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Here are The 7 Best Eco-Friendly Bags Without Sacrificing Style.

A high-quality handbag, purse, tote, or other accessory is an essential wardrobe item. Only the greatest eco-friendly bags should be trusted with all of your necessities.

Teeanime, on the other hand, does not want our fashion and convenience choices to hurt the environment or the workers in the production chain.

Mrs. Miller and I looked everywhere for the greatest bags from sustainable businesses for everyday use and evenings on the tiles!

Mrs. B has a thing for bags, as I stated in my Best Eco-Friendly Clothing Brands piece. So it made natural to revive our literary collaboration.

I’ll go over each brand’s eco-credentials, and Mrs. B will go over the remainder.

Sustainable Bags & Purses to Keep Your Essentials Safe All Day (Or Night) Long

In the next part of this article, I’ll talk about what makes a bag sustainable.

But for now, I’ll go straight to the good parts!

Quince is all about giving people what they need at a fair price without sacrificing quality.

Their factory-direct model cuts out middlemen, which lets them offer great deals while still being sustainable, accountable, clear, and making the best products possible.

Quince only works with factories that have promised to make products in a responsible way.

All workers are paid a fair wage, and every step of the production process is constantly looked at to find ways to reduce damage to the environment.

When you choose Quince, you can be sure that no corners have been cut in terms of quality, sustainability, or fair manufacturing practices. Experience the comfort and luxury for yourself, and I’m sure you’ll agree that the high-quality materials are well worth the low price.

Mrs. B says that Quince does some amazing things with Italian leather that is good for the environment at prices that are very easy on the wallet.

This Italian Pebbled Leather Phone Crossbody is perfect for when you don’t have any pockets and just need room for your phone, keys, and credit card.

It’s one of the most useful and fashionable things you can add to your wardrobe. It looks great and has enough space for all your important things. You can carry it comfortably over either shoulder or across your body because the strap is adjustable.

The pebbled leather is both stylish and laid-back. Beautiful to look at and strong enough to take a few bumps.

This is more than just a well-priced leather phone crossbody that comes in four beautiful colors (Stone, Burgundy, Cognac, and Black). It is an investment in quality, sustainability, and fair labor practices.

Under $60… for durable, high-quality Italian leather…

MADNESS!

Even better, you can return the item for free for a whole year.

Svala makes 100% vegan handbags from eco-friendly materials like Italian PU (polyurethane), Pinatex® (made from the fibers of pineapple leaves), and cork.

In 2019, Svala was nominated for the sustainable luxury Eluxe Awards by Eluxe Magazine.

The Best Vegan Brand of the Year award went to Svala in 2020.

Svala figures out its monthly carbon footprint from shipping and buys carbon offsets to make up for it.

They also give 10% of their profits to many charities and groups. Wild Aid, which works to stop the illegal trade in wildlife, will get some of Svala’s money.

Mrs. B says: In a previous article for James, I talked about how much I love everything Svala, especially their clutch bags.

I suggested the Didi Clutch Mini in Gold Speckled Cork, but there is a waiting list for it right now. If you can wait, it will be well worth it… but why put yourself through all that?

The beautiful Didi Clutch Mini – Metallic Silver Piatex® is my choice for this article. Ready to go right now!

It doesn’t make as much noise as the gold-flecked cork. A classic clutch that will look good with most party outfits.

Pixie Mood is committed to finding materials that are good for the environment, and they are 100% honest and responsible in everything they do.

They’re happy to:

  • Using 100% vegan materials
  • Using biodegradable packaging
  • Climate positive
  • Kind to people, animals, and our planet.

Mrs. B says that the Pixie Mood – Blake Jewelry Case is small enough for a pixie.

Even though it’s small, it’s a great way to store things.

It’s a great way to keep your eco-friendly jewelry safe and untangled when you travel.

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With upcycled and recycled materials, MARICLARO makes really cool things.

As a kid, I built and collected model planes, so MARICLARO’s line of products made from repurposed airplane parts caught my eye right away.

I love that MARICLARO has promised to give 5% of the sales of their aviation range to help young people with mental health problems.

When you buy something from MARICLARO on Etsy, the carbon emissions from shipping and packaging are offset by Etsy.

Mrs. B says: I don’t love planes as much as James does (except when they take me to a warm place for the summer), but I love what MARICLARO is doing with plane parts that have been reused or recycled.

Their Upcycled Aircraft Life Jackets Tote is a unique take on the traditional tote bag.

It’s both useful and interesting. The capacity is huge, and there are a lot of pockets inside to help you find what you need without having to dig around for a long time.

Stella McCartney has been committed to being kind to the environment, animals, and people ever since she started her fashion line in 2001.

Reading about the brand’s history is interesting from a sustainability point of view:

  • 2001: No feathers, fur, skin, or leather.
  • In 2008, they began to use organic cotton.
  • 2010: No longer use PVC.
  • 2012: Started using polyester made from old clothes. Plastic water bottles have been banned. All wood is certified as being from a sustainable source. has joined the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI).
  • Stores got solar panels and LED lights in 2013.
  • All paper and cardboard packaging will be certified as eco-friendly in 2014.
  • 2016: Made 100% of viscose from sustainable sources. stopped using any cashmere that was still new.
  • Econyl® regenerated nylon was released in 2017.
  • 2018: Made it illegal to use mohair. committed to getting rid of plastic. Made the first bag out of MyloTM mushroom leather from Bold Thread.
  • 2019: Adidas by Stella McCartney launched the first-ever garments made with Evrnu’s NuCycle™ yarn and KOBA® Fur Free Fur.
  • 2020: Debuted Coreva™ biodegradable stretched denim.

