The carry-all gets an upgrade: vegan backpacks are all the rage and for good reason.

Out of the way simple, basic bags! Backpacks are taking over the world and we’re totally jazzed about it. The past few seasons have been boasting some pretty stylish, inventive, and functional designs, proving to be much more versatile than a purse. Can you say “hands free?!”

And now, you can wear it in style and without any guilt as these vegan backpacks are gorgeous and functional.

1. Vegan Convertible Backpack by Free People

Nothing says biker babe chic quite like this backpack (pictured at top)! Constructed of black vegan leather, free-flowing fringe and studs, this one is an absolute showstopper. With its removable and adjustable straps, it can alter into a backpack or a purse to fit whatever mood you’re in with perfect storage inside for the essentials of a night out: id, money, phone, and lipstick. Throw on your favorite pair of distressed denim jeans and a white tee and hit the town looking super badass.

Free People, $108

2. Prim Lady Backpack by French Connection

For the girl who’s more of a minimalist, you’ve just found the perfect mate in a backpack. This vegan backpack is perfect for on-the-go purposes without sacrificing style. With its “top-down” zipper closure and flat based bottom, you can toss your iPad, some fashion mags, and a notebook in the main compartment and drop your phone and keys into the two cotton slip pockets located inside. You can run about town, coffee in hand, and take the world by storm without missing a beat. Choose from colors white, black floral, and hazel.

Check it out here. $88

3. ‘Betsy’ Faux Leather Backpack by Emperia

If you like to travel, be sure to bring this little gem as your companion. The smooth cognac shade of brown vegan leather and zipper tassels add a cool western vibe while the scalloped detailing and metal hardware in the studs and carrying handle make it a bit more savvy. This backpack contains tons of storage with interior and exterior pockets and a zipped enclosure on the front. The easy-access side pockets located on the outside make it perfect for temporarily storing your phone or passport. Why would you ever leave home without this amazingly convenient backpack?!

Available here, $48

4. Super Embellished Convertible Backpack Purse by Rusty Spur Couture

Ever wonder why your crazy grandma kept a box full of random buttons in her drawer? Maybe she wasn’t so crazy after all because this button embellished backpack/purse combo is pretty marvelous. Shying away from the typical, grittier studs we normally see on everything, we get a daintier version of edgy. Made of super soft vegan leather, this cool contraption can change functions in a snap! It can go from a backpack to a purse with just one slide of a strap. It has a secure closure with a drawstring and a flap that folds down and even has a pocket inside perfect to fit a phone in. It can be purchased in a sleek black or creamy white color. Don’t go stealing grandma’s buttons now…

Open Sky, $89.99

5. Rosalind Backpack by Free People

This backpack is all about the free-spirited, gypsy wanderer. Comprised of an indigenous printed fabric with vegan leather accents, the overall essence is a true boho vibe. The gunmetal hardware and toggle clasps make it a great accessory for adventure whether you’re hiking a trail or hanging around a bonfire with your best buds. It’s an amazing carry-on for travel as well because of the side cargo pockets and a hidden zippered pocket on the back. So grab this backpack and go exploring in style!

Free People, $298

6. Nosis Backpack by Aldo

Most of us are always looking for clothing and accessories that can easily transition our ultra busy lives from day to night without a hitch. This sleek and stylish backpack achieves just that, all the time, every day, every night. You can easily go from the office to happy hour without delay. Oh, and the compartments are endless! The drawstring closure opens to reveal interior zip and slip pockets and is equipped with a flat base to neatly hold your belongings. Then on the outside you have two buckled front pockets and the fold-over flap doubles as storage as well! Also extremely versatile, this is another backpack/purse blend complete with a top carrying strap and removable arm straps. It is available in either black or brown. This backpack was made for flaunting and that’s just what it will do!

Get it here. $50

7. ‘Cynnie’ Sling Backpack by Elizabeth and James

Those Olsens always know exactly what they’re doing. The design concept behind this creation is imaginative and super cool. You can wear this backpack three different ways: as a purse, slung over your shoulder, or the obvious, as a backpack. There’s something simple yet so originative about this backpack. The structure and drawstring closure emit chic simplicity, but then you have the folky woven print and the vegan leather tassel that pulls down to reveal a whole front exterior pocket… It’s just too cool in the best sort of way. You also don’t need to worry about quick wear and tear of the backpack because it comes with protective metal feet on the bottom. Olsens, you’ve done it again. And we’re so glad you did.

Check it out. $545

Check out and shop all of these cool vegan leather backpack packs below. Happy shopping!

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The post 7 Gorgeous Vegan Backpacks You Probably Can’t Live Without appeared first on EcoSalon.

