FAIR & ECO
WHERE TO BEGIN...
Hi-di-hi is a playful and colorful brand, known for its many tiny details and surprising designs. Each year, we develop four new collections, intro ducing a wide variety of new models, shapes and stories. With so many designs coming to life again and again, you might wonder: where do all these ideas come from?
The answer lies in a creative process that never really stops. A lot of our inspiration comes from nature — from the patterns of leaves and flowers to the colors of the seasons, and from the textures of wood and feathers to the shapes of plants and animals. We look closely, collect ideas, make sketches, and stich some samples. Each idea starts as a simple drawing and slow ly grows into a detailed design. Step by step, together with our skilled and dedicated factory team, something new comes to life: it’s a bag!
DESIGN IN DETAIL
Every bag starts with one simple question: what is it made for? A day at work, a weekend away, a night out, or simply everyday life? Once the purpose is clear, the design starts to take shape, because size matters just as much as style.
Then come the details. Should the bag close with a zipper, magnets, press studs or rings? Which compartments need to be easy to reach, and which are better kept hidden? And of course: how should it feel to wear? The perfect strap length, a comfortable handle (always a good idea), or maybe even a convertible design, every detail counts.
Once all these elements come together, the design is translated into a technical construction drawing. At the same time, the search for the right colours begins. Some collections call for bold shades, others for timeless neutrals, but they always work together effortlessly. Easy to combine, stylish to wear, and designed to last.
Because a good bag shouldn’t just complete an outfit; it should stay with you for years.
FAIRLY MADE
Now the production of the bags can begin. Every step is done with care and attention. One person attaches the zip per, another stitches the lining, while someone else makes the handles. From the first design to the final shipment, more than 50 people help create a single Hi-di-hi bag.
Our factory works under fair and respectful conditions. Standard working hours follow a 40-hour workweek, and any overtime is always discussed in advance and paid fairly according to local labor laws. Many employees choose to work extra hours to support their families or save for their children’s future, but wellbeing and rest always come first. What makes this factory truly special is the close connection between the owners and their employees.
Mr. and Mrs. Yang: “We work alongside our team every day, share meals together, and know our employees personally. Behind every bag are skilled people, hardworking families, and years of craftsmanship. Everyone is valued for their own strengths. Some employees are fast and efficient, others are highly detail-oriented or skilled with delica te handwork. This factory also offers opportunities to people with physical disabilities or speech difficulties. Anyone willing to learn is given a fair chance to grow.”
There is a shared kitchen where fresh meals are prepared three times a day for all employees. The atmosphere is warm, respectful, and personal — more like an extended family than a workplace.
When employees, suppliers, customers, and makers all thrive together, that is what true sustainability means. Not simply as an idea, but as a commitment lived out every single day.
GREEN IS OUR COLOUR
Once the colours are chosen, production begins. Our bags are made in China, where only a handful of producers work with ECO materials — mainly because sustainable production simply takes more time. Luckily, we believe good things are worth waiting for.
Our materials are made entirely from 82% recycled polyurethane & – polyester, sourced from old bags and leftover production mate rials. This is shredded and combined with 18% wood fibres. Yes, that means your Hi-di-hi bag partly contains sawdust — surprising, right?
We also pay close attention to the details. Our zippers are made from recycled PET bottles, all metal parts are lead- and cad mium-free, and both the prints and coatings use environmentally friendly water-based paint. Better for the planet, and strong enough to handle everyday life.
Because we believe sustainability and quality go hand in hand, all our bags are made to a high standard. Top quality isn’t a bonus — it’s what we aim for in everything we do.
TECH & THREAD
At Hi-di-hi, every bag begins with a small story. In our studio, 40 embroidery machines work side by side, each one bringing a bird to life. They move carefully, stitching up to 8 colors at once, like painting with thread. It takes about half a day for one bird to appear, slowly and precisely.
Years ago, everything was made by hand. Beautiful, but very time-consuming. Today, technology helps us work smarter and create better conditions for the people behind our products. With over 1500 thread colors to choose from, we can make each bird so lively and detailed, it almost feels ready to fly away.
FROM PORT TO STORE
When all bags are neatly packed and ready for shipment to the Netherlands, the container truck
arrives. Electric driving is already very common in China. All boxes are labeled and carefully
loaded, before making their journey by container ship to the port of Rotterdam. From there, the
containers travel to our warehouse in Waddinxveen.
In our warehouse, everything is unpacked, sorted and checked again. Then the bags are repacked
to be sent out to the stores, and of course, we reuse the same boxes.
Once the bags arrive in store, the retailer shares our story and presents the Hi-di-hi collection with pride.
THE ART OF PACKING
Packaging is an art in itself. You don’t want to use too much material, but you do want your bag to arrive safely and looking good. Luckily, there has already been a lot of progress in this area.
That’s why our boxes are made of wood-free cardboard (FSC), our adhesive tape is PVC free, the filling inside the bags is recycled pattern paper, and our compliment cards are printed on Biotop paper.
We try to present the bag in the nicest possible way in a fun and functional cardboard box, and we hope you’ll enjoy it long after unboxing. Reuse it for storage, wrap a gift with it, or, if you’re feeling a bit creative: turn it into so mething fun. A drawer organiser, a mini storage house, or maybe even a “DIY cat castle”…
We’ve seen it all ;-).
HI-DI-HI: IT'S YOU!
Fair trade sounds simple, but it only works when you truly pay a fair price for what it costs to make so mething well. Without that, even the best idea doesn’t hold up, it simply isn’t fun.
When I first saw production in China as a designer, I was shocked by the conditions. I remember thinking: I can go home and find another job, or try to do it differently. I chose the second, and that’s how this fairly made project started: it should be fun for everyone involved, otherwise it loses its meaning.
And that’s where you come in.
Because this project doesn’t exist without you. Not without the retailers who bring it to you, and not without your choice to buy something sustainable and made fairly, even if that sometimes takes a little more thought.
When you carry a Hi-di-hi bag, you become part of a chain where people can work safe, live well, take pride in what they make, and where your choice helps protect the planet. You help make that possible.
Hi-di-hi: so fun, so you!