So, as you can see, Stella McCartney is a great person when it comes to the environment.

Mrs. B says, “When I first started dating James, he made me mixtapes of his favorite Beatles songs.” I soon fell in love with him AND the genius that is Paul McCartney.

The Get Back Canvas Tote Bag is a lovely nod by Stella to her dad’s music career.

I love how the Beatles collage on one side and the clean, simple, classy, stitched logo panel on the other side look so different from each other.

It’s not cheap for a tote bag. It’s Stella McCartney, though! Treat it as an investment, but don’t be afraid to use it.

You don’t like the Beatles? Stella McCartney also does some stunning vegan leather totes.

Nisolo is a leader in fashion that is good for the environment.

For each of their products, they make a sheet called “Sustainability Facts.”

These sheets help Nisolo hold itself accountable by comparing each product across 200 sustainability metrics to help show the social and environmental impact.

At the moment, this plan is self-run, but I like what Nisolo is trying to do. We hope that the fashion industry will pay attention and, in the future, come up with a similar standard that makes it easy to compare all brands.

Mrs. B says: When I suggested Nisolo for James’ guide to eco-friendly jewelry, I was also drawn to a beautiful purse that I bought as a treat for myself.

The Classic Wallet (in Woven Almond) is a real treasure!

It’s just the right size for my credit card, a few loyalty cards, and a couple of folded notes.

Perfect for going to the mall for a couple of hours when I don’t want to carry my big tote or shoulder bag.

EarthHero is great. So you don’t have to, they do a lot of research and testing on every brand they sell on their platform.

You can just look through their wide range of products, knowing that you’ll get high-quality, eco-friendly items shipped in recycled, recyclable, or biodegradable packaging, with the carbon emissions offset.

EarthHero has also started making its own brand products so it can have even more control over the whole supply chain.

In my article Why Are Plastic Bags Bad and Should They Be Banned, I talked about how a normal plastic grocery bag can hurt the environment.

So, when I saw that EarthHero made their own brand of shopping bags from 100% recycled PET, I had to add it to the list.

Mrs. B says, “I don’t have much more to say.” It is a strong, reusable shopping bag that is good for the environment and can be used more than once.

It’s not stylish enough to win any Vogue awards…

But it will be used a lot over the next few years to carry the groceries for the Miller family.

Eco-Friendly Materials

Most handbags are made of leather, which is the most common material. It’s strong and holds up well over time.

But it has a number of moral problems, so it’s not always the most sustainable choice.

Leather production is also not sustainable because of how bad it is for the environment.

Other natural materials that are more durable and used in eco-friendly handbags, purses, totes, etc. right now are:

  • Animal-free leather
  • Leather made from plants (no chemicals used)
  • Materials that have been used before (recycled leather, recycled polyester, etc.)
  • Reused materials (materials given a new lease of life rather than being thrown away)
  • Organic cotton
  • Cork from a tree
  • Reused PET
  • Recycled nylon
  • Pinatex® Sustainable fabrics
  • Leather cork
  • Reused plastic from the ocean

Timelessness

Avoid fast fashion and spend your money on quality pieces that will last a lifetime.

Transparency

Buy from brands that are honest and don’t try to “greenwash” their products.

A sustainable brand will have nothing to hide about its supply chain and labor practices, from the farmer to the store.

Most of the time, brands with recognizable eco-labels are among the most honest.

Social Impact

Companies that care about their social impact make products that are truly sustainable.

Look for brands, for example, that give back to the local community by paying fair wages and hiring local artisans.

Watch out for the following, too:

  • Getting rid of carbon
  • Green energy use
  • Manufacturing processes with a closed loop
  • Recycling schemes
  • The future of shipping (biodegradable, compostable, plastic-free packaging materials)

Bag Types

Belt Bags

Belt bags, also called fanny packs, are small pouches that are worn around the waist like a belt.

Shoulder Bags

Shoulder bags have a long strap that is slung over the shoulder.

Crossbody Bags

Crossbody bags are often smaller than shoulder bags. It is worn across the front of the body diagonally.

Messenger Bags

A messenger bag is a type of cross-body bag. The distinction is that they are designed to be worn against the lower back (for ease of cycling or motorcycling) and then shifted to the front of the body when the contents need to be accessed.

Bucket Bags

Bucket bags are a type of travel bag. It is usually cylindrical (like a bucket) and has no pockets or other features. It’s a simple but effective bag that can hold a lot of stuff.

Tote Bags

A tote bag is a large bag designed for carrying (or toting) all of your belongings. They’re comparable to bucket bags, but in a more typical shopping bag design/style.

Yoga Bags

A yoga bag is typically a simple bag used to transport a yoga mat, or a tote-style bag used to transport additional yoga gear, with an external clip or compartment for transporting a yoga mat.

Laptop Sleeves

A padded pouch designed to carry and protect your laptop is known as a laptop sleeve. It normally comes with convenient carrying compartments for all of your equipment.

The Problem With Vegan Leather

When you hear the term vegan leather, you might think it’s completely eco-friendly and a no-brainer as an animal leather substitute.

That is not always the case, however.

Some vegan leathers are an environmental disaster, as I described in my post Eco-Friendly Shoes from Ethical Brands, as they are constructed from hazardous synthetic materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Fortunately for us as consumers (and members of the human race), more eco-friendly vegan leather products are gradually entering the market.

There are absolutely vegan leathers that are eco-friendly. Just be wary of vegan bags made from plastic and marketed as vegan leather. Classic greenwashing!

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