Meet The Founder
SALIMA VISRAM
Salima Visram believes that beautiful fashion does not have to come at the cost of the environment. To that end, she created SAMARA, a line of cruelty-free bags and accessories. “The brand started out of a need for small, minimalist purses and wallets that were not overtly branded, that were eco-friendly and did not pose any harm to animals,” explains Visram.
The brand launched in 2017 in Toronto—though Visram was on an ill-timed vacation in Los Angeles at the time. “I started with the $500 I had in my bank account and our first batch of bags sold out that night. I remember not having figured out shipping or anything, and then having to spend that Christmas packing boxes and making multiple trips to USPS.”
Since that shaky—but promising—start, Visram has brought on a full, all-female team. And she gives 10% of profits to The Soular Backpack, an initiative that provides children in East Africa with a backpack equipped with a solar panel, which allows them to do their homework at night without the use of kerosene.
