Cuba Lab

Cuba Lab is the sustainable brand project dedicated to human and professional training through learning the art of leather goods. An admirable result achieved from the collaboration between Artesania, a social promotion association that supports training opportunities of artisan excellence and the Design Lab of the San Patrignano Italian rehab community, born more than 10 years ago thanks to the visionary support of the Tod’s Group, which donates technologies and resources for human and professional training.

Thanks to this cooperation a real design process is built together: an effective brand in terms of creativity, productivity and communication, capable of helping to write the new story of the subjects involved.
Our first intention was to create a collection focused on a colorful product, made with natural materials, high quality leather and handcrafted decorations. We drew inspiration from Cuban vitalism and were indeed inspired by Caribbean culture. Starting from the reinterpretation of the traditional straw and leather bag called Alforja, used in Havana at the end of the 19th century, Habanera was born in 2020: a concrete result of the union between hearts and hands and a special expression of artisan excellence.

A real collection of unique, ethically and eco-sustainable products thanks to the reuse of fine leathers from Tod’s saddlery productions and upcycled fabrics from high fashion brands. Each bag will be equipped with a special certificate of originality hand-signed by each of the girls in the workshop involved in the creation of these saddlery products.