If it’s back to school, or simply to ease your back, backpacks never go out of style (though right now, they’re more popular than ever—and our backs are thanking us!). Here are 10 grown up backpacks made from sustainable, responsible materials. Take care of your backpack, and it will take care of you for years to come. 

Garfield by State Bags 

This isn’t just a backpack, but a GiveBackPack.  For every bag purchased STATE hand-delivers bags to American students in need all around the country.  Their styles range from simple to fun and we love the vibrant, playful colors on their Garfield bag!

$55, STATE

Rucksac Chataigne Barbade by Veja

Our favorite sustainable shoe company, Veja, is branching out to backpacks and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome! Colorblocking perfection, grown up backpacks style exemplified.

$239, Veja

Tropic Dream Globby Backpack by Modernaked

Handmade in Spain with organic cotton handles, this bookbag is a modern take on the old-school trend.  Don’t like this dreamy underwater design? Modernaked (what a cool name!) offers a range of tons of different designs and colors.

$130, Modernaked

Signature Urban Ruck by Sword & Plough

Made from recycled and repurposed military gear and employing veterans, Sword & Plough is on a mission for good.  “We wanted to create something that would emotionally and physically touch civilians in their everyday lives and remind them, in a beautiful way, of the challenges our country and servicemen face,” says Emily and Betsy Nunez, founders of Sword & Plough.

$298, Sword & Plough

Dublin Backpack by Ecoalf

It might look like the average backpack, but look again.  Ecoalf has created a bag using waste products like fishing nets, tires, post-industrial cotton,and coffee.  Javier, founder of Ecoalf and his team, traveled to factories around the world searching for opportunities to invest in research and development on how to turn one persons garbage into an upcycled product, et voila!

$75, Ecoalf

Black Waxed Rucksack by Archival

Want to support American manufacturing? Then, this is your bag. Proudly made in the USA, this Archival rucksack is extremely well-made and will last through all your adventures. From the custom woven cotton to the dye and finishing and even the zippers are excusively made in the USA!

$260, Archival

The Lucas by Stone + Cloth

Made in Los Angeles, this bag is a simple classic with a big back story.  After returning home to the US from an epic climb up Mt Kilimanjaro, Matthew Clough, founder of Stone + Cloth, realized his overwhelming access to resources as compared to those he met in Tanzania, and decided to create a company to help.  Each Stone + Cloth purchase helps to provide scholarships for students in Tanzania, Africa.

$68, Stone + Cloth

The Pack by BLACKHOUSEPROJECT

Handmade in San Francisco, California in limited quanites, get this bookbag while you still can!  It’s designed is inspired by the U.S. M1928 Haversack, which was used by all U.S. Army and Marine Corps infantrymen throughout World War I and II.  Made of durable duck canvas and vegetable tanned leather straps.

$280, Etsy

Frosted Flower Rucksack by Front Row Society 

Get your design on a bag—that’s what Veljko Spasic from Serbia did after winning Front Row Society’s design contest. This print was based on a moodboard of Frosted floral prints.  Front Row Society puts out a design challenge and lets you get creative by designing within the theme.

$139, Front Row Society

Array Solar Laptop Charger by Voltaic

Carry your laptop AND charge it!

$389, Voltaic

Images from featured brands

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The post 10 Sustainable, Grown Up Backpacks: These Will Carry You From Work to Weekend appeared first on EcoSalon.

Ten easy-to-make DIY projects to get your kids all geared up for school.

Hard to believe for most parents, but it’s time to send your kids back to school. Instead of spending tons of money on all that back-to-school gear they need, involve them in the process and make the stuff yourself. All you need are some basic tools and materials and a serious sense of play. Here are ten great back-to-school DIY projects you (and the kids) can easily make at home.

Apple Print Drawstring Backpack.
A is for Apple, and this easy-to-make drawstring bag by Alphamom features an apple print that is made using an actual apple, and its leaf. You could also totally decorate this bag with any motif you like, or better yet, let the kids design one.

Initial Drawstring Backpack
Drawstring bags are great because they are so easy to create, which means you can actually make more than one of these. We love the striped fabric in combination with a large bold initial on this DIY bag by Momtastic. You could also make this with smaller letters to spell out your child’s whole name (but think twice about that if that name happens to be really long).

Patterned Backpack
Who says you have to buy a new bacpack just because school starts again? Maybe an old backpack could do just fine with a fun little update. This floral backpack tutorial by Hello Cotton shows you how to add panels of patterned fabric – which, by the way, doesn’t have to be floral – to an existing bag to give it a whole new look. We’re thinking you could do this and just tell your kid it’s a new bag.

