Silvia Jeane Gallo is the founder of jeane & jax, a luxury leather-alternative handbag brand that encompasses the principles of ethical fashion while delivering handbags of quality, style and affordability.
33 minutes | Apr. 5, 2023
After working in the fashion industry for over fifteen years as a brand manager for top international brands, Silvia Jeane Gallo founded jeane & jax in 2014 with the vision of combining her fashion expertise with her compassion for nature. jeane & jax prioritizes sustainability and veganism, and is dedicated to utilizing only plant-based or top-quality recycled materials. Silvia takes pride in creating sustainable products that are both stylish and ethically-produced, and actively explores the market for cutting-edge materials that complement her handbag designs while reducing our environmental footprint.
For many consumers, the thought of alternative-leather handbags brings to mind PVC or polyurethane-based bags that lacked style and durability, and while animal friendly, were far from environmentally friendly. But innovations in sustainable materials have drastically improved the options for environmentally-conscious handbag consumers. Plant-based leathers derived from cactus, pineapple, or mushrooms are changing the way the fashion industry – and consumers – view leather-alternative products. But limited production of high-quality plastic-free leather alternatives means these materials are not currently widely available and are primarily being used by high-priced brands, which limits the potential for widespread adoption. Is it possible to produce luxury goods using next-generation materials without being prohibitively expensive?
Like many early adopters of animal-alternative leathers, Silvia Jeane Gallo wanted to manufacture quality products that matched the look and feel of leather, but found herself limited by the plastic-based materials available at the time. Her ongoing search for more sustainable materials first led her to incorporate recycled materials into her designs, and most recently led her to MIRUM, a circular and recyclable plant-based and plastic-free leather alternative. Silvia is proud to be one of the first handbag brands to utilize MIRUM, with her first collection of MIRUM-material handbags launching in Spring 2023.