The 10 Best Sustainable Vegan Handbag Brands

The leather industry is devastating to the environment, harmful to the laborers who produce the material, and of course, cruel to the animals who are killed for their skin. But fortunately, we don’t need to support all that just for a handbag. These days, there are so many brands making killer purses without actually killing. Here are some of the best vegan and sustainable purse brands.

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Handbag and accessories label Sentient is all about creating bio-based vegan leather products as luxurious alternatives to animal-based leather. The woman-founded company uses unique plant-based leather materials, including Natural Fiber Welding's plastic-free Mirum, Desserto's cactus leather, and apple leather, as well as bamboo and recycled cotton. Sentient's sustainability-driven collection of handbags, which are largely pastel, are designed to have as low of an environmental impact as possible.

Handbag company jeane & jax is guided by sustainability and veganism, and makes its designer vegan bags from a few unique materials. Most notably, the brand uses Natural Fiber Welding's Mirum, a circular, plastic-free, leather-like fabric composed of natural rubber, plants, and mineral pigments. The brand, founded by Silvia Gallo, makes clutches, bucket bags, crossbodies, and more, primarily in versatile and natural colorways.

PETA-approved vegan brand Mashu specializes in bright handbags with creative shapes. The British company aims to use the lowest impact leather alternatives on the market, and opts for fabrics including Uppeal's apple leather, Bioveg's recycled polyester leather, and Piñatex's pineapple leather. Mashu also works with local artisans and small factories in Greece to craft its bags, and the company offers free bag repairs for life.

Fully vegan handbag company Angela Roi makes purses of all different classic styles and sizes. The handbags are made from various types of high quality vegan leather, including plant-based cactus leather, apple leather, and mushroom leather (as seen above). Plus, Angela Roi employs skilled artisans to handcraft each bag, and the company has a number of eco initiatives detailed on its website.

Dagne Dover is known for its neoprene bags, which include fanny packs, totes, crossbody bags, and so much more, many of which are labeled vegan. Though neoprene is not generally the most eco-friendly material, Dagne Dover has a number of sustainability practices, including using its scrap materials, using fabric made from recycled plastic, and donating surplus inventory to charities. The company is also woman-founded and AAPI-founded.

Frida Rome's goal is to make sustainability sexy, which the British slow fashion brand is doing with its luxury vegan leather handbags. Materials include plant-based cactus leather, apple leather, and organic cotton. The bags also have a secret — they come with an erotic story printed inside (but customers can also opt out of this feature). The founders appeared on a 2022 episode of Dragons’ Den, and Frida Rome scored an investment from dragon Steven Bartlett.

Melie Bianco makes PETA-approved, premium vegan leather handbags, marketed as design-driven affordable luxury. Melie Bianco specializes in trendy and unique handbags, many of which are made using partially post-consumer recycled polyester and partially post-consumer recycled vegan leather. The sweatshop-free company uses fair trade practices and a profit sharing model at its factories in China.

Baggu specializes in bags of all kinds made from recycled nylon, and often featuring trendy patterns or made in collaboration with of-the-moment designers. The popular brand is best known for its handy foldable shopping bags, but also makes fanny packs, shoulder bags, totes, and more. The company has a number of sustainability initiatives, including using recycled materials (though this does include recycled leather), designing products to be durable and made with minimal waste, and following a code of conduct to practice business sustainably.

New York-based label Freja handcrafts classic vegan leather handbags at a family-owned factory. Bags are made from the company's bespoke pebbled vegan ultrafiber leather, which is made to feel luxurious, durable, and be resistant to scratches and water. The woman-founded and AAPI-founded brand only launches a few products each year, and the founder Jenny Lei's mission is to "advocate for a meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable future."

Founded in 1995 in Canada, Matt & Nat is one of the original all-vegan bag companies. The company, whose name is inspired by "material and nature," has used 100 percent recycled water bottles for its bag linings since 2007, as well as recycled nylon, rubber, and cork. The company is also experimenting with fruit skin fibres and even a material made of windshield resins. Matt & Nat's collection of vegan leather bags and accessories is comprehensive, and each item is created to last for years.