While vegan handbags are commonplace now, they aren’t always ethical. Here are three bands that use eco-friendly materials to make their accessories.
Vegan accessories have become mainstream in the last few years, so it is currently possible to find a wide offer of vegan handbags for every budget. But it isn’t always easy to make the right choice for the environment, as many vegan styles are produced with petroleum-based synthetic materials. Vegan handbags and wallets can be found easily, since polyurethane (PU) has become a very popular material. It is relatively cheap and has a fair resistance, even when it is of standard quality.
But the impact of PU on the environment may cause damages that a vegan consumer would definitely want to avoid. As a matter of fact, polyurethane is a synthetic material sourced from fuel extraction and, together with polyesters and nylon, can be considered as dangerous for the environment as animal by-fibres. Moreover, PU is not biodegradable either.
However, the best vegan shoe companies around the world, like Minuit our Terre, NAE, Vegan Shoes Italy or Wills London, found a wide range of alternative solutions to classic PU. Some of them use ecological and top-quality vegan leathers made from recycled plastic bottles, cork, mais, ananas, grape or apple skin.
These biodegradable materials have now been introduced in the production of vegan handbags and accessories. The following international brands will show how it’s possible to be passionate about fashion without any victims or damages to our planet.
UK: Wilby
Founded in 2013, Wilby is a leading English brand in vegan fashion. On its official website, you can find bags, wallets and jewellery made from different plant-based materials, and you can also check the ‘sustainability rating’ for every item the brand produces.
One of Wilby’s most popular ranges is cork. It includes cork satchels in snake or crocodile style: their elegant design matches with every outfit, and cork is a very resistant and light material.
France: MAGNETHIK
Based in Paris, MAGNETHIK creates stylish vegan bags and clothing using the highest quality materials and collaborating with talented fashion designers. The company only uses eco-friendly PU that satisfies the sustainability requirements of many certifying institutions.
The vegan model Chloé Tesla featured many of Magnethik’s bags and coats on her Instagram profile, and she has collaborated many times with the brand so far. In this Instagram post, the vegan French model is wearing the Lulu bag in cognac with the vegan coat from the same brand.
Italy/Hong Kong: Miomojo
Miomojo is an Italian brand based in Como that offers a wide range of comfortable and essential vegan bags and backpacks. The company has adopted a “you buy, we give” policy, collaborating with many animal rights associations. On the brand’s social media, you can see the campaigns Miomojo actively supports.
Its bags are produced using recycled materials, like nylon from recycled plastic bottles. Miomojo’s latest collection includes many backpacks that can be useful during the summer season. This brand also produces other vegan accessories like belts and wallets, and many of its styles are unisex.
