15 Sustainable and Ethical Handbags, Purses and Totes
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Nice accessories are important, but it’s even more important to save the planet from pollution. But who says you can’t have both?
It may seem easy to replace plastic bags with a tote that you can bring when grocery shopping. Just make sure it’s foldable, so it fits in your purse – you’ll be less likely to forget it at home. But now that we’ve mentioned your purse, what is it made of? Is it ethically made? Is the material dyed with toxic chemicals? Are you ready to give it up just because it’s not sustainable?
The truth is, you don’t have to be radical. You can walk towards sustainability by making small steps because each one counts. There are plenty of sustainable purse brands that design unique, modern, and above all, sustainable models that you can proudly carry, knowing you’re supporting the right causes.
What are Sustainable Bags Made of?
A wide variety of recycled and natural materials can be used to produce clothes, but the choice seems to be even bigger when it comes to bags and purses. They don’t have to be as soft as clothing items that go directly on our skin, so the only real requirement is that they are sustainable.
Tote bags we mostly use for grocery shopping can feature organic cotton, hemp, jute, polyester, nylon, recycled PET. Hemp is a very low-maintenance plant that doesn’t need pesticides, so it’s one of the ethical brands’ favorites, along with recycled nylon or PET made of post-consumer waste collected from the oceans or landfills.
Other sustainable materials are soy, bamboo, soy, cork leather, and silk (if harvested ethically).
These are just some of the brands that realized you don’t have to compromise the beauty of fashionable garments and accessories to respect nature and protect the environment.
Best Sustainable Handbags, Purses and Totes
Angela Roi | ||
31 Bits | ||
Parker Clay | ||
Rok Cork | ||
Nisolo | ||
Baggu | ||
O My Bag | ||
Cuyana | ||
Everlane | ||
Reformation | ||
Corkor | ||
Elvis & Kresse | ||
GUNAS | ||
Svala | ||
Terra Thread |
Best Sustainable Handbags, Purses and Totes
Angela Roi | |
31 Bits | |
Parker Clay | |
Rok Cork | |
Nisolo | |
Baggu | |
O My Bag | |
Cuyana | |
Everlane | |
Reformation | |
Corkor | |
Elvis & Kresse | |
GUNAS | |
Svala | |
Terra Thread |
1. Angela Roi
Effortless ethical elegance – this is Angela Roi’s slogan. She believes the 21st century’s fashion no longer requires sacrifice and that we can feel comfortable and stylish at the same time, afford quality products, and stay loyal to our beliefs.
This brand’s handbags are made of a durable fabric called EPUL – Exquisite Polyurethane Leather, and the final product is soft and smooth, versatile, and doesn’t contain any animal material. As proof, Angela Roi has a PETA certification.
On the other hand, the employees of this brand have decent wages and work in hygienic and humane conditions, so Roi’s handbags are sustainable and ethical every step of the way.
2. 31 Bits
The final product isn’t the only important thing for 31 Bits. As its slogan says, how it’s made matters.
This eco-friendly brand has a great offer of sustainable handbags and purses made of natural materials that are obtained directly from the countries where the products are created. The official website is also transparent, so you can read all about the fabrics before you choose your bag. Wild grass is among the most used.
What’s unique about 31 bits is the company’s sense of being a family. The brand owners don’t treat their artisans as employees, but more like family members that cultivate tradition and a warm atmosphere.
3. Parker Clay
Parker Clay decided to invest in Ethiopia’s growing economy and great potential and start a business, as well as an ethical business practice that will promote fair wages, decent working conditions, and say no to exploitation in general. The company is mostly hiring women in a bid to empower them.
The brand’s ethically making luxurious handbags. Collaborating with local farmers helps the community grow and become stronger. The bags are made of sustainable leather, which is practically a “leftover” from the local agriculture industry while the animals are well cared for, and they’re not raised particularly for fashion purposes.
4. Rok Cork
Did you know a bag can be made of cork? If you’re creative enough, almost anything can seem like an appropriate material for designing fashionable items.
Elizabeth, the founder of Rok Cork, one of the most interesting sustainable purse brands, says cork fashion is natural, ethical, and sustainable. Her products include purses, totes, handbags, backpacks, and clutches.
They’re all made of premium cork leather in Portugal. This material repels water and is extremely durable. The most important thing is that it’s 100% sustainable.
5. Nisolo
Nisolo was founded to raise awareness about how our clothes, footwear, and accessories impact the planet. Be honest – did you ever think about who made your sweater or your shoes?
Nisolo collaborates with other sustainable purse brands to create an ethical market and inspire others to make some important changes too. Each brand signed with Nisolo has to follow its Code of Conduct, which means:
- No discrimination of any kind
- No harassment or abuse of employees
- No forced labor
- No child labor
- Safe working conditions
- Regular working hours, etc.
