The vegan handbag brands on this list demonstrate that ‘to-die-for’ is just an expression, after all. Not only do they use ethical materials, but they also prioritize fair labor and green business practices.
Because when it comes to designer bags and purses, we aren’t loco for Coco, but there are plenty of ethical brands that offer Chanel-quality products at affordable prices.
Further, our new Brand Rating System assesses bag brands (and more) on a range of sustainability-related criteria, like climate action, circularity and transparency. To learn more, take a look at our explainer here and look out for the rated brands on this list who have gone the extra mile when it comes to transparency.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Our Top Picks: Vegan Bags & Purses
One of our favorites is Carry Courage. With total supply chain transparency and an emphasis on cork fabric, you don’t have to second guess what this brand values. We love using our ADVOCATE tote which is our go-to bag for the farmer’s market thanks to its roomy interior. Carry Courage has been comprehensively rated & reviewed by us – find the full rating here.
Pixie Mood’s bags are made from mostly recycled materials, which have allowed them to divert over 1.4 million plastic bottles from landfills. The super versatile design and stylish looks of the Nyla Backpack are a standout for us, and it’s become our daily work bag.
Index: Vegan Purses & Handbags
- Carry Courage Jump to brand
- Pixie Mood Jump to brand
- Doshi Jump to brand
- LaBante Jump to brand
- Svala Jump to brand
- Matt & Nat Jump to brand
- Watson & Wolf Jump to brand
Carry Courage
Circular
All or some products are circular in nature - such that no part of the product needs to end up in landfill at the end of its life
Handcrafted
Products have been made by hand, typically by an artisan or group of artisans.
Locally Made
Products are made local to the brand's headquarters.
Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxic
Organic
Products are made from organic materials.
Repairs Offered
Product can be easily repaired directly by the brand.
Thoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
Vegan
This brand does not use any animal products or by-products in their products
Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
GOTS
PETA
Carry Courage has been rated by Sustainable Jungle. Find the full rating here.
After years of feeling burned out and uninspired in her office job, Marisa started Carry Courage as an outlet for her creativity. The Portland-based brand’s unique maker-based business comes in handy (literally) if you’re looking for a stylish new crossbody bag, clutch bag, zipper pouch, cosmetics bag, or even tablet sleeve.
Carry Courage’s PETA approved vegan bags feature a sustainably-harvested cork exterior and an organic cotton liner. Cork is a sustainable leather alternative because it’s harvested by simply shaving the bark, helping the tree absorb five times more CO2 while re-growing it.
The metal hardware is ethically sourced from a US woman-owned company. Each of their cork bags are handmade in their Portland, Oregon studio.
The only non-vegan bags are the NORBOO line, which feature Tibetan handcrafted native sheep wool and cotton. 100% of profits from this line go to artisan makers of these third-party made products.
My Personal Review of Carry Courage’s ADVOCATE Tote:
“I can’t help but advocate for the ADVOCATE Tote. I love its combination of fashion and function, with a classy and modern cork exterior and a simple, spacious design. In fact, it’s become my go-to farmer’s market tote, with the perfect amount of space to load up on untold amounts of fresh produce. The cork is also easy to wipe down, so I don’t have to worry if it gets dirty.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Pixie Mood
Pixie Mood is yet to be rated.
About Pixie Mood
Price Range: $36–$160
Pixie Mood puts us in the mood for spending—thankfully, they offer some of the most affordable vegan handbags, backpacks, purses, totes, bucket bags, sustainable wallets, and more so they won’t burn too much of a hole in your proverbial pocket.
Pixie Mood’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Recycled vegan leather, cork, rPET bottle lining, and vegan wool are material forerunners in these PETA-approved purses. European REACH compliant hardware is also used, and all materials meet California Prop 65 standards.
Supply chain & labor practices:
They visit their manufacturers yearly to ensure business standards are met. These include prohibitions on forced and child labor, and fair wages.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Leather-less and cruelty-free since inception, they are constantly taking steps towards greater sustainability, like getting rid of PVC and switching to bio-poly bags.
The climate positive brand offsets carbon emissions via Terrapass. Carbon-neutral orders are shipped with biodegradable corn based packaging.
My Personal Review of Pixie Mood’s Nyla Backpack Large:
“I couldn’t say no-la when given the opportunity to test their Nyla Backpack Large. It’s a vegan laptop bag and a backpack that converts into a crossbody messenger bag with a simple change of strap orientation. Beyond that, there are pockets and compartments for just about everything, and a highly water and stain-resistant exterior means I’ve turned this into my daily work bag without fear of wear-and-tear from the daily grind—which will likely wear me down before the bag!”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Doshi
Doshi is yet to be rated.
About Doshi
Price Range: $48–$249
BIPOC-owned and family-operated Doshi started as a way to offer products to people seeking an all-vegan lifestyle.
Their cruelty-free guiding ethos leads them to create some of the best vegan bags—including backpacks, totes, camera bags, portfolio bags, business bags, wallets, weekender bags and men’s vegan belts.
Doshi’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Doshi’s vegan leather options include microfiber polyurethane, kraft paper, cork, and Piñatex. Some styles use Tyvek, a polyethylene-based fiber that doesn’t leach harmful chemicals as it breaks down.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Representatives from the California-based company regularly visit the factories that manufacture their goods. They make a conscious effort to ensure that worker well-being and environmental practices are prioritized. Their supply chain is fully audited using BSCI criteria.
Community & charitable giving:
Doshi donates 5% of revenue to charities that support animals (like Mercy For Animals) and regularly participate in Vegfests to connect with their customers face-to-face.
