!


SUPPLIERS

We made the conscious decision to use UK and European suppliers for all of our leathers, fabrics and metal components very early on. We are firm believers of supporting our local businesses - and working this way also dramatically reduces our carbon footprint!


PACKAGING

Our packaging is 100% recyclable