2020 has been tumultuous so far + Sans Beast has not been immune to the challenges.  As a niche, vegan handbag brand celebrating our second birthday in March, it was a rude awakening to follow the blowing out of the birthday candles with a new acronym + lifestyle - WFH.  However this post is not about doom + gloom, it's about celebrating creativity, getting excited about a new collection, recognising the power (and importance) of collaboration + enjoying the notion of blooming again.

Pam Ahern is the founder + owner of Edgar's Mission. A former equestrian champion, a chance encounter with a trotter named Edgar Alan Pig saw her give up her full time job + create a haven for farm animals which she built from the ground up. We caught up with her to talk about her incredible + inspiring journey.

When we think about freedom for everyone on the planet, we tend to think of humans only.  But did you know there are people fighting, every day, for the freedom of intelligent, thoughtful, sentient beings who have been mistreated by humankind? Mickey Suzuki is one of these people.  Her story of how she came to work with the Non human Rights Project, the ongoing struggle to win rights for non human animals + her inherent compassion for all living beings, is a compelling one.  Read on to learn more about the NhRP, what the difference between animal welfare + animal rights is, and discover encouraging stories about how cases are being fought + won, through legal avenues.

Nick Pearce is Co-founder + CEO of HoMie, a Melbourne based retail brand that uses its profits to provide training + employment opportunities for youth experiencing homelessness. We  caught up with Nick to talk about how HoMie came about + the challenges facing young people living rough.

Amanda Leigh Walker is the Co-founder + Head of Operations of vegan fast food institution, Lord of the Fries. She's also a life coach + teaches people how to recalibrate their power, lead with love, live authentically + with purpose. We caught up to discuss her journey from french fry mogul to spiritual healer.  We could all do with some healing right now - we hope you enjoy this conversation.  And for those who haven't tried the fries - we strongly encourage you to do so.  Everyone needs a salty potato treat to cheer up an iso day.

When times are confusing, challenging, lonely or isolating...or all of the above - we all need go-to mechanisms to call on for help in resilience.  Our small team share their favourite books, podcasts, vegan eats + words of wisdom, for keeping it real during dark times.  Sometimes we just need to get out of our own heads + ride out the storm.

You may call it a belt bag, a bumbag, a fanny pack or a bodypack - whatever the name, this utilitarian yet chic style of bag is here to stay.  Rhi has put together a post on how to style a belt bag.  We've got a few in our collection, from the Freefall to the Petite Smuggler - and a couple of cross body bags that double as belt bags with a quick change of the straps + buckles.  Read on to discover just how versatile this trend can be.

How do you clean your vegan leather bags + wallets? Designing + manufacturing products to a high standard is our starting point but the other part of the puzzle is how they are cared for. How we use, clean + care for handbags has a considerable impact on how long they last.  We’ve put together some simple information to ensure everyone can care for their prized Sans Beast treasures, and help them last for years to come. Read on for some tips + tricks to keep your beasts looking their best.

Joshua Katcher is the founder of Brave GentleMan, a NYC based menswear brand offering tailoring with an edge - that also happens to be completely animal free in raw material use.  Joshua has been a passionate advocate for animals for over 20 years, and a pioneer in the vegan fashion space for 12 years.  He's also written a book called Fashion Animals, and has co-founded a plant based cheese business called Rind Cheese - this is one busy gentleman.  Enjoy the read.

Mother's Day is Sunday May 10.  We know this year is different to any that have come before - and spending is not top of the agenda for many.  We've come up with a list of activities you can do to make Mum feel special - no cash required.  Whether you live with your Mum or you're in ISO + not able to see her right now - we think taking some time to consider how to shower her with your love is important, now more than ever.

We spoke with Victoria Fox, the inspiring founder of Melbourne CBD urban beauty wonderland (aka day spa with a difference) Miss Fox about all things business, the need for evolution when priorities change + the importance of self care in the business building + life journey.   If you've not visited this special place, we encourage you to indulge + take some time out of that busy schedule to slow down + get pampered.  

Read about our inspiration, our collaborators + why we felt so strongly about getting illuminated, for our Series 05 photographic campaign.  In a time of unrest in the world, let us stand up + do better by each other, the animals + the environment.  Let us prove we are worthy of being stardust.