11 Sustainable Bags & Purses To Eco-ntain All Your Essentials
Here at Sustainable Jungle, we’ve got sustainability in the bag… well, we’re doing our best anyway, in part by looking for the most sustainable bags and purses that the eco world has to offer.
The handbag industry has more problems than most in the overall fashion umbrella (thanks leather) so how can we make sure we’re buying something that doesn’t harm anyone or anything?
Please hold our (sustainable) bag while we dish out the dirt on where to buy the best eco-friendly purses and handbags.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
A Sample Bag Of The Most Sustainable Handbags & Purses
Deux Mains’ small batch manufacturing process and charitable business model help break the cycle of poverty.
For eco-friendly bags made from recycled materials and no PVC, Pixie Mood will put you in a positive mood.
Matt & Natt employ frequent factory audits to ensure they make the most ethical handbags possible.
For more on how we bagged up this list of ethical and sustainable bag brands, dig down—like you’re trying to find your phone buried in your new handbag—to the bottom of the article.
The Full List Of Eco-Friendly Purse & Handbag Brands
- Pixie Mood | Visit Store
- Bellroy | Visit Store
- Deux Mains | Visit Store
- Nisolo | Visit Store
- Parker Clay | Visit Store
- Malia Designs | Visit Store
- Matt & Natt | Visit Store
- O My Bag | Visit Store
- Carry Courage | Visit Store
- Behno | Visit Store
- Klès | Visit Store
1. Pixie Mood
About Pixie Mood
Price Range: $36—$130
Pixie Mood has been making PETA-approved vegan accessories for over a decade.
They have a selection of sustainable vegan leather handbags, shoulder bags, clutches, and belt bags.
These include wallets and travel organizers with radio frequency identification (RFID) blocking technology to protect your identity and bank account—identity theft is not something you want ne’er do wells bagging up).
Also available are sustainable fashion purses made from recycled canvas and recycled vegan wool, if faux leather isn’t your speed.
Pixie Mood’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The brand uses a variety of GRS-certified recycled materials in their handbags, including recycled canvas and solvent-free vegan leather, wool, and linings made from recycled plastic bottles.
They also use cork fabric meaning all sustainable materials are animal and PVC-free.
The hardware on their sustainable purses is also compliant with the European Union REACH standard, so their chemical usage is monitored and regulated.
All materials are tested annually to make sure they meet California Prop 65 standards.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Pixie Mood audits its Asian manufacturers twice annually to ensure its labor standards are met, including no forced/child labor, no harassment or abuse, safe working environments, and fair wages and benefits.
Green business practices:
Putting the “eco-friendly” in eco-friendly vegan leather purses, their manufacturing uses water and energy-saving techniques.
Proud to call themselves a climate-positive company, Pixie Mood partners with TerraPass to offset carbon emissions, including shopping.
Their biodegradable packaging is corn-based and any EPE foam is 100% recyclable.
Community & charitable giving:
Pixie Mood partners with 1% for the Planet in order to forward environmental initiatives.
They also partner with One Tree Planet and the Humane Society, and are always open to new partners to further their change-making commitments.
2. Bellroy
About Bellroy
Price Range: $39—$449
The ultimate sustainable “carry company,” Aussie-based Certified B-Corp Bellroy is the dream eco-friendly handbag brand for RFID-equipped sustainable wallets and eco bags and backpacks for everything from travel to daily use.
Each one is designed with both style and functionality in mind (lots of pockets, anyone?)—like the Cooler Tote, which functions as an insulated lunchbox, reusable grocery bag, and spacious tote all in one.
Need laptop sleeves or phone cases?
They’ve got that in the sustainable bag, too.
Bellroy’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Bellroy uses leather from LWG Gold-rated tanneries or ECCO Leather. The latter’s DriTan™ technique uses moisture already present in the hide to reduce water and chemical usage.
If you prefer sustainable vegan bags, plenty utilize recycled polyester made from 100% recycled water bottles or recycled nylon made from 100% recycled industrial nylon offcuts.
