Rooted in Italian heritage and a deep respect for craftsmanship, Studio Tondini brings a considered approach to modern luxury – one shaped by tradition, intention and longevity. Founded on the skills passed down through generations of high-end Made in Italy retail, the brand creates functional pieces designed to be lived with, cherished and kept. In this edition of Behind the Butterfly, we speak with founder Roberta Tondini about Studio Tondini’s ethos, its commitment to local artisanal production, thoughtful material choices and how social impact and sustainability are woven into every stage of the brand’s journey.
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Hi Roberta! Can you tell us about Studio Tondini and the brand’s ethos?
Hello, and thank you for hosting us today. We are pleased to be part of Behind the Butterfly. Studio Tondini is dedicated to the connoisseurs of luxury-loving functional pieces – i.e. crafted around their life. At the origin of our brand lies the know-how and heritage I was lucky to receive from my Mother’s family: my Grandparents and Aunt were high-end retailers specialised in the very best that Made in Italy had to offer. Every detail in what they used to sell was highly qualitative and part of very intentional choices. This tradition is deeply embedded in our ethos.
What does sustainability mean to Studio Tondini, and how is it embedded in your overall brand strategy?
The inspiration is truly tradition: a short supply chain, quality materials being as natural as possible, a long-term view in doing business and creating. We do not want to create pieces that are rapidly disregarded when a new trend arrives. Also, we think about sustainability in holistic terms: from working with workshops valuing the working conditions of their employees, to giving back for each product we sell. Every single action – of any of us humans – can have such a multiplied effect: as a business, we find it is essential to strive to make that effect always positive.
Every Studio Tondini bag is handmade in Italy. How does local, artisanal production support both environmental responsibility and the preservation of traditional skills?
In our short supply chain, every component AND our entire manufacturing is made in Italy, a choice extremely rare nowadays. This translates both in shorter transport distances, but also in better protection of workers and the environment: Italian laws on these topics are often much more stringent than EU laws and regulations. The preservation of traditional skills is also key for us: Italy, for centuries has been home to a wealth of competencies in the leather goods field. From machinery making to components crafting, to assembly, as an Italian, I feel a need to contribute to keeping this tradition alive.
Studio Tondini works with both real leather and vegan alternatives. How do you approach material selection through a sustainability lens?
We favour bovine leather because it is nobilitated waste, natural, beautiful, durable, and, in Italy, tanned with care for planet and people. On the other hand, we care about individual preferences, and, in the future, less meat might be consumed, hence less leather. For our vegan choices, we are guided by tradition too. Throughout our journey with Positive Luxury we committed to using materials being at least 80% natural (or more), unless they provide substantial benefits to people and planet. Real vegan luxury is definitely not an easy road, but an interesting challenge for us.
Studio Tondini supports Days for Girls, a charity focused on menstrual health and education. Why is this cause important for you to champion, and how does it align with your wider sustainability values?
Our brand was born from the frustrations of highly independent women: from our origin, we therefore chose to support Days for Girls, as we wish for girls to have no obstacles towards independence. Their approach is deeply holistic: global presence, emergency support, work with other charities for bettering water access, health and sexual education for entire communities, creation and distribution of reusable sanitary kits. And independent research shows that the more girls are able to advance in their studies, the better their community thrives. It is such a marvellous project, we are proud to support them!
Looking forward, what is your immediate focus for creating positive change as a brand?
We committed to three main objectives upon our certification with the Butterfly Mark. The first is to adopt five new innovative materials by 2030: we already did so by the end of last year, and we are very glad about that. The second and the third ones are the mapping of our carbon emissions, as well as working on circularity. We are receiving great support from the Positive Luxury team on the former and adopting creative strategies on the latter: durability, before circularity, has been our focus first and foremost.
Finally, how has working with Positive Luxury and earning Butterfly Mark certification changed or informed your approach to your sustainability journey?
Working with Positive Luxury has been like keeping with us a roadmap and a compass always at hand. Going through the Butterfly Mark certification supported us to carve our principles and actions into firm policies and guidance to be spread across our organisation and extended business family as they grow. Following up on our certification, we have been constantly in touch with our highly dedicated Client Success Executive, Alessandro, who lends us an open ear and hand towards always going beyond our goals. It is like having an all-in-one tutor, cheerleader, and sherpa, towards a mountain peak higher and higher.
LEARN MORE ABOUT STUDIO TONDINI
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