6. Baggu
Baggu’s offer contains probably every type of bag you might need during the day. The company’s goal is to make bags as durable as possible, so that’s why it uses organic and sustainable materials. The other reason is, of course, its wish to help get rid of plastic bags and make the Earth a better place for everyone.
Baggu bags are highly functional, reusable, and have interesting and stylish designs. Moreover, they’re made of recyclable nylon.
Baggu’s factory is located in China, and that’s where this brand’s ethical story starts from happy employees with good working conditions, to happy customers with affordable and fashionable multifunctional bags.
7. O My Bag
O My Bag owners make the journey from a piece of leather to a nicely designed bag ethical in every aspect.
The bags are made of natural leather, a byproduct of the meat industry, and there are no toxic industrial dyes to be found here, only harmless vegetable tannins. The manufacturing process is also adjusted to require less water and energy and to provide safe working conditions for the brand’s employees.
O My Bag supports the development of local communities by donating money to different projects in India, intending to empower and educate Indian women.
8. Cuyana
The people behind Cuyana believe that less is more. It’s also one of the main ideas of sustainable shopping: We should buy fewer high-quality items instead of having a bunch of things not durable enough.
It’s all about conscious shopping – our habits have an impact both on the planet and the society, so Cuyana wants to reduce the negative effect of the fashion industry on the environment. The company does this by reducing its carbon footprint and making its bags of natural materials.
9. Everlane
Speaking of sustainable purse brands, Everlane offers a wide range of totes, handbags, purses, and wallets. The items are mostly made of either Italian or Spanish leather, though there are also models, such as ReNew Travel Tote bag, that are made of recycled nylon.
While the use of leather might be discouraging to some sustainability-oriented people, Everlane uses more and more sustainable materials each year. The company is also a proponent of workers’ rights, ethical business practices, and radical transparency.
10. Reformation
If hip packs and totes are your thing, you should check out Reformation’s Accessories collection. At the moment of writing, Reformation offered several trendy hip packs and a couple of large tote bags. All items were made of either organic cotton or recycled nylon.
Reformation is on a mission to completely exclude unethical and unsustainable materials, aiming at 75% of material sustainability in the foreseeable future. The company also pays fair wages to its employees, and has a pretty sustainable supply chain.
11. Corkor
Corkor is there for vegans who want cruelty-free, consciously made, and stylish accessories. The catalog has bags, wallets, and various other accessories for both women and men. All items are made of sustainable materials, and the leather substitute, featured in many products, is actually sourced from trees.
Corkor is one of the most sustainable purse brands out there, with all products being vegan and FSC-certified. The company owns its production facilities, where all items are made by hand.
12. Elvis & Kresse
Sustainable and ethical luxury is Elvis & Kresse’s motto. The company obtains a large portion of the natural leather it uses from discarded fire hoses. To pay its respect and express due gratitude, the company donates half of its profits from the Fire Hose collection to The Fire Fighters Charity.
Elvis & Kresse’s catalog features luxurious and stylish bags, wallets, and travel and laptop bags, as well as belts. It is divided into the women’s and men’s sections, with both offering various color options, and various personalization options.
13. GUNAS
Gunas is there for audacious ladies who want to blaze new trails and motivate their friends to sustainability. GUNAS’ purses and handbags feature bold designs, meticulous craftsmanship, and, most important of all, sustainable and cruelty-free vegan materials.
Sustainable and ethically sourced vegan leather is GUNAS’ No. 1 material. Every purse is handmade in South Korea. The factory employs highly skilled artisans who are paid fair wages and work in safe and healthy conditions.
14. Svala
You can’t have a complete list of sustainable purse brands without Svala. This brand offers modern and chic clutches, crossbodies, fold-overs, wallet purses, and tote bags. You can choose between elegant black, silver, and cream tones, though some models also feature floral and snakeskin patterns.
Vegan leather and natural cork are Svala’s main materials. All items are PETA-approved and Svala is also certified as a Fur Free Retailer. It is also important to note that all bags are made in Los Angeles.
15. Terra Thread
Terra Thread uses only 100% natural and organically grown cotton. Also, the company has a sustainable supply chain and adheres to the Fair Trade guidelines. Production facilities, though located overseas, offer safe and clean workspace, fair wages to all employees regardless of gender, and prohibit child labor.
Terra Thread’s collection contains backpacks, tote and produce bags, pouches, duffle bags, and laptop sleeves. Each item you buy helps the company buy meals for underprivileged families and children across America.
Fashionably Sustainable Bags
The business practices implemented by the mentioned brands should serve as an inspiration and encouragement to those who still haven’t joined the sustainability team.
Cuyana, O My Bag, Nisolo, and other sustainable purse brands have shown it’s more than possible to look stylish and elegant, and also be eco-friendly and supportive of smaller communities working hard to earn decent wages and feed their families.
In this case, making one simple choice means making a big difference.
Now It's Your Turn
Now I’d like to hear from you:
What are your thoughts on these brands?
Have you shopped at any of these before?
Either way, leave me a quick comment below to let me know.