It’s in the Bag: 7 Vegan and Eco-Friendly Handbags

Eco-friendly Eco-friendly Handbags Top

Finding eco-friendly handbags can be a real challenge. We present some fashionable solutions.

As a vegetarian who is also committed to environmental sustainability, I find that being fashion presents some difficulties for me. I enjoy fashion, but I also want to be a conscientious shopper.

One of my biggest fashion woes are accessories like bags. Let’s face it, the choices out at the mall (a four-letter word in my book) and those hawked in fashion magazines and catwalks just don’t fit the bill for concerned consumers like me looking for eco-friendly handbags.

It can be a challenge, but not impossible to find vegan and eco-friendly handbags to suit both our functional and fashionable needs.

There are actually a lot of alternative bag materials out there for us fashion and eco-conscious shoppers. Here’s a sampling of some of those materials as well as examples of bags that utilize them.

Alternative and eco-friendly handbags.

1. Organic Cotton Clutch – This clutch is a great choice for those looking for vegan and eco-friendly handbags. It’s made using organic cotton that’s certified by the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA), animal-free “leather”; it’s also free of harmful dyes and has chemical-free embroidery.

Alternative and eco-friendly handbags.

2.Pleather Shoulder Bag – Pleather, or vegan “leather” as it’s now called, has made real strides in quality lately. It’s now possible to find bags that appear to be actual leather. Just be careful, not all leather alternatives are eco-friendly. Read about the different types of vegan leathers here.

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3. Cork Fabric Clutch – Cork fabric is made from cork, a natural, renewable and sustainable raw material and it’s also suitable for vegans.

Alternative and eco-friendly handbags.

4. Repurposed Coffee Bag Handbag – Repurposed bags made from burlap bags are awesomely eco-friendly handbags!

Alternative and eco-friendly handbags.

5. Organic Hemp Handbag – Hemp bags don’t have to be hippie and crunchy-granola. This sustainable organic hemp handbag is a stylish, chic and eco-friendly fashion statement.

Alternative and eco-friendly handbags.

6. Recycled Bottle Handbag – Matt & Nat bags are made with linings that are 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. They also are 100 percent animal free and they use the most sustainable options available.

Alternative and eco-friendly handbags.

7. Bent Wood Clutch  – Supplii offers gorgeous bent wood handbags using sustainable woods and utilizes a minimalist design that eliminates the need for extraneous materials.

Related on EcoSalon

Vegan Shoes and Handbags: On Trend

The Ultimate List of Sustainable Handbag Designers (From A-Z)

9 Reasons to Ditch Those Logo-Covered Designer Handbags (They’re So 1999!)

Top Image:  CanopyVerde

Jen Wallace

Jen Wallace shares her indie life by writing about making, creating, cooking, learning, playing, decorating, and pretty much anything else that strikes her fancy from indie biz tips to the modern history of the American hemline.