Cruelty-free, ethically produced, consciously sourced, women led, slow fashion. 

The MBA Journey
Launched by (me), Annabelle May Nichols, inspired by my seamstress and pattern maker (Nana) May.

May Before April manifested from an endless desire to find the perfect bag. The ones that looked good weren’t functional, the ones that were functional didn’t look good - so that’s where I started.  

I asked every lady I knew, what they really wanted in a bag? What did they love? What did they hate? Did they always lose their keys or couldn’t clean the interior? Could they not compartmentalise those ohh so discrete items? The answers came in thick and fast and I knew I wasn’t alone.

With a recent change in job and making the most of a bizarre opportunity, I found myself spending 18 months living and working in Bali. With a 5 hour lapse in time zone I would work as a graphic designer during the day until my clients in New Zealand had stopped working and would then spend my afternoons hooning around industrial Denpasar on a beaten up moped looking for anything that looked remotely like a place that sold fabric, zips or hardware.

With my limited Bahasa Indonesia (the local language) and a smile from ear to ear I would slowly build relationships with stockists who soon became my friends and eventually family. It was during this time that my eyes were opened to the reality of fast fashion and over consumption. It was here that I made two crucial decisions which would become the core values of MBA.

1. Create a product driven purely by demand (small batch production)

2. The entire supply chain supports an ethical, fair trade working process.

The result: by choosing may before april, you’re wearing your values. You’re supporting considered craftsmanship over mass production, small-scale supply over fast fashion, sustainable products over throw-away one-season items, and 10 women-led businesses.  

The world doesn’t need another throw-away, purposeless product. That’s why we stand for small batch, sustainable, superior products that are driven by your demand. Good things take time. Each bag is deliberately handmade with extra care and time and our shipping takes a little longer, all to support an empathetic, ethical working practice. By supporting may before april, you’re supporting a movement towards conscious, considered change.

Every bag supports talented women and their families, and every detail tells a story. We spent 18 months meeting suppliers in Bali who soon became our family. We’re proud and humbled by our growing team of entrepreneurial women who embody everything May Before April represents. They work hard, smile harder, live with intention and genuine gratitude and are the ultimate #girlboss reminder - balancing business and family. They are the pioneers behind our vision and we’re honoured to have them keeping us one step ahead. 

We’re all about being great for you, and the planet

Your new favourite bag has got your back, and it’s time you got to know where she came from.

When it comes to our material decisions, we’re kind of obsessed. We’re committed to mindful choices, and only using fabric that is consciously sourced. 

Why vegan leather?

We spent 12 months researching different materials to develop a product that would be best for you, your lifestyle, and the planet.

After visiting dozens of suppliers and seeing first-hand the impact of throw-away items that end up in landfill, combined with the impact leather production has on planet we knew we were committed to creating a product that was cruelty-free, ethical produced, and made to last. 

Deliberate design driven by demand means little to no waste. Any miscalculated materials that cannot be used for your bag are reused by our team to teach others within their community to sew. This way, nothing goes to waste and you’re contributing to the empowerment and education of more women. 

From our hands to yours

Sustainable bag surrounded in careless packaging? Not this time. Every step is offset by planting trees to create a carbon-neutral product. We’ll arrive in a 100% recyclable box, compostable label, mailer, tape and tissue that are part of the Eco Packaging Alliance. We’re committed to making environmentally friendly decisions, from design to doorstep. 

For every bag sold on our website we plant a tree ton help offset our emissions through https://onetreeplanted.org/