Smateria, Cambodia

Smateria is a truly women-owned business: In 2006, Italian women Jennifer Morellato and Elisa Lion—who share a passion for creativity and sustainability—met. Elisa is the creative force—always on the lookout for new ways to transform materials with a creative twist. Jennifer wanted to start a business to help Cambodian women earn their own income. After creating their first bag prototypes, they took the plunge and founded Smateria to turn their ideas into a thriving, ethical brand.

 “For us, social business means keeping various goals in mind. For example, a portion of the profits is used for the well-being of our Cambodian employees, supporting their professional and personal growth (training, free daycare, savings assistance, and much more). In addition, we prioritize an inspiring and positive work environment where we can share tasks and schedules, hold regular meetings with the team, and pay special attention to our employees’ family situations. “As foreign women in Cambodia, our ultimate goal is to develop professionals who will one day become outstanding managers of their own companies,” explains Jennifer Morellato.

Smateria bags and accessories are fair-trade, eco-friendly, and sustainable: they’re made from scrap materials such as the colorful nets traditionally used for fishing or on construction sites. Smateria also stands for transformation: These nets are actually only available in six colors, but the team has managed to create a wide variety of colors by layering different materials.  

The collection’s high quality and Italian chic are the reasons why Smateria is recognized as a fashion company. Today, the company employs about 130 women in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.