Materials

Good People bags are made mostly of natural raffia, woven and crocheted by hand in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Here is everything that goes into them, and what each material is doing there.

Raffia

Raffia comes from the leaves of the raffia palm, native to Madagascar. The fiber is harvested once a year without cutting the tree, which keeps growing. Our artisans dry it, dye it, then weave it on a loom or crochet it by hand into Anja, Le Cabas, Le City, Le Puff and the rest of the family.

The result is a bag that is light, strong and keeps its shape. Most of our crochet models are 100% raffia.

Agave

Some handles, like those of the large Anja, are made of agave, another plant fiber that is tough enough to carry a full day.

Upcycled cotton jersey

In Le Puff Manga and Le Tana, raffia is woven together with upcycled cotton jersey: textile offcuts given a second life and a softer hand.

A touch of lurex

Le Puff Rabane and the flap of Le Faly mix raffia with a little lurex, for pieces that catch the light in the evening.

Stainless steel hardware

Chains, clasps and the Baobab, our signature ornament, are in gold-tone stainless steel.

Linings

Some models have a fabric lining or an inner pouch to protect your belongings. The exact composition of every bag is listed on its product page.

The exception

Jywas, our collaboration with Linking Dotz, is made of satin polyester and organic cotton rather than raffia.

Caring for raffia

Raffia likes a soft brush and dislikes soaking. Everything else is in our FAQ and our guide How to clean and care for a raffia bag.