Also present in the sustainable fabric line-up is TENCEL™ X REFIBRA™ and MIRUM® (a mushroom-based leather alternative).
Supply chain & labor practices:
Product prototype sustainable bags were made in Australia and final products are made in China, India, and the Philippines in factories that comply with their Supplier Code of Conduct.
Bellroy works “closely with each supplier to ensure staff are treated well and that environmental and social responsibilities are taken seriously“.
Leather is sourced from the Netherlands.
Green business practices:
Bellroy’s decision-making is guided by goals to minimize use of toxins, utilize eco-friendly materials where possible, reduce waste and energy, and understand their impact so they can further reduce it.
Above all, they “make products that are used and loved for as long as possible” and come with a 3-year warranty.
These goals are reflected in their Material Impact report, though a broader sustainability report hasn’t been published as yet.
Community & charitable giving:
Bellroy donates a portion of its revenue to changemaking charities, as guided by the Centre for Effective Altruism and the Effective Altruism community.
3. Deux Mains
About Deux Mains
Price Range: $175—$395
Woman-owned and managed Deux Mains believes “Women are the Pillars of Society”.
And sustainable purses are the pillars of any woman’s green wardrobe.
In addition to wallets and recycled flip flops, they provide a small selection of ethical bags—including a tote, shoulder bag, bucket bag, and crossbody bag—in a variety of different colors.
If you’re an “essentials only” person, check out the adorable Mini Essential Bucket Bag.
Deux Mains’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
These bags are either made of deadstock leather or responsibly (and locally) sourced full grain leather from Haiti or Mexico.
We’re not sure what tanning chemicals are used for their non-recycled leather and will be reaching out to ask.
Their totes feature upcycled tire inner tube bottoms for durability and waterproofing.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The brand’s name means “two hands” which is exactly what’s behind these ethically-made bags.
Their own Haitian factory provides good wages (and overtime) as well as healthcare, paid vacations, and paid maternity / paternity leave.
Green business practices:
Deux Mains’ factory and tanneries run partially on solar power and their tanneries employ water and waste recycling practices. Their Mexican tannery is one of the top ten sustainable tanneries in the world.
Small batch manufacturing, handcrafting, and turning excess fabric into new products ensures minimum waste.
Recycled packaging and goals of carbon neutrality further reduce the brand’s impact.
Community & charitable giving:
By providing meaningful work, Deux Mains takes a holistic approach to break cycles of poverty through their nonprofit partner REBUILD.
REBUILD students have skills training, higher education opportunities via its University Matching Program, and guaranteed jobs at Deux Mains after graduation.
4. Nisolo
About Nisolo
Price Range: $80—$350
Nashville-based Nisolo is an ethical shoe brand that also makes ethical leather handbags, big and small.
Their men’s collection includes backpacks, messenger bags, and weekenders, while the wider selection of women’s sustainable fashion bags includes all those plus totes, shoulder bags, and crossbody bags.
For the best of both worlds, their highly versatile Simone Convertible Shopper has been dubbed “The Perfect Bag”.
Aside from offering sustainable boots, bags, and more, this Certified B Corp (ranked #1 among leather product brands and #3 among shoe brands) aims to be a changemaker within the fashion industry.
Nisolo’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Nisolo’s eco-friendly bags are mainly made of nubuck and suede leathers, sourced as a by-product of the meat industry.
To gain traceability for these leathers, they’ve personally visited and vetted all leather tanneries, most of which are certified by the Leather Working Group.
Their best sustainable handbags are made with a cotton canvas body, vegetable-tanned leather straps, and copper rivets.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Nisolo’s website includes detailed wage and condition information about each of their four factories and each product includes a Sustainability Facts Label.
All factories must adhere to their Code of Conduct and they enforce these rules with the help of the Good Ops supply chain consulting group ACCOUNTABLE, which provides them with social impact assessments.
Nisolo is committed to providing a living wage to all, and co-founded the Lowest Wage Challenge for brands to publish their lowest wages.
