ABOUT

Üka is an independent apparel and accessory label out of Leucadia California developed by the artist and illustrator Erika Thorpe. Our mission is to create unique eco-conscious and vegan accesories and apparel. We began with a focus on designing mostly bags but have expanded to include T-shirts, jewelry, belts, and hope to soon include home decor in the lineup. All of our products are hand-made, and hand-printed right here in the USA.

We strive to be a green company by researching and finding ways of being more environmentally responsible with the methods and materials we use in the production of our merchandise. For instance we use water-based inks for screenprinting. We use non-solvent (soy-based) detergents to clean our screens. We treat our cottons with an eco-friendly stain and weather guard. We use sustainable materials like hemp, organic cotton, bamboo and jute burlap in many of our products.  Read more about what we are doing to help out mother earth in our materials and processes section.

We also love to recycle. Fabric scraps are recycled and used in appliqué designs as well as to create unique jewelry. Read more about our recycled fabric jewelry.

Additionally we are a Vegan company. Our bags are made from fabrics like canvas, or synthetic leather. However not all synthetic leathers are environmentally friendly alternatives. Hence we have begun phasing out all synthetic leathers or vinyls that are PVC based in favor of 100% urethane faux leather. Read more about the difference between the two.

Üka designs are largely inspired by nature and the environment, particularly our immediate surroundings here in Leucadia California. We absolutely love this little beach community, and the artistic bohemian surfer vibe it exudes. We like it here so much we’ve devoted an entire section of the site to bragging about it and the places we go to derive inspiration. Read more in the Leucadia♡♥ section.