Ethical Luxury By Lunar Method

ETHICAL LUXURY

BY ALORA MIDDLETON HALE

How one brand is raising the way jewelry is stored to ethical standards by advocating for the animals, the environment, and women’s rights

Lunar Method was founded mid-pandemic in 2020 by Karine Ponce. What began as an idea for a travel necessity for carrying her own jewelry blossomed into a sustainable and ethically produced product designed for the modern traveler.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Karine was raised by a Brazilian mother and an Ecuadorian father. From an early age, travel was an important part of her life. From humble beginnings to working at several very successful startups in the Bay Area, Karine knew she wanted to start her own business as soon as she moved to Mexico City, and she dedicated herself to creating environmental and cruelty-free products that solve problems for the modern-day woman.

We had the opportunity to speak with Karine about starting an ethically conscious brand and the importance of ethical fashion.

Can you tell us a little bit about Lunar Method?

Lunar Method is an ethical and cruelty-free brand based in Los Angeles and Mexico City. We are made up of a multitalented passionate group of travelers and artisans from around the globe. Lunar Method’s first collection is dedicated to creating durable, luxury bags for environmentally conscious travelers. 36

We specialize in combining vegan cactus leather and handwoven fabrics from artisans around Mexico. Beyond travel bags, Lunar Method tells a story. With hand-sewn fabrics embroidered with beautiful and unique designs, sourced directly from Mexican women artisans, and cruelty-free cactus leather, Lunar Method advocates two important issues: women’s rights and animal rights.

How did you settle on cactus leather for your travel bags?

Cactus leather is one of the most sustainable and durable alternative leather options available on the market. The cactus leather we use is made from prickly pear cactus that is sustainably harvested in Zacatecas, Mexico. Unlike animal-derived leather, plant-based cactus leather does not require livestock and helps to prevent Amazon deforestation. It is also a humane alternative to traditional leather, helping to prevent 72 million animals from being slaughtered every year.

It’s clear that cactus leather is better for our animal friends, but the planet suffers because of animal agriculture, as well. How does the environmental impact of cactus leather differ from animal-derived leather?

The cactus leather we use in our products is from Desserto, the world’s first highly sustainable and environmentally friendly organic material made from the prickly pear cactus. The cactus plants are only planted once and last about 8 years. The Desserto team uses rainwater, rather than an irrigation system, and only cuts the mature leaves of the prickly pear plant without damaging the cactus itself. This allows for a new harvest every 6-8 months.

Animal-derived leather, on the other hand, has a much larger impact on the environment. In fact, 70% of an untreated hide is eventually discarded as solid waste. That means that the hair, fat, meat, and sinew all get dumped straight into a landfill, resulting in almost three times the negative environmental

impact as synthetic leathers, including those made from polyurethane.

It’s always wonderful to see brands making compassionate choices on behalf of animals and the planet. How do you ensure that compassion extends to the people making your products, as well?

We are committed to elevating luxury to ethical standards. Together with the plant-based cactus leather, our travel bags feature 100% natural hand-woven cotton that is toxic-free, dye-free, and sourced directly from Mexican artisan women. Our artisans in Chiapas, Mexico use old-school agriculture and weaving techniques to create the unique fabrics that line our bags. We spend time with the women artisans we work with, visiting their homes, listening to their stories, watching them weave, and even trying out the traditional weaving tool ourselves. We honor the work and dedication these artisans put into making their products by providing them with a fair wage and job security.

Why is it important for ethics to be included in fashion?

For years, fashion has been a powerful force in capitalism, encouraging inexpensive products to be rapidly pushed out and manifesting the culture of fast fashion. All of this was done without much thought to the long-term consequences on the workers who make the products, or the environmental effects of the fast fashion industry.

A few years ago, when I was able to personally step back and think through my decisions as a consumer, I found myself seeking out brands

Creating more ethical options to the masses is something I take very seriously,

that were dedicated to protecting the environment and were high enough in quality to last for years. The more I researched the effects of the fashion industry and especially the leather industry, the more I wanted to move away from it and stop buying anything leather.

When we started Lunar Method, there was absolutely no choice but to be ethical and sustainable. We wanted to be part of the solution towards a sustainable future and most importantly, we wanted to empower consumers to make an ethical choice. We want to create a culture where vegan and luxury can be one and the same, high quality and long-lasting, but elevating luxury to ethical standards.

What advice do you have for others wanting to start an ethically conscious brand?

Be persistent. Many manufacturers will tell you it “can’t be done” simply because they have never tried, or because they are used to doing things a certain way and are often not willing to change. Don’t be afraid to push back, ask why, or simply find a manufacturer that is willing to have a transparent and ethical process.

Ethically conscious brands are trailblazing a new way of creating goods and services that require a new way of thinking - from the material, to the supply chain, to the shipping. Everything has to be rooted in the values of your “why”. Stand strong in your mission, and you will find the right people to create a beautiful ethical product.