They also provide in-house yoga and fitness classes, and training on topics like finances, health, nutrition, and English.
Green business practices:
Nisolo is Climate Neutral Certified and the top ranking fashion brand on Remake’s Accountability Report.
They measure, reduce, and offset 100% of their carbon emissions with Ecosphere+by protecting trees from deforestation in the Cordillera Azul and Ucayali regions of the Peruvian Amazon.
Community & charitable giving:
Nisolo is cultivating a community of sustainable brands with their Ethical Marketplace, where they sell products of other sustainably-minded brands to encourage sustainable living outside the closet.
They also launched a Shoe Reclamation Program and have collected and donated over 7,000 shoes to Soles4Souls.
5. Parker Clay
About Parker Clay
Price Range: $118—$598
Parker Clay wants to create a “Better Bag For A Better World”.
Their classic collection of sustainable leather purses and tech-compatible handbags joins their eco-friendly luggage in proving that leather can be better.
For women, you’ll find crossbody bags, totes, bucket bags, shoulder bags, and backpacks.
Their range of eco-friendly luxury bags for men include briefcases, messenger bags, and backpacks.
Parker Clay’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All sustainable leather bags are made of premium Ethiopian full-grain leather, sourced as a byproduct of the Ethiopian food industry.
The hardware consists of natural and recycled brass.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This Certified B Corp handmakes all bags in their own factory in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the leather is tanned.
Workers not only receive more-than-living wages (based on the USD to prevent currency devaluation), but also transportation, pensions, health care, paid time off, transportation, and laundry services.
Most employees are at-risk women who have been impacted by the sex trade.
The Parker Clay Center of Excellence provides skills training in leather working to increase future job prospects for artisans.
Green business practices:
“Fashion should not be disposable but treasured” so Parker Clay’s eco handbags are built to last a lifetime.
As a member of the Green Tannin Initiative, their leather is tanned using organic vegetable dyes (rather than chrome and sulfides) and recycled water.
Community & charitable giving:
After adopting a daughter from and living in Ethiopia for years, Parker Clay’s founders are passionate about giving back to it.
For every eco-friendly leather bag purchased, they plant a tree there through the Green Legacy Challenge.
This is in addition to employing at-risk women with their sister nonprofit, Ellilta.
6. Malia Designs
About Malia Designs
Price Range: $18—$68
Malia Designs represents harmony between western and eastern cultures, specifically that of Cambodia.
Drawing inspiration from Angkor temples and the colorful streets of Phnom Penh, their huge selection of eco-friendly purses includes every shape and size imaginable, from shoulder and cross body bags to bookbags.
Whatever your exact style is, they have affordable sustainable shoulder bags just for you to #CARRYACAUSE.
Malia Designs’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Malia specializes in handbags made from recycled materials.
These include recycled feed bags, cement bags, denim, and cotton canvas (sourced from leftover rolls of fabric from garment factories).
Supply chain & labor practices:
To create economic opportunity for Cambodians living in high risk areas for human trafficking, Malia works with three women-led fair trade fashion cooperatives.
They employ people from disadvantaged groups including women, the deaf, and disabled individuals.
One of these groups offers a choice between home-based employment or living accommodations attached to the workshop.
Community & charitable giving:
Malia Designs wants to break the cycle of human trafficking in Cambodia by supporting organizations like Damnok Toek, a 100% Cambodian-run NGO that assists children and trafficking victims.
Their donations provide bunk beds, education supplies, transportation, and vocational training for young women.
In addition, they provide grants and loans to their artisan groups for workshop expansion, training, and new equipment.
7. Matt & Nat
About Matt & Nat
Price Range: $40—$350
Canada-based Matt & Nat is a PETA-approved vegan brand that offers ethically made handbags and accessories in a variety of styles ranging from classic to modern and edgy.
With an array of rainbow colors to choose from, including lilac, seaglass, and chartreuse, you’ll probably spend a bit of time trying to decide which one suits you best.
