Materials

RECOMMENDATIONS

The durability of all the materials we use will give you more than enough performance to keep your Babau with you for years to come.

If you give your Babau normal use, using it every day but taking minimal care of it as you would normally do with something you value, you won't need to read any of the instructions below, simply choose the one you like best.

If, on the other hand, you are going to use it very, very intensively without worrying about the surfaces where you leave it (on the ground in the street, in the subway, etc.), if you walk a lot around the city and your bag or backpack is to rub against different types of walls, etc., then read the characteristics of each material to choose the most suitable one for you. And remember, no matter how resistant the materials we use are, there is always a limit, a limit that we have seen crossed on occasion.

What materials do we use?

The raw materials we use are largely from local suppliers or, at least, of European origin. The requirements of European regulations ensure our health and environment, so any of the manufacturers we work with are governed by these regulations.

All our materials comply with the REACH STANDARD regulations and have many more properties than most of those used in the leather goods sector; waterproofing, anti-stain, antibacterial, anti-mite, fire-retardant treatments, etc.

They are quite a bit more expensive but they help us to be different from the rest and strengthen the image that we want to be associated with Babau .

Our filters

For us, the choice of a material must necessarily go through two filters:

The first is the image, it has to provide a color and texture that fits with what we are looking for for the specific season. We have to like it and it has to be attractive.

The second encompasses the origin, durability and ease of working with it. Whenever we can we use recycled materials but when we cannot find any that pass the first filter, we use new fabrics that provide us with a lot of resistance and durability. In our case we use materials designed for the world of upholstery, both indoor and outdoor (garden, nautical, etc.).

Fur

In the food industry, a huge amount of waste is generated daily that ends up in landfills or being incinerated, producing a very negative impact on the environment. The leather industry recycles part of the by-product generated, transforming it into a fantastic raw material to manufacture long-lasting items.

The problem lies in the way in which this “recycling” or tanning is carried out. 80% of leather tanning operations around the world are made with “chrome”, which is the most polluting of all modalities due to the components used during the process; heavy metals, dyes and other harmful chemicals in addition to a huge consumption of water and energy. The result is a leather that is quite waterproof and resistant to color loss but at a high price, its use has been and is a concern due to the great environmental impact it causes.

The leathers with which we make our bags and backpacks are treated using an innovative process to preserve the protein, thus being a much more sustainable alternative to any type of tanning.

The BioCuir® seal certifies that all the leathers we use are free of chromium, heavy metals and other contaminants. That the pigments with which they are dyed come from roots, fruits, tree bark, etc. That the entire process has used 30% less energy, 50% less water and that it is 100% biodegradable. Being of organic origin, once its life cycle is completed, it returns to nature in the form of an energy source, thus making it a sustainable and more ecological skin than practically any other raw material.

There is a sample of leather on the tag of every bag or backpack we sell. Wash it in very hot water and let it dry. If you repeat this process more than 10 times, you will see how it returns to its natural state. The water you used to wash it will not be contaminated and in this state the leather will be 100% biodegradable.

Material Seatbelt

The structure of the car seat belt is made of PET polyester filaments and as its name suggests, it is manufactured with safety in mind within the automotive industry. In the automotive world, exhaustive safety controls are passed for all components that have to do with manufacturing and in the case of belts, as they are directly related to safety, even more so. The factory that produces them is located in the same town as our workshop, Terrassa, and generates production surpluses and other waste items that we use to make our unbreakable bags. This way of recycling is called “pre-consumer recycling” and has a very clear fit within the circular economy that we should move towards as a society.

It is a very resistant material, so much so that it goes far beyond what is necessary to make a bag and places our bags and backpacks among the most resistant on the market. On the other hand, the same reason why it achieves such great resistance, the density of its construction, also generates one of its few defects, its weight. We could say that a bag made of seat belts can weigh approximately the same as another bag of similar size made of leather.

The waterproofness it offers is not total but the density of the material provides greater water resistance than the vast majority of fabrics. 

Material Diamond

Diamond material has a complex texture that resembles a diamond mesh from a distance. It is made from a layer of 100% vinyl over another layer of 100% polyester and has a weight of 630 g/m2. Created for outdoor use (terrace, garden and nautical), the technical finishes that this fabric incorporates are far above those necessary for the production of a bag or backpack. It is very resistant, waterproof, fireproof, antibacterial and has UV protection.

Material Grain

The Grain material, despite looking like a textile, is made of a 100% vinyl top layer over a 100% polyester top layer and has a weight of 730 g/m2. The ADVANPROTECH coating provides greater abrasion resistance, prevents the growth of microorganisms and generates excellent stain resistance. It has the Sanitized® seal and the OEKO-TEX® certificate, which guarantees higher product quality in terms of health and sustainability. Created for outdoor use (terrace, garden, automotive or nautical), the technical finishes incorporated in this fabric are far above those required for making a bag or backpack. It is very resistant, waterproof, fireproof, antibacterial and has UV protection.

Material Rustik

In the Rustik collection, the body is made of a very high-quality textile material, 100% Polypropylene, with a weight of 260 g/m2. Like all our materials, it also complies with the European Chemicals Directive (REACH).

It is a fabric created for use in the upholstery sector and its properties are far above those used for making conventional bags or backpacks. Being a fabric, although with a lower weight, it can easily surpass any plastic in strength and durability, in addition to being lighter. 

In this case, the impermeability it offers would not be total but partial.

*Warnings: Do not use bleaches, waxes, stain removers, dish products or other solvent substances.

Material Peach

It is made with a 100% Polyurethane (PU) top layer on a base of 33% cotton - 67% polyester and a weight of 550 g/m2. It has a pattern and texture reminiscent of the grain of cowhide. Its surface is extra soft and silky as only PU can be, however, they are also more sensitive to intensive use and can have premature wear compared to other plastics we use (mostly PVC). It is finished with a fire retardant treatment and is completely waterproof.

As with all the materials we use, it complies with the REACH STANDARD regulations and has many more properties than most of those used in the leather goods sector. Despite having passed our resistance tests, as it is a polyurethane (PU) we recommend taking minimal care of it. It is still above the majority of bags with which we share shelves in stores but it does not reach the levels of other materials that we use such as PVC, fabrics or, of course, car seat belts.

Even though the materials we use are of high quality and have specific stain-resistant finishes, the migration of pigments, dyes and colorants such as those used in some jeans, leather, microfibers, etc., is a practically irreversible effect on many surfaces, especially on materials that are lighter in color. Remember that if a Babau gets stained in this way, it is not the fault of the materials we use, it is the fault of the garment that is stained, “the paper is not to blame for a marker painting it” ;)