Looking to elevate your on-stage get-up? You won't want to miss Hey Laidy's limited edition handcrafted guitar straps at this year's Melbourne Guitar Show.
Hey Laidy creates limited edition handcrafted guitar straps, camera straps, bag/purse straps and belts. The hero of these vintage inspired designs is the eco-friendly hemp webbing and beautiful jacquard ribbons. Uncompromising on comfort and style, these environmentally conscious pieces are made in small batches by the maker, Laidy Byrne in her home studio on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Fashionable and timeless, durable and authentic, like listening to your favourite record on repeat – it only gets better with time.
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Laidy sat down with Mixdown to tell us about her process, from sourcing all the way through to construction, every step of which prioritises sustainability.
“Hey Laidy is a brand built on the philosophy of quality over quantity. In a world dominated by fast fashion and a throw away culture, Hey Laidy products aren’t influenced by trends. They are timeless, robust accessories that have been built to withstand the rigours of rock n roll.
“There are three key components to a Hey Laidy guitar strap; hemp webbing, jacquard woven trim and leather. I chose to work with hemp for a couple of key reasons. Not only is hemp the strongest natural fibre and one of the most sustainable fibres you can use, it is also extremely comfortable to wear. The hemp webbing used in my products has some natural grip so the strap doesn’t slip and slide off your shoulder like many of the nylon based straps nor does it need breaking in like a leather strap.
I made a conscious decision to use vegetable tanned leather rather than chrome tanned as the process is carried out without the use of toxic substances or heavy metals. It is also less harsh on the hide so vegetable tanned leather tends to last longer. All my leather comes from the longstanding reputable family owned business, Leffler Leather Merchants in Melbourne.
Last but not least is the beautiful jacquard trim that adorns each strap. Reminiscent of the guitar straps made popular by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin in the 60s and 70s, I primarily use vintage trims scoured from around the globe. A current favourite with customers is the vintage upholstery trim, sourced online from a boutique seller in the United Kingdom.
Even the packaging has been thoughtfully considered from an environmental perspective. Each strap is packaged in a reusable cotton drawstring bag and online orders are sent in an eco-friendly mail bag that is compostable.”
Check out the full Hey Laidy range here. See these beauties in the flesh at this year’s Melbourne Guitar Show.