Whether you’re looking for belt bags, briefcases, or a diaper bag to stash your little one’s eco-friendly diapers, Matt & Natt covers your carrying needs.
Matt & Nat’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Matt & Nat doesn’t use leather—ever.
They do, however, use PVC leather, but are transitioning away in favor of PVB (polyvinyl butyral) made from 100% recycled windshield glass resin and PU.
While not eco-friendly rubber handbags, they do use rubber in wallets and are experimenting with fruit skin fibers like apple leather.
Linings are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles—about 21 plastic bottles for each.
Supply chain & labor practices:
In addition to employing local ethical managers, Matt & Nat’s CEO visits each factory 2-3 times per year to inspect conditions.
They are also audited twice a year to ensure that wages are fair and conditions safe, so even though they’re not sustainable bags made in Canada, the fair trade standards are similar.
One operates by the SA800 standard, and the brand hopes to make the standard a bigger part of future production.
Green business practices:
Matt & Nat strives “to become fully sustainable by 2023.”
There’s no details on how they plan to achieve that goal (especially as they’re still using PVC), but recycled materials are a start.
Community & charitable giving:
The main office in Montreal is dubbed a “cruelty- free zone” and hosts monthly vegetarian potlucks and vegan cupcakes to celebrate birthdays.
They encourage customers to donate used Matt & Nat bags to Dress for Success.
100% of profits from the HOPE Charity Bag go to various charities.
8. O My Bag
About O My Bag
Price Range: €30—€389
OM…B(?) have we got sustainable leather handbags for you.
Based in Amsterdam, O My Bag knows the value of doing things the green way—even when it comes to tanning leather.
This Certified B Corp’s genuine leather eco bags and purses boast a minimalist look that will pair well with most capsule wardrobes.
O My Bag’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Their ethical purses are made of uncoated (so no synthetic finish) vegetable “wet white” tanned byproduct-only leather.
Tanning without VOCs or harmful chemicals like chromium, heavy metals, and formaldehyde (verified by independent SGS laboratory testing), they claim it’s so clean that leftover leather can be used as fertilizer.
They also have a line of sustainable canvas bags that only feature leather handles and accents.
This canvas is non-GMO GOTS organic cotton like their bag liners and dust bags.
Supply chain & labor practices:
O My Bag’s eco-friendly purses begin with their two tanneries: Shee Shen in Kolkata, India and Conceria Nuova Grenoble in Tuscany, Italy.
LWG Gold-certified Shee Shen has its own primary effluent treatment plant and provides equal pay.
Family-run Conceria Nuova Grenoble is a member of the Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium, purifies production water, and recycles production substances.
Every product page tells you in which of their four SA8000 or WFTO-certified factories the product was produced.
Green business practices:
You can promote circular fashion by shopping their Pre-loved Library or take advantage of their repair services to extend the life of your ethical leather bags and purses.
They use 100% renewable energy to power their office and stores, offer carbon-neutral global shipping, and more in the Sustainability Report.
Community & charitable giving:
1% of O My Bag’s revenue is donated to support local projects which focus on women empowerment or education.
9. Carry Courage
About Carry Courage
Price Range: $59—$349
Carry Courage started via 9-to-5 burnout (been there).
After realizing her office job wasn’t inspiring her, Marisa took a courageous step to live her dream… and give other women the courage to do so as well!
They invite you to carry courage in the form of their “organizing solutions for intentional women”, which includes sustainable vegan handbags, essential oil bags, messenger bags, tablet clutches, and sustainable makeup bags.
Carry Courage’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
These earth-friendly bags are made of a buttery soft, durable, and renewable cork exterior with linen lining, making them PETA-approved vegan.
It also makes for environmentally-friendly handbags that are washable with mild zero waste dish soap.
Others are made using indiginous Tibetan natural fabrics or animal-free leather. We’ll be touching base to inquire what the latter is made of.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Carry Courage’s cork is sourced from the world’s cork mecca, Portugal, where it’s grown sustainably with strict harvesting regulations.
