quiddity
quid·di·ty | noun
(in philosophy) the essence or “whatness” of someone or something
about us
Quiddity is for the modern explorer.
We create meticulously handcrafted leather bags and accessories using vegetable tanned leather from Tuscany, Italy.
We believe in preserving the handmade bag-making tradition, as well as other artisanal crafts, while also adapting them for the modern world, and working to develop contemporary applications of these traditional skills.
Each piece we make is reliable, conscientiously made, and perfect for those who value high quality craftsmanship.
our mission
Quiddity aims to keep old-school, old-world artisanal traditions alive, whilst adapting them for the modern world. This mission fuels our efforts to preserve and be patrons of artisans, crafts, and techniques that are in danger of being forgotten or lost.
our philosophy
Here at Quiddity, we create meticulously handcrafted leather bags and accessories.
Our design philosophy is all about emphasizing quality and craft-centric details, without sacrificing function. We make modern classics that are rooted in artisanal traditions. We highlight the beauty and strength of our leather and craftsmanship, and dispense with the superfluous and unnecessary. Our designs focus on utility without the ubiquity and ephemerality of mass production and fast fashion. Our products have purpose and personality.
our supply chain
Quiddity aims to have a fully artisanal production and supply chain. Currently, more than 80% of Quiddity’s operations are artisanal:
Our vegetable tanned leather is sourced from some of the few tanneries in Tuscany that are certified and accredited by the Consorzio Vera Pelle. This consortium ensures the protection of the Italian vegetable-tanning tradition, which originated in Tuscany and is in danger of being lost due to the industry’s inclination towards cheaper, faster, but less environmentally conscious production methods like chrome tanning. Unlike chrome-tanned leather, Italian vegetable tanned cowhide leather uses no chemicals or heavy metals in the production process, and the consortium maintains strict standards in order to guarantee that the leathers produced in these tanneries are sustainably made and environmentally conscious. Our leather takes longer to make and is more expensive, but it is also more valuable and of better quality. To find out more about our amazing leather, please visit the consortium’s website.
Our brass stamps (which we use to brand our products) are proudly hand-carved by a father-and-son duo who own a hundred-year-old family workshop in the heart of Florence’s historical center. Their craft is also one where too few true artisans are left.
Our products are all handmade. This might not seem like a big deal today when Crafting and Etsy and the like have become popular, and casual crafters and hobbyists are aplenty. But for the luxury fine leather goods industry, it’s an alarmingly small club, with only a handful of big global brands left doing it by hand (such as Hermès), and possibly even fewer artisans left who know how to. Because of this, it is that much more important to preserve the value and importance of high quality handmade goods, and Quiddity prides itself on being 100% cut, sewn, and assembled by hand, by skilled artisans, and with meticulous care and quality craftsmanship.
who we are
Quiddity is helmed by Filipino-Chinese sisters Stephanie and Genevieve Go. The brand is currently based in Manila, Philippines, although the sisters are often in Europe, where they source almost everything–from materials to inspiration.
In 2014, with the goal of expanding their crafts-centric brand Quiddity into handbags and other fine leather goods, Genevieve set off on scholarship to Accademia Riaci in Florence, Italy, to be trained in leather bag making. She then went on to do an internship at La Strada del Sogno, a bag factory near Florence which produces handbags for several international brands, the most notable of which being Proenza Schouler.
Upon returning to Manila, the sisters spent more than a year developing their designs and prototypes, and road-testing their products. They then re-launched Quiddity in December 2016 as a fine leather goods maker.