J.L. Rocha Social and Environmental Commitments
J.L. Rocha Collections
J.L. Rocha Social and Environmental Commitments
J.L. Rocha Values
Our leather goods go beyond creating stylish and high-quality products; our brand is committed to making a positive impact on society and the environment. As a family business, we strive to implement sustainable practices in every aspect of our operations. In this blog post, we delve into J.L. Rocha's social and environmental commitments, highlighting our efforts to promote ethical sourcing, reduce environmental footprint, and support local communities. Join us as we explore how our menswear can be a source for good through our values of family, quality, and legacy: one step at a time.
Committed to Quality: Ethical Sourcing
We believe that leather represents far more than garments, yet the production of it has seen advancements that can be harmful to both the planet and to its inhabitants. The invention of the chrome tanning process and the global demand for mass production/fast fashion have deteriorated and affected the way that leather is both sourced and the way it is produced. Sourcing refers to the process of finding and assessing suppliers in order to procure goods and services, in the leather industry sourcing can be split into the sourcing of skins/hides, sourcing of construction/manufacturing, and sourcing of hardware or furnishings (such as zippers, lining, and packaging).
Since J.L. Rocha has a history and focuses on a legacy of high quality leather craftsmanship, therefore sourcing ethical hides and furnishings is key to our mission. Here are some ways in which we have developed our ethical sourcing practices.
J.L. Rocha’s Commitment to Ethical Sourcing:
Sourcing of animal skins/hides: we are committed to sourcing animal hides that are specifically byproduct leathers. Byproduct leathers are those utilized by the food industry, and therefore use all pieces of the life. This includes cow, calf, sheep, lamb, goat, pig, deer and bison.
Working with environmentally conscious tanneries: we work with only environmentally committed tanneries, meaning they produce leather utilizing eco-friendly practices including vegetable tanning, water recycling, and maintaining closed loop production so the local community is safe.
Utilizing responsible furnishing and hardware: we source all our furnishings from environmentally conscious suppliers, meaning all of our linings and hardware come from organic or recycled fibers, while also being committed to the limitation of CO2 emissions.
Committed to Family: Quality Production
Leather craft is more than just materials, it’s the process of construction that truly defines a long lasting collectors item. Our artisans are the most important part of J.L. Rocha Collections, because that is where our family roots exist. We began our brand because our history is tethered with quality craftsmanship, from our patriarchs teachings - we’ve gathered who we are defined the quality of a well made leather jacket, bag, or pair of shoes. While many will see skilled craftsmanship as the discerning of what to keep and what to throw away, that is not exclusively the case.
Since J.L. Rocha infuses quality into every piece, our production process must follow stringent guidelines to ensure our unique level of care. Here are some ways in which we have developed our ethical crafting practices.
J.L. Rocha’s Commitment to Quality Production:
Use each piece correctly: the anatomy of an animal hide is important, and many luxury brands will argue that only select pieces of the hide are eligible for use (typically the rump or or belly). Unfortunately this creates excessive waste in production, therefore we cut each hide in a way that allows us to utilize the most material of the full hide.
Love each detail: by focusing on a whole hide approach, we have also instructed our artisans to view each piece uniquely. Where prove scars are typically not preferred by other brands, we believe they give life to the piece. As 5% of all rawhides are free of damage (such as neck wrinkles, wire scratches, pore blemishes, fire brands, and creases) - this can create incredible waste from a leather industry that does not value the authenticity of leather. Therefore our love each detail approach allows the piece to focus on the craftsmanship, rather than the perfection of the hide.
Take your time: After leather cutting waste, artisan errors make up the primary remaining causes of waste within production. This is because many factories focus on a speed based approach, where artisans are paid “by the stack” meaning they are paid on the number of garments the can produce in a day rather than the quality of the garment. We’ve flipped this standard, focusing on a fair wage that allows consistent payment without fear of losing your livelihood and a ensuring that each piece is made with time and care.
Committed to Legacy: Positive Continuance
One of the saddest conversations we’ve had with an artisan was in 2021, just after the worst of the global pandemic. We spoke with a young man who drove Uber, and coincidentally he was an artisan at one point in his life, having lost his grandfather and work to the pandemic. He explained to us that he would not be returning to working as an artisan because in the time he had switched to Uber, he was making more money and felt more positively about his work than all his time as an artisan despite his families history in the trade.
Conversations such as these are becoming increasingly more common, and as a result the labor pool has dwindled and technologies have changed, we believe in positive efforts made to continue the legacies of leather that exist in our hometown. Here are some ways in which we are working to ensure a brighter tomorrow for leather craftsmen.
J.L. Rocha’s Commitment to Positive Legacies:
Creating a brighter today for artisans: our fair wage approaches and differing production values already improve conditions for artisans, this means they can provide additional value at home by being present and happy. In addition to this, we always close our workshop for the holiday posadas with pay to keep our traditions and livelihoods in good spirits.
Creating a brighter tomorrow: few artisans have planned retirements, they often work until they cannot due to age, health, or injury. This unfortunate reality is a cause for stress and harm when seeking to enter this field. We continually look to the future of craftsmanship and seek ways to improve it, by working with local entities to improve certifications and specializations, this helps prolong careers. In the future, it is our hope to create a larger school of artisanry in Leon, to provide retired workers with the chance to teach as our patriarch did many years ago.
Improving how we can: In each aspect of our business, we work to improve what we can for those around us. Our brand is committed to doing things right - the way we were taught by our patriarch, as such, and when able we offer opportunities to learn financial literacy and english as a foreign language to those who are willing within our team.
Closing notes:
Our brand is about family, it’s more than just long lasting well made products. Earth day, April 22nd, reminds us of the commitments we make to the planet, to our home town, and to the future generations that will carry our legacy. Your community with us furthers this endeavor, as those who own J.L. Rocha products understand the importance of family, quality, and legacy more than anyone else. We have seen how you dedicate yourselves to serving others, caring for your family, and being exemplary men of strong core values. We appreciate you, and we appreciate the future we are building together.
Thank you/Gracias