Their linen is organically grown at a family-owned farm in the US and the metal hardware also comes from a US woman-owned company.
Products are ethically made in their fair trade studio in Portland, Oregon—hello sustainable purse made in the USA!
Those from the NORBOO collection are made by Norboo Tibetan Handicrafts, a small artisan group in Tibet.
Green business practices:
Each bag is hand sewn in small batches, which eliminates machine emissions and wasted overstock.
It also guarantees “heirloom quality” pieces that will last for generations.
10. Behno
About Behno
Price Range: $195—$725
Behno, meaning “sisters” in Hindi, crafts high-quality sustainable luxury handbags.
Their stylish, statement-making bags are made based on six guiding ethical philosophies called the “Behno Standard“.
Choose from shoulder bags, crossbody bags, clutches, and wallets.
Unique is chic for Behno, as one look at their Tina Baguette Mini Bags will prove.
Behno’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
They’re made of premium Italian byproduct leather (in pebble, suede, or Nappa textures) paired with a cotton twill lining.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The leather is tanned at Leather Working Group (LWG) Gold-certified tanneries outside Venice.
Behno’s bags are handcrafted from Italian leather in Nashik, India.
This factory is regularly visited by staff members, REACH compliant, and certified by ISO 14001 and ISO 9001.
Workers receive access to fair trade wages, family planning services, healthcare clinics, clean water, and transportation.
Green business practices:
Through recycling waste materials and energy-saving machinery and infrastructure, Behno attempts to minimize its manufacturing footprint.
Their eco-friendly luxury bags come mailed in either a handwoven Khai dust bag or scrap textile recycled bag.
Their partnership with Canopy helps ensure packaging and tree-based textiles come from recycled or non-endangered sources.
Community & charitable giving:
Behno supports both the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America by donating a percentage of sales from certain product collections.
11. Klès
About Klès
Price Range: $130—$288
For sustainable handbags made in the UK (along with some other gorgeous women’s leather accessories), Klès offers timeless wardrobe staples, including bucket bags, clutches, and crossbody bags.
Founder Jessica will personalize bags with a debossed word up to 9 characters on the interior.
Klès’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Each affordable eco-friendly handbag features unlined, full-grain Italian and Belgian vegetable tanned cow leather sourced as a byproduct of animal industries.
Using the highest quality skins means they can be left undyed or dyed with a transparent dye (aniline) accenting the beauty of the natural grain.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Klès’ environmentally friendly purses are created by designer and owner Jessica Gomez herself using handcrafting techniques at her In Bristol Studio.
Raw materials are sourced locally within the UK.
Green business practices:
Being hand-stitched makes the bags durable and easier to repair.
Did you know we Have a Newsletter?
We cover the latest in sustainable living, fashion, zero waste, beauty, travel, finance and more…
What Is The Most Sustainable Bag?
Other than those you already own, the best sustainable bags are those made of sustainable materials in a way that doesn’t harm people or the planet.
So what is the most sustainable material for handbags?
Well, we can tell you what it’s not: leather.
The traditional go-to handbag material is leather, chosen for its chic look and durable nature, but, (surprise, surprise) it’s made from the skin of animals.
Sometimes byproduct leather is used by others, but leather is the only reason 1 billion animals are raised and killed every year.
While leather falls under the category of natural materials, it doesn’t break down like others (ethical wool, cashmere, peace silk, etc.). Tanned leather can take 100+ years, releasing dangerous chemicals in the process.
Speaking of tanning…
Unless it’s organically tanned leather, the process requires 250+ chemicals (arsenic, chromium, cyanide, etc.) which results in leaching at this stage, too, and exposes workers to toxins daily.
Leather aside, accessories are not immune to the numerous problems the fashion industry has generated.
It’s tricky to get a handle on the true impact but overconsumption through fast fashion (how many bags do we each really need?), labor atrocities, and environmental damage seem to be just the tip of the iceberg.
How We Found The Best Sustainable Bags & Purses
How do we hunt for handbags and purses that can withstand being tossed around day after day (but also don’t toss our planet or animal lives to the curb)?
