Our materials
Our materials
Luxury without animal matter
Rive Claire makes respect for the environment an integral part of its DNA and this is why the raw materials used for our handbags and accessories are of the utmost importance. We differentiate ourselves with innovative materials selected with care and substitutes to animal leather. Vegetal, organic, natural, recycled, certified, they all offer quality and transparency.
You will find the complete description of our handbags in the "Composition and Product Care" section under each model.
AppleSkin
AppleSkin is an innovative, vegan material and a great alternative to leather. It is made in Northern Italy from apple residues from the food industry without any chemical process.
The apple skins are recovered, dried and powdered. This powder is mixed with a base of polyurethane and fabrics. This mixture is also made in Italy, near Florence. Thanks to a patented technology, the waste is thus transformed into an extremely resistant material.
For our NOMAD collection bags, the composition is as follows: 20% polyester, 16% cotton, 38% polyurethane, 26% apples.
For the trim of our DUNE collection, the composition is as follows: 27% polyester, 22% cotton, 27% polyurethane, 24% apples.
There are different AppleSkin qualities and we have selected for our bags those with a top-of-the-range finish and a bluffing "leather" look. The colour is obtained exclusively from organic pigments.
The AppleSkin is an animal-friendly material and reinforces our commitment to more sustainable fashion.
AppleSkin is a vegetable material with many advantages:
WATERPROOF, SCRATCH-RESISTANT, COLORFAST AND HYPOALLERGENIC
Ecological vegetal material
For our Vienna straw family exclusively, we have selected an ecological vegan material. It is produced in Italy by the international leader in the production of high-quality materials for the shoe and leather goods market. Our partner strongly believes in respect for the environment and therefore pursues its objectives through articles obtained through production processes with low environmental impact, without the use of solvents and harmful substances.
Our material (25% polyester, 75% water-based polyurethane) is manufactured without the use of solvents. To protect the planet, we use only water-based polyurethane, which allows us to have a low environmental impact in the production process and then in disposal.
Beyond REACH: this material far exceeds the already strict requirements set by the European regulation, guaranteeing a safe and high-quality product.
This vegan material has many advantages:
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, SOLVENT-FREE, HIGH QUALITY AND PREMIUM QUALITY
GOTS certified organic cotton
The outer fabric of our handbags is made in Italy near Florence by a textile producer with recognized know-how. The fabrics offered by our partner are very high quality and often used in the luxury industry.
We wanted to go even further... In order to respect our ecological commitment, we decided to use an organic cotton certified GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard). The textile must be composed of 70 to 90% of fibers from organic farming.
This label guarantees that the production processes are environmentally friendly throughout the textile processing chain, from the cultivation of the raw materials to the consumer.
Toxic substances and aromatic solvents are prohibited.
Our cotton is a certified material with many advantages:
HIGH-END, ORGANIC, NATURAL AND ECOLOGICAL
Vienna Straw
Vienna straw is made from rattan, a vine palm tree found in Indonesia. This plant grows in abundance and does not belong to the protected species because it is so fast and easy to grow. The manufacturing process is long and meticulous in order to obtain threads of the same thickness.
The plant is completely natural and is not associated with agents harmful to the environment. The caning is then allowed thanks to traditional craftsmanship and know-how that give it a very singular appearance.
Straw remains a natural element with all its peculiarities and some inclusions or colour differences may be visible on our products. A particularity that we wanted to keep for our handbags in order to make each piece unique.
Our Vienna straw is a special material with many advantages:
NATURAL, LIGHT, SUSTAINABLE AND ECOLOGICAL
Raffia
Raffia weaving is a natural material produced from palm leaves native to Madagascar. The island is the cradle of this precious and high quality raw material.
The collection of raffia is highly regulated and our French supplier has a license issued by the Ministry of Agriculture which commits him to replant palm trees every year. He also has the traceability on the collection but also the preparation of the fiber.
As far as weaving is concerned, experienced local craftsmen ensure the durability of the looms on the island.
The raffia remains a natural element with all its singularities and certain inclusions or differences of colors can be visible on our products. A particularity that we wanted to keep for our handbags to make each piece unique.
The weaving of raffia is a natural material with many advantages:
QUALITATIVE, CRAFT, VEGETABLE AND TRADITIONAL
Our recycled and organic cotton linings
For the inside of our handbags, we have selected a beautiful cotton blend providing a soft and high-quality finish. Made from 70% recycled cotton and 30% organic cotton, this material is also produced in Italy.
Recycled cotton is an eco-friendly material made from pre-consumer waste, such as cotton that is too damaged to be thrown away. We thus save the pollution associated with the cultivation of virgin cotton. Recycled cotton avoids the waste of natural resources. We have combined it with organic cotton to offer more resistance and a higher quality aspect.
The wire producer also has GRS (Global Recycle Standard) certification. This international and voluntary certification not only certifies the recycled content of the material but also verifies compliance with environmental and social criteria.
Our cotton is a recycled and organic material with many advantages:
RESISTANT, ANTI-WASTE, ECOLOGICAL AND COMFORTABLE
