It’s not always easy to find brands with eco-friendly, vegan, and ethical bags. But there are some brands that really do it all.
While it was no easy feat to find brands that met all of these criteria, I scoured the internet—and Instagram— for some amazing handbag companies with ethically made, eco-conscious, and either all-vegan or some vegan bags.
Not sure when it’s the right time to make an ethical fashion purchase? I have a free Closet Inventory and Budget Template that will help you track what you have, what you want/need, and determine when it’s the right time to make an investment!
Note that this guide includes partners and affiliates. As always, brands featured on Conscious Life & Style meet high standards for sustainability and are brands I truly believe in!
1. Allégorie
Allégorie uses a variety of plant-based leather alternatives for their chic backpacks, bags, cardholders, and wallets. Using materials sourced from discarded apple peels, would-be wasted mangos, and sustainably sourced cacti leaves, Allégorie is offering us a beautiful vision for the future of sustainable vegan bags.
Fabrics (all vegan): Mango Leather, Apple Leather, Cactus Leather
Price Range: $ – $$$
2. HFS Collective
HFS Collective is an LA-based brand of responsibly-made small handbags—including their famous belt bags. The ethical handbag company uses a variety of eco-conscious materials such as up-cycled, recycled, and deadstock fabrics. And what I’m most excited about is their collection of Pinatex bags—Pinatex is an eco-leather alternative made from pineapple leaves that would be otherwise discarded. The brand also donates 2% of the price of every product sold to organizations that advocate for women and the planet.
Fabrics (all vegan): Piñatex, hemp, cork, organic cotton, and eco-suede (made from recycled plastic bottles)
Price Range: $$ – $$$
3. JORD
JORD’s eco-chic bags are made with sustainably-sourced cork harvested from Forest Stewardship Council-certified cork oak tree farms. Cork is one of my favorite vegan leather alternatives because cork is a highly renewable resource. There are no trees that need to be cut down to harvest cork — cork is harvested from the bark of cork trees, and the bark simply regrows back (it takes about 8 to 14 years) once it has been stripped!
Beyond using earth-minded materials, JORD’s quality bags are also built to last, made with velvet lining and YKK™ premium zippers, ensuring their bags will be in your wardrobe for many years to come.
Fabrics (all vegan): Suberhide™ Premium Cork “Leather”
Price Range: $ – $$$
4. Lo & Sons
For versatile, functional sustainable vegan bags, Lo & Sons has you covered. Their recycled poly collection features backpacks and tote bags with plenty of useful features like suitcase handle sleeves, cleverly placed pockets & zippers, comfortable straps, and adjustable compartments.
The factory producing these eco-friendly backpacks and totes has a WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) Certification and is audited by the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit
Fabrics (vegan options): Recycled Polyester, Organic Canvas
Price Range: $$
Check Out Lo & Son’s Recycled Bags
5. Murmali
The luxe eco-friendly vegan bags from Murmali are made from premium cork sourced from cork oak trees in Portugal and Spain. As a PETA-approved brand, Murmali does not use any animal products in any of their bags — their cork handbags are lined with cotton-linen fabric blend and accented with durable solid brass hardware.
Murmali has partnered with a small artisan shop in Portugal to produce their eco-friendly bags. By developing personal relationships with the factory owner and artisans, the brand ensures transparent production practices and quality products.
Fabrics: Cork
Price Range: $$ – $$$
6. Svala
Luxury vegan brand Svala specializes in all-vegan, responsibly-made goods. The most sustainable choices from this brand are their cork and Pinatex handbags. The ethical bags are also lined with a fabric made from recycled plastic bottles and come with a dust bag made from organic cotton. All pieces are made ethically in Los Angeles by artisans earning fair wages and working in comfortable conditions.
Fabrics (all vegan): Cork and Piñatex
Price Range: $$ – $$$
7. Terra Thread
Terra Thread is an ethical fashion brand with GOTS organic cotton, Fair Trade certified bags. They have a wide collection of ethical bags, including tote bags, backpacks, laptop sleeves, pouches, duffle bags, and weekender bags in a variety of colors. Since their pieces are made from (organic) cotton, they are incredibly lightweight and easy to wear!