Well, we dig and dig and dig, just a little deeper until… aha!
We finally find the tools needed underneath our scrunchie, wallet, eco-friendly water bottle, and zero waste lip balm: our sustainable and ethical fashion criteria.
Materials:
What are sustainable crossbody bags made of?
The options are endless, but some are certainly better than others. Organic bags and natural sustainable handbags (i.e. organic cotton, lyocell, cork) are best, but they’re often not as durable.
Leather is durable but its benefits are limited after that. Vegan leather alternatives are a’plenty but there are downsides to those, too.
Vegan products are ethically preferred from an ethical standpoint, but in some cases, vegan leather alternatives are actually less sustainable fabrics—AKA plastic.
When it’s PVC (the WORST type of plastic), proper disposal is impossible. Instead look for these in sustainable vegan leather bags:
- Plastic-free vegan leather: Piñatex, apple leather, SCOBY (the very same as when you learned how to flavor kombucha!), fungi, and cork.
- Recycled PET or nylon: Commonly made with recycled plastic bottles or discarded fishing nets, it’s still plastic but it makes use of plastic that already exists.
- Polyurethane (PU): Technically still plastic, but easier to recycle and more sustainable to produce.
What about ethical leather? Is there such a thing?
Here we look for a clearly defined sourcing policy to ensure no animals were killed explicitly for their skin.
This refers to meat industry byproducts or “wild caught” leather sourced from small Indigenous/rural communities that raise animals for leather and to feed themselves.
The best options (in order) are:
- Upcycled/deadstock: Using recycled and deadstock materials prevents leather from entering landfills, where it would take hundreds of years to decompose
- Vegetable-tanned leather: Plant-based agents in tanning provide durability—without toxins. Manufacturing water can be recycled and workers are safer.
- Chrome-free leather: Some harmful chemicals (i.e. heavy metals) are avoided, but it’s still a long way from fully sustainable.
- Certifications: Leather Working Group (LWG), Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Ecolife™ by Green Hides, OEKO-TEX, and bluesign®.
Supply chain & labor practices:
From material sourcing to shipping, we want to ensure everyone involved is supported. That means fair wages, healthy work conditions, and respectful treatment (what “fair trade” is all about).
To accessorize without greenwashing, the best sustainable handbags have strict codes of conduct or are certified to prove their claims—though “prove” is a strong word given that even B Corp’s reliability has been called into question.
- Certifications: B Corporation, Fair Trade, Fair Wear Foundation, International Labor Organization (ILO), Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), SA8000
Green business practices:
With the use of green energy, carbon offset programs, closed-loop manufacturing, repair/recycling programs, sustainable shipping initiatives, and sustainable materials for shipping, those eco-friendly handbags can be more so.
Community & charitable giving:
These sustainable handbag brands aren’t out to be Mr. Moneybags.
In other words, purpose comes before profit because many of these brands give back to charitable organizations that benefit the environment, social programs, or both.
Final Thoughts On Ethical Bags & Purses
That’s the whole bag-load of eco-friendly purses and handbags from brands that are giving you the tools (or rather a means to hold them) to live more sustainably.
Just remember the most sustainable handbags are those already in the back of your closet. Or peruse one of the many online thrift stores to see if you can score a killer deal on a pre-loved sustainable designer handbag.
Conscious consumerism can be a heavy bag to carry, but the more we spread the message and encourage bag brands (and friends) to go-green, the lighter the load will be!
Pin these:
Hey guys, I just loved your content on “13 Ethical & Sustainable Handbags And Purses To Carry Your Load” article. I was browsing on eco-friendly sustainable materials to be used for handbags and I came across your article. Believe me, it is so so well researched and full of information – from raw materials to certifications, tanning process and companies – all in one. Definitely gave me a very good insight on where to look. Thanks to all researchers, writers and approvers for this wonderful article. Love your work!
Thanks so much for taking the time to write this Meggha, made my day and I’ve shared your thanks back to the team!