Our story
Designed in Italy and handmade in Cambodia from the plastic and net most people would throw away. Every piece is still made in Smateria's own workshop, and we're proud to be its official and exclusive home in Australia and New Zealand.
Shop the collectionOur founders
In 2006, Jennifer Morellato and Elisa Lion founded Smateria while living and working in Cambodia. Their idea was simple and a little unconventional: take materials most people overlook, like industrial net and recycled plastic, and design them into bags that make people look twice.
Nearly twenty years on, that's still the point. Every style is designed in-house and made by hand to be practical, lightweight and built to last. It's also made to be noticed, because the best bag doesn't just carry your things, it says something about the person carrying it.
“We believe thoughtful design has the power to improve everyday life.”
Jennifer & Elisa, Smateria founders
Designed and made in-house
Smateria isn't a factory making someone else's bags. Every style is designed and pattern-made in-house, then cut, sewn and finished by hand by skilled artisans in Smateria's own women-led workshop in Phnom Penh. No production line, no shortcuts.
Good bags come from people who are looked after:
You can feel it in the finish on a seam and the weight of the hardware. It's why some of our customers are still carrying theirs ten years on.
See how our materials are made →
Our materials
Smateria doesn't buy fabric off a roll. Each collection starts with a material most brands would never think to use, then turns it into a bag worth carrying for years.
NET collection
Tough nylon net, repurposed as our signature material. Every piece is cut by hand, then layered with different materials to get its exact shade and texture. Strong, surprisingly light and water-resistant.
Shop NET →
IKI collection
Plastic waste and industrial fabric leftovers, collected from garment factories before they reach a dump. In Smateria's own workshop they're layered and built up, using a technique refined over many years, into an entirely new fabric. Each batch's origin is recorded and marked on every product.
Shop IKI →The most sustainable bag is the one you keep. Both materials are built to last for years, not seasons.
See how they're madeYour contact in Australia & NZ
I'm Smateria's official and exclusive distributor for Australia and New Zealand. Every bag here comes from the same Smateria workshop in Cambodia you may have visited, and I keep the stock here so it reaches you fast.
Got a question about a bag, an order or the people who made it? Email me. It comes straight to me.
Say hellohello@smateria.com.au
Find yours
Every bag here was designed in-house, made by hand in Cambodia and is ready to ship from our stock in Australia. Start with the styles our customers love most, or find a gift that shows you put some thought in.
Free shipping across Australia, and to NZ over $150 Questions? Read our FAQ