Fabric (all vegan): Organic cotton
Price Range: $
8. Hozen
Hozen creates striking vegan handbags made from eco-friendly faux leathers like Piñatex, a fabric created out of pineapple leaf waste, and an Italian grain-based biopolyoil (instead of using typical polyurethane derived from petroleum/crude oil).
The sustainable vegan bag brand also considers every detail, using recycled plastic or organic cotton for the lining of their purses and sourcing zippers and thread from recycled plastic as well. Even their packaging is made with recycled paper!
Fabrics (all vegan): Piñatex, grain-based biopoly
Price Range: $ – $$$
9. Corkor
Corkor’s beautiful sustainable bags are all handmade ethically in Portgual from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified cork. The brand is completely animal-free and is PETA-approved vegan.
Fabric: Cork
Price Range: $ – $$
10. Accompany
B-Corp Certified ethical fashion marketplace, Accompany, has a wide range of Fair Trade, sustainably sourced, and artisan-made goods. They have quite a beautiful collection of handwoven, crocheted, and other artisan-made bags that I’m (more than) slightly obsessed with. Since this online shop sells numerous brands, each piece has slightly different ethical criteria which is included in the product descriptions.
Fabrics (vegan options): Cotton, canvas, palm leaf, toquilla straw, seagrass, some bags have leather
Price Range: $ – $$$
11. Rok Cork
Rok Cork’s handbags, backpacks, and wallets are all handcrafted in Portugal from locally-sourced Portugese cork. The brand works with small, family-run workshops, and ensures that all employees earn above fair trade wages, are are treated with respect, and have excellent working conditions.
Fabrics: Cork
Price Range: $$ – $$$
12. Eve Cork
Eve Cork is another brand dedicated to using this sustainable leather alternative! The cork fabric that the brand uses is all sustainably sourced from Portugal and is free from any harmful chemicals or synthetic fibers. Their ethical and eco-friendly bags are also handcrafted in Portugal by artisans earning living wages. Plus, they use vegetable dyes to color their products. Definitely a win-win-win!
Fabric: Cork
Price Range: $ – $$
13. A_C Official
A_C Official is an Australian-based brand with vegan, eco-conscious, ethically handmade bags. The conscious label has an entire collection of handbags made from Pinatex (the pineapple leaf fiber) with linings made from recycled plastic bottles. On top of all this, the company donates $5 AUD to an Australian charity for every product sold.
Fabrics (all vegan): Pinatex, calico, ecoprene fabric (made from recycled plastic bottles)
Price Range: $$ – $$$
14. Artesano
Artesano works with Ecuadorian artisans who craft handmade ethical hats, bags, and other accessories. They engage with and support the communities they work with to ensure the artisans and their families can rise out of poverty and improve their living conditions. Artesano has quite a few straw bags (as well as a wide range of panama hats)!
Fabric (all vegan): Toquilla straw
Price Range: $$ – $$$
15. Maravillas Bags
Maravillas is an ethical label from Spain with consciously handcrafted bags. The brand has a diverse range of classic, clean designs including an entire collection of Pinatex, including backpacks, totes, weekenders, purses, and wallets. It’s incredible to see how they’ve been able to transform pineapple leaf fiber into such a diverse range of functional and sustainable bags!
Fabrics (vegan options): Pinatex
Price Range: $$ – $$$
16. nest PURE
nest PURE is an emerging brand of sustainable and ethical bags handcrafted by the founder and owner, Samantha. She uses eco-friendly materials including organic canvas, organic twill, and CORK! Cork is one of my favorite sustainable vegan alternatives to leather because it’s harvested by stripping the bark of the cork trees, and does not require cutting any trees down.
Fabrics: Cork, organic canvas, organic twill
Price Range: $ – $$
17. EBA Totes
EBA Totes is an ethical brand providing functional, high-quality ethical bags made from eco-minded materials. They use sustainable materials such as cork and linen. And while these two are definitely the preferred materials in their collection. Their signature totes have two smartly designed compartments and an elastic bottle holder. All products are crafted responsibly in the U.S.
Fabrics (all vegan): Cork, linen, recycled nylon, polyurethane (avoid PU if possible!)
Price Range: $$ – $$$
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