HARPER COLLECTIVE: New in Luggage
NEWS | TRAVEL & DESIGN
HARPER COLLECTIVE: REDEFINING LUXURY THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY
Harper Collective is a design‑led travel brand reshaping the language of luxury through sustainability, transparency, and craftsmanship. Founded on the belief that waste can be transformed into something both functional and beautiful, the brand has pioneered the use of sea plastic and post‑consumer recycled materials in high‑end luggage — an innovation previously unseen within the luxury category.
Development began in 2019, when Sebastian Manes and Jaden Smith set out to create a luggage line made entirely from recycled materials. The early years were marked by trial and error: sourcing viable materials, testing durability, and navigating the technical challenges of transforming discarded plastic into a premium hard‑shell case. By 2023, production was underway. In just two and a half years, Harper Collective has collected more than 13 tons of sea plastic, recycling it into usable materials. Nets are processed in Holland, transformed into pellets, then sent to France where they become aluminum sheets ready for stamping. The final pieces are meticulously hand‑crafted in heritage factories in Italy and the UK.
The collection includes five suitcase sizes, ranging from carry‑on to trunk, alongside the Lift Bag — a versatile small‑format piece designed to be worn cross‑body or as a clutch. In a nod to heritage craftsmanship, Harper Collective has partnered with British icon Barbour, incorporating its signature diamond‑quilted trim as the lining for all travel products. Made from recycled nylon sourced directly from Barbour’s factories, the lining is removable and washable, echoing the brand’s ethos of longevity and care.
Driven by a deep connection to the natural world and oceans, Harper Collective continues to innovate at the intersection of sustainability and luxury. Each piece is engineered to perform at the highest level while embodying a commitment to responsible design and enduring quality.
The brand’s reach has expanded through collaborations with Zara Home, where select Harper Collective products are available online and in key European retailers. In 2025, Harper Collective also partnered with French tech firm The New Face to launch an immersive 360‑degree digital world — a virtual atelier where customers can explore the brand’s sustainability journey and watch artisans at work. This innovation underscores Harper Collective’s refusal to conform to traditional retail models, offering instead a narrative experience that blends technology, craft, and environmental consciousness.
Harper Collective is not simply producing luggage; it is redefining luxury as a dialogue between sustainability and design. In a landscape often dulled by repetition, the brand’s vision feels like a reclamation of individuality — proof that responsible innovation can be as aspirational as it is essential.