My Personal Review of Doshi’s Floral Kraft Tote:
“The Floral Kraft Tote is definitely my favorite out of the couple of Doshi bags I own. The floral design is adorable, and it’s made with biodegradable kraft paper that’s coated to last. Plus, the roomy interior is perfect for fitting all kinds of bulky stuff—like my 15” laptop and DSLR camera, which is what I use it for!
I also own the Continental Kraft Paper Wallet. Its spacious clutch design means it easily fits my cell phone, and the removable wrist strap turns it into a purse wallet with a simple clip. I’ll often reach for just it when heading out to run errands.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
LaBante
LaBante is yet to be rated.
About LaBante
Price Range: $130–$450
LaBante was born from a love of fashion, animals, and our planet. Then and today, they are driven by one main philosophy: Fashion With Respect. Founder and CEO Vanita Badlani Bagri became a vegetarian after living next door to a butcher’s shop, which eventually led her to creating her own collection of vegan tote bags, wallets, crossbody bags, computer bags, backpacks, hobo bags, rucksacks, satchels, and clutches.
LaBante’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
These high-end handbags feature recycled polyester interiors and vegan leather exteriors made of vegetable byproducts and polyurethane. They never use PVC. As a PETA-approved brand, they don’t use any animal-based dyes or glues.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Committed to empowering women worldwide, LaBante partners with (almost exclusively) female artisans. Their manufacturing is based in a Sedex audited and safe factory in Guangzhou, China where workers are paid very high wages and receive maternity leave. T
Carbon commitments & green practices:
In addition to recycled fabrics, they use recycled paper and fabrics for their dust bags and swing tags, and recycled cardboard boxes.
Community & charitable giving:
10% of the brand’s profits go to charitable causes that rotate every season and support people from all races and backgrounds.
My Personal Review of LaBante’s Sophie Tote:
“I was thrilled to acquire LaBante’s best-selling Sophie Tote. Not only does its gorgeous black leather-like texture make it the best faux leather bag I’ve seen (seriously, I can hardly tell it’s not real leather), but its boxy design makes it so spacious, without much bulk. I can pack a 32 oz plastic-free water bottle and lunch canister in the middle slot alone, leaving plenty of room for daily essentials and what-ifs. It’s actually become my favorite for use as a personal item when flying on planes.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Svala
Svala is yet to be rated.
About Svala
Price Range: $130–$298
The Icelandic name Svala translates to swallow: a bird that symbolizes love, loyalty, and freedom. After searching far and wide for sustainably produced, animal-friendly accessories, Owner Helga decided to create her very own vegan purse brand filled with cruelty-free totes, clutches, shoulder bags, and more, all inspired by the simplicity of Scandinavian designs.
Her luxury handbags include staple, versatile designs, like the Gemma convertible cross-body backpack. You can choose several classic colors, but we have a soft spot for the shimmer of the Gold Speckled Cork.
Svala’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Along with traditional vegan fabrics like cork, Piñatex, and Italian vegan leather, Svala features some unique offerings, too.
Their zero-plastic MIRUM® collection is made from a certified USDA bio-based mixture of natural materials like rubber, plant oils, and cork. At the end of its life cycle, it can be recycled into new fabric or returned safely to earth.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All products are handcrafted locally in LA, ensuring fair wages and comfortable working conditions.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
They offset their carbon emissions by planting a tree with every order.
Matt & Nat
Matt & Nat is yet to be rated.
About Matt & Natt
Price Range: $40–$275
Matt & Natt is an (ironically) killer 100% vegan brand faux-ever committed to not using animal based materials in their designs. Following the motto “live beautifully,” most of their designer bags come in black as a base color (a staple for a minimalist’s wardrobe) and also feature unique colors such as frog green, daffodil yellow, and flora pink.
With some of their offers are more sustainable than others, our favorite is the GIULIA vegan shoulder bag. This crescent shaped hobo bag is part of the Studio 901 collection, meaning the luxuriously smooth exterior is made of APPLESKIN™, or leather made of apple industry byproduct.
They also offer some messenger bags and briefcases for men.
Matt & Natt’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Nylon, rubber, and biodegradable polyurethane, and they are experimenting with a number of fruit skin leathers.
They are slowly transforming all PVC materials to PVB made of 100% recycled windshield glass resin, starting with their Purity and Dwell collections—which includes luxury handbags as well as sustainable belts and other accessories.
All linings are made with 100% recycled plastic bottles (about 21 per bag).
Supply chain & labor practices:
Factory audits are conducted twice a year by the CEO to ensure proper working conditions, including no child labor, fair wages, and a clean workspace for all workers. At least one of their factories operates by SA8000 standards.
Watson & Wolf
Watson & Wolf is yet to be rated.
About Watson & Wolfe
Price Range: $125–$326
Named after owner Helen’s beloved pooch, Watson & Wolfe aims to drive the evolution of the leather goods industry in a world where fashion is the second-biggest polluter of the planet.
Working at the infamous Aspinal of London for 10 years, Helen gained a love for leather goods and luxury—until she started developing her own brand and passed on leather for the best plant-based alternatives.
After testing a number of materials, her high-end vegan bags, belts, and wallets were born, like the Camden Crossbody Clutch, a not-too-big, not-too-small daily go-to bag.
Watson & Wolfe’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Watson & Wolfe bags are made from a smooth, lightly grained synthetic leather from Italy. The material is made from renewable, non-food grade corn, making it 30% more sustainable than other vegan leathers. The lining in their bags are created from recycled PET plastic from Taiwan.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their bags are manufactured in small, artisan factories based in Turkey and Portugal, all of which have a fair-trade policy. Their suppliers harness green energy and have efficient systems for solvent and air exhaust.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
They work with One Tree Planted to offset their carbon footprint via reforestation projects. All gift boxes are made from recycled materials and cardstock is biodegradable and FSC-certified. Dust bags from larger products are made from OEKO-TEX organic cotton.
