UK-based leather handbag and accessories brand Silviano is targeting travel retail with an innovative Laptop Sleeve which offers wireless charging and bluetooth tracking options.
The sleeves, which are made from vegetable-tanned, upcycled leathers, are available in three sizes – 11, 14 and 16 inches – and in two colours, tan and blue. A black version is set to be introduced later this year.
Silviano is the brainchild of Indian entrepreneurs Nakul and Sonal Malhotra, third generation members of a family whose experience in the bag and accessories industry date back to 1949.
“Our vision is to create products that blend the world of design, ecology, and technology in ways that touch the lives of modern-day consumers,” Nakul Malhotra said.
“After working in the leather handbag industry for many years, we noticed a lack of options for high-quality accessories that were sustainable, affordable, adaptable to the modern-day tech market, and that life on the go more convenient.”
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Silviano’s on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo attracted strong interest and support from the USA, a market which Silviano is actively targeting, along with Japan and India. The brand’s products are already available through selected retailers on the UK domestic market and, according to Malhotra, online sales are strong.
“The best kind of travel gadget seamlessly marries hi-design with technology, and this leather folio is a prime example,” he said.
“We believe in ‘slow fashion’ and creating products that last a lifetime” – Silviano Founder Nakul Malhotra
Malhotra highlighted Silviano’s aim to offer products which are produced with minimal environmental impact. Leathers used in the sleeves are chosen from leftover stock leathers from partner factories which would have been discarded or ended up in landfills. They are vegetable-tanned without the use of chemicals.
“We believe in ‘slow fashion’ and creating products that last a lifetime,” he said. “Although leather is not considered as eco-friendly, we see it as a material of nature and we ensure that all our leather is LWG certified.
“A good quality leather can last decades and becomes more beautiful with age, whereas faux leather does not age well, and starts cracking after a few years.”
On Silviano’s sustainability credentials, Malhotra said: “We know we leave an impact on the environment and we believe in cleaning up our footprint. We have pledged to plant a tree for every product we sell and our ‘Reduction Action Plan’ to reduce emissions from within our operations and supply chain will have us as a carbon-neutral company within the next three years.” 
