Interview with GRAMS28 CEO Benjamin Chan
We had the opportunity to interview GRAMS28 CEO Benjamin Chan, as he discusses the process in creating a sustainable, yet transparent and durable leather accessory brand. Benjamin Chan, founder of GRAMS28, prioritizes responsibility throughout his company’s lifecycle. Offering warranties and ensuring high quality, GRAMS28 stands by its leather bags and accessories. Unlike many fashion brands, GRAMS28 avoids greenwashing. While vegan leather is often promoted as eco-friendly, it’s typically less durable and produced with harmful chemicals. GRAMS28 supports ethical leather suppliers with strict standards and environmental certifications, even visiting their sites to ensure compliance. Using full-grain leather from reputable sources, they create products that can last over 30 years with proper care. Through their commitment to ethics and quality, GRAMS28 proves that fashion can be stylish, durable, and sustainable.
1. What inspired you to create GRAMS28?
I created GRAMS28 to make products that I would want to use. There was a major gap in the market when we first started out, and there still is: luxury goods are constantly undergoing markups, but there is no function or innovation. At GRAMS28, we aim to create products that are simultaneously practical, high quality, aesthetically designed – and all at a sensible price.
2. How does GRAMS28 ensure responsibility for its creations even after delivery to customers?
We offer a lifetime warranty for our products. If there are any questions or any issues that customers have with their orders, they are encouraged to reach out to us and ask for assistance. For functional defects or parts that are faulty, we are always happy to offer repairs. As you may know, leather goods can last decades with proper care, and we want to see our creations accompany their owners for a long time.
3. What measures does GRAMS28 take to stand by the quality of its leather bags and accessories?
Our products go through many layers of rigorous quality inspection. Obviously, the design and development process is extremely important, but even after the products are created we check every single one to make sure that our customers receive only the best.
It also goes without saying that we only use materials that have passed our quality checks. We only use full-grain leather, which is the highest grade of leather made from the top layer of cowhide. It requires the work of only the most skilled of artisans, but in my opinion, the end result is worth it due to how durable the material is.
4. Why does GRAMS28 refrain from participating in greenwashing practices common in the fashion industry?
Greenwashing is extremely harmful and we go out of our way to avoid it. It’s basically pandering to an audience that doesn’t know better. Not only does it take advantage of people’s care for the climate, it also distracts from actual work that can be done in order to help our environment. We only give our customers information that we know is true, and we’re not happy to see misleading greenwashing practices being practised in bad faith.
5. What misconception about vegan leather does GRAMS28 address?
“Vegan leather” is a very broad category. We want to let people know that a product made with vegan leather is not inherently good for the environment. Depending on the processes used during production and even the methods used for the material’s creation, vegan leather can actually be far more harmful than traditional leather.
For instance, some vegan leather is also known as – though they wouldn’t market it using this term – PU leather. It’s plastic mixed in with other substances. The manufacturing process involves extensive use of toxic chemicals, and what makes it even worse is that the created material itself is far from durable and will likely end up in a landfill in less than a year. We would never choose to use this kind of material in our products.
6. How does GRAMS28 debunk the notion that vegan leather is inherently better for the environment? We help to educate our audience on the realities behind leather. The leather that we use are animal byproducts – meaning they are made from animals that are kept for consumption. We also ensure that the tanneries we partner with are environmentally certified in their tanning processes, so that our customers can rest assured that their GRAMS28 purchases are ethical and sustainable.
7. What are some drawbacks associated with most types of vegan leather, according to GRAMS28? I don’t think it’d be right to make a blanket statement, since there are alternative materials to leather that are genuinely sustainable, like Pinatex, which is made with pineapple. I’d just advise buyers to look into what they are purchasing. It never hurts to ask more questions and learn more about what you’re buying. It’s easy to see why vegan leather as a concept is attractive, but it can really mean anything from a chemical concoction to something new and innovative.
8. How does GRAMS28 support leather suppliers in terms of standards and certifications?
We currently partner with two tanneries, Gruppo Mastrotto and Badalassi Carlo. Gruppo Mastrotto’s environmentally-conscious leather tanning procedures are gold-rated by the Leather Working Group. They’re also carbon neutral and their leather is certified biobased by the USDA. Badalassi Carlo, which is the sole tannery in the world that creates snowflake leather, is part of the Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium. We always make sure that the leather we use is the best available, so you know you are getting the best of what’s worth when shopping with us.
9. What additional step does GRAMS28 take to ensure the ethical sourcing of its leather? We conduct site visits to the tanneries and facilities that we work with to make proper observations and ensure that it is ethical and sustainable.
10. Why does GRAMS28 specifically choose to work with Italian tanneries?
Italy has been the heartland of leather since the Middle Ages. Even today, the skill, experience and legacy of the region makes it the home of many brilliant tanneries. We also take into account the region’s labour policies (in this case the European Union), the process of tanning the leather and of course the durability and appearance of the final result, all of which our partner tanneries excel in.
11. What benefits does GRAMS28 derive from using full-grain leather in its products?
The leather we use in our products is produced from the finest grade of cowhide, full-grain leather. The difference is in its outstanding appearance, feel, and durability. Due to full-grain leather coming from the top layer of the hide, it has been exposed to the elements, is strong and tells its own unique story. With proper care, full-grain leather can last 20-30 years or more.
If you look carefully at full-grain leather, there may be small irregularities, such as a healed scrape or scar. These slight irregularities are incorporated into our pieces to showcase each product’s natural individuality and handcrafted nature. We believe that leather is a living, authentic material due to its animal origin.
At GRAMS28, we embrace these irregularities as that is exactly what gives something that unique, one-of-a-kind look, making every one of our products unique.
12. How does GRAMS28 demonstrate that fashion can be both ethical and sustainable? We don’t believe in compromising something just because it requires more effort to deliver on different fronts. Style, functionality, quality, sustainability – you’ll find that our collections at GRAMS28 aim to provide all of the qualities that you would want from what you own. Because we believe that you should be able to enjoy it all.
In conclusion, GRAMS28 CEO Benjamin Chan champions responsibility in creating a sustainable, transparent, and durable leather accessory brand. Emphasizing high-quality materials and rigorous standards, GRAMS28 sets itself apart in an industry plagued by greenwashing. Through a commitment to ethical sourcing and meticulous craftsmanship, GRAMS28 exemplifies how fashion can be both stylish and sustainable, offering products that withstand the test of time. By prioritizing responsibility throughout the company’s lifecycle, GRAMS28 aims to redefine luxury with integrity and purpose.