This post features brands that create sustainable vegan handbags with info about materials, ethics, and pricing.
July 3, 2021
Why Sustainable Vegan Handbags?
We know vegan fashion is the way to go. It’s so much better for the environment, for those who produce the goods, and those who wear them. And, of course, protects animals from suffering.
But, as mentioned in the Is Your Vegan Handbag Toxic? post, some vegan leather is made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) — a harmful and toxic material.
It seems absolutely nuts that designers are still using PVC when there are sustainable and much safer materials available like cork, pinatex (pineapple leaf fibers), mylo (fungi roots), mulbtex (mulberry plant leaf pulp), and apple leather (discarded apple cores).
Many brands also use polyurethane (PU) to create the vegan leather in some of their collections. PU is never my first choice. It’s a plastic. But it’s less harmful than PVC. (Note that the companies listed below that use it either 1) also have more sustainable options or 2) are currently pivoting to more sustainable materials.)
With that being said, here’s my roundup of brands that use non-PVC vegan leather, prioritize ethics, and are mindful of sustainability when creating their sustainable vegan handbags.
Prepare to fall in love.
Brands
Pricing Legend
$ — under $100
$$ — $100–$199
$$$ — $200–$299
$$$$ — $300 plus
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Sustainable Vegan Handbags
HFS COLLECTIVE
What’s to love:
Ethically made.
Founded by a mother-daughter team.
Locally made in Los Angelas.
Vegan.
Style:
Trendsetting.
Materials:
Hemp.
Cork.
Vintage denim.
Deadstock raffia.
Eco suedes (post-industrial recycled polyester and post-consumer recycled plastic bottles).
Polyurethane.
Location:
US.
International shipping.
Price:
$–$$$$
Website:
ROK CORK
What’s to love:
Handcrafted ethically in Portugal.
Sustainable materials.
Woman owned.
Natural, plant-based dyes.
Small-batch production.
Vegan.
Material:
Cork.
Style:
Classic.
Chic.
Location:
Canada.
International shipping.
Price:
$–$$$
Website:
(Use code styledbylight10 for a 10% discount.)
LABANTE LONDON
What’s to love:
Ethical manufacturing.
Transitioning to innovative materials like apple leather.
Vegan.
Style:
Chic.
Sophisticated.
Materials:
Vegetable-based polyurethane.
Location:
UK and US but ships internationally.
Price:
$$–$$$$
Website:
CORKOR
What’s to love:
Handcrafted locally in Portugal.
Small-batch production.
Sustainable materials.
Natural, plant-based dyes.
Vegan.
Style:
Minmalist.
Natural.
Materials:
Cork.
Location:
Portugal.
International shipping.
Price:
$–$$$
Website:
PIXIE MOOD
What’s to love:
Carbon positive.
100% biodegradable corn-based packaging.
Vegan.
Style:
Modern.
Minimalist.
Materials:
Cork.
Recycled vegan leather (recycled plastic bottles).
Polyurethane (some solvent free).
Location:
Canada.
Also ships to US.
Price:
$–$$
Website:
SVALA
What’s to love:
Handcrafted ethically in Los Angeles.
Woman owned.
Vegan.
Style:
Modern.
Trendy.
Materials:
Pinatex (made from pineapple leaf fibres).
Cork.
Polyurethane.
Location:
US.
International shipping.
Price:
$$–$$$
Website:
GUNAS
What’s to love:
Handcrafted ethically in Korea.
Woman owned.
Vegan.
Style:
Modern.
Bold colours and textures.
Materials:
Polyurethane.
Mulbtex (mulberry plant leaf pulp).
Location:
US.
International shipping.
Price:
$–$$$$
Website:
STELLA MCCARTNEY
What’s to love:
Luxury brand.
Currently experimenting with Mylo (a material derived from fungi roots).
Constantly reducing their environmental footprint.
Uses no leather or fur (but some wool).
Style:
Luxury.
Fashion-forward.
Materials:
Altern nappa (mix of polyester and polyurethane).
Polyurethane (waterborne and solvent-free).
Location:
UK.
International shipping.
Price:
$$$$
Website:
ANY OTHER FAVOURITE BRANDS THAT CREATE SUSTAINABLE VEGAN HANDBAGS?
I’m always looking to celebrate kind brands. Would love to hear about any others that make beautiful sustainable vegan handbags in the comments.
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