Solar Backpack
For all those science nerds out there (and their parents), this DIY solar backpack by Dick Demenus (via NPR) would be a fun family project. It involved soldering and weatherproofing, so it seems like it could take a while, but making it yourself means it will cost around $40 – far less than the $200 or so that similar backpacks cost in the store.

Fabric Lunch Bag
Instead of packing them lunch in paper bags, make a washable, reusable lunch bag that will last all year long. This fabric lunch bag by The Purl Bee features cute embroidered detailing on the front, which you can skip or modify (maybe let the kids loose with some permanent markers?). The basic construction, though, is very simple, sturdy and, of course, easy to make.

Oil Cloth Lunch Bag
If your kids are on the messier side of the scale, it could be a good idea to try your hand at making one or two of these resuable oil cloth lunch bags by Skip to My Lou. They can easily be washed off and you can make them from worn out outdoor table cloths you may have laying around after summer.

Bicycle Frame Lunch Bag
If you’re fortunate enough to live in a place where it’s safe to send the kids off to school in their bikes, you should totally make sure they have a lunch bag that attaches to their bike frame. This simple tutorial by Evil Mad Scientist shows you how to make it. While you’re at it, make one for yourself too (oh, and start biking to work).

Drawstring Gym Bag
Sometimes it’s helpful to have a smaller bag to pack special things for school – such as gym clothes or supplies for a special project. This drawstring pouch by Planet Green takes only minutes to make. Using a tea towel is clever and saves time, but you can use any material you like.

Pencil Case
Help your little ones keep their pens, scissors, erasers and such in order with a nice pencil case. This DIY one by Pink Penguin is a little more involved, but – if you have the time to do it – totally worth it. Again, you can use any kind of fabric. Let the kids pick them and you can be sure they love their new case.

Chalkboard Notebook
Customizing notebooks is something most of us have done since we were in school. It’s a basic way to express our creativity, which is why we love the idea of one that can constantly change and evolve. Check out this tutorial by Warm Hot Chocolate and make the cover of your child’s notebook into a chalkboard. A bonus is that they can use it instead of passing notes, because that, well, kills trees you know.

The post DIY: 10 Backpacks and Other Projects You Can Make With the Kids appeared first on EcoSalon.

A new collection by outdoor sportswear company KEEN turns airbags into messenger bags, backpacks, tote bags and wallets.

Outdoor sportswear company KEEN has launched a new collection called the Harvest III Series, which is made (in the USA) from pre-consumer automobile airbags. Side impact bags have been collected, over-dyed to give them a rich saturated color and upcycled into seven different styles of totes, bags and wallets.

So how do you go from airbag to messenger bag? First, left over, excess and obsolete airbags are sourced from an airbag manufacturer to a recycler in Salt Lake City and are then sorted and shipped to a factory in Chico, California. The white bags are put aside to make the white colorways and the remaining bags are dyed and laundered at a dye house.

The colored airbags are then sorted and cut into the bag pattern pieces either by hand using a rotary knife or by die-cut machine. All the pieces to make one specific style are gathered together and given to crafters to complete the product.

This process requires a high level of creativity and craftsmanship, and to celebrate this each item is hand-numbered and signed by the crafter who made it.

The Harvest III Series features five bags and two wallet styles, priced from $20 – $120.

The post From Airbags to Messenger Bags – KEEN Introduces a New Collection appeared first on EcoSalon.

Heading to the farmers’ market? Remember last time when your arm went numb, laden with a heavy bag filled with your bountiful purchases? I’ve often pondered the dilemma facing market shoppers – particularly my own frustration regarding “the bag” issue. One way or another, I don’t bring enough bags or the ones I’ve brought are not the right kind, and I end up stumbling around, dropping produce and my wallet or over-using the plastic ones they provide (assuming they’re provided).

It seems I’m not alone. Dubbed the “World’s First Farmer’s Market Backpack,” the Cornucopia Bag by Betabrands in San Francisco has been designed just for this purpose. The backpack includes numerous compartments for separating items, as well as a strap to easily hold it from the top. It has a money pocket as well as a laptop sleeve for multi-functional use. The bag is only available online and sells for $120. Additional information along with videos can be found on the Betabrands website.

By the way, that’s not all. Check out their other products, such as the Karate Casual Pants, Sons of Britches, and Gluttony Pants. I haven’t had the opportunity to try out any of these lovely items yet myself, but you have to hand it to Betabrands – they’re abuzz with creative energies.

The post World’s First Farmers’ Market Backpack: The Cornucopia Bag appeared first on EcoSalon.