Long gone are the times when vegan bags were synonymous with inferior quality. As the development and use of plant-based leather rise rather than cheaper plastic-based leather, we have seen a huge range of vegan designer bags that rival or surpass the quality of animal-derived leather bags.
Luxury, high-fashion designer bags are often the front runners in the use of these more cutting-edge materials. We have put together a collection of our favorite vegan designer bags from various brands to help you find your new favorite lavish companion.
Our Favorite Vegan Designer Bags
Canussa is a bag and accessory brand that puts the empowerment of women and the respect for animals at the forefront of their priorities. Their bags are produced in Spain under fair working conditions with a minimal carbon impact.
Our pick for their bags is the Hybrid Maxi. It is designed with women in mind, a stylish, versatile, and perfectly sized for daily use. It is a clutch, shoulder, and crossbody all in one, complete with a secure closure to keep all your valuables safe during your bustling day.
Ava Carrington is a bag brand founded by Swedish sisters operating out of the US. They are relatively new on the scene being founded in 2019, but have made their mark on sustainable and cruelty-free fashion.
Their collection focuses on quality rather than quantity, so whilst their range is smaller, what they do produce is of the highest quality.
We love the Stockholm Satchel. It draws inspiration from the classic satchel design but is fully equipped for the modern world. It is complete with gold-plated buckle detailing and interior pockets for your tech and daily essentials. Its size makes it perfect for a daily stylish companion.
Canussa is a bag and accessory brand that puts the empowerment of women and the respect for animals at the forefront of their priorities. Their bags are produced in Spain under fair working conditions with a minimal carbon impact.
Our pick for their bags is the Hybrid Maxi. It is designed with women in mind, a stylish, versatile, and perfectly sized for daily use. It is a clutch, shoulder, and crossbody all in one, complete with a secure closure to keep all your valuables safe during your bustling day.
Frida Rome’s WEEK/END bag is a sleek and seductive contribution to the world of vegan designer bags. They have built a brand around the inclusion of eroticism in their product (how far you interact with this is optional) but we think the bag speaks for itself.
It is a punky cactus or apple leather bag (depending on your color choice) that is held together by bold metal studs. You can decontruct the connection of each panel by its studs, making it perfect for saving space during travel, or to customize your WEEK/END bag.
It is the perfect size for all your essentials on a night out or for a day spent in the city. They also stock a beautiful backpack that leans on the very same aesthetic we love about their cross-body if you need extra storage or a change-up in style.
Gunas operates out of New York as a bag brand that was founded on the values of veganism. They look to provide stylish options for modern women without the needless harm of animals. They now have over a decade of business under their belt, winning numerous awards along the way.
Their Miley laptop bag is a particular favorite of ours. Looking for a designed-for-purpose laptop bag can often lead to a square-looking, unappealing bag. However, Gunas has put our search to an end.
It has the looks and appeal of a high-end designer bag but has a dedicated laptop pocket that is designed to keep your valuable tech safe and protected. Perfect for the modern woman.
Kaila Katherine is a luxury vegan bag brand that opts out of the “unnecessary evil” of animal leather. They highlight the ethical and environmental effects of animal leather on their website and explain that the plant-based leather technology available makes the use of animal leather unnecessary.
The Kensington is a traditionally sophisticated bag. It is beautiful and functional, at the high end of quality and craftsmanship. They utilize vegan cactus leather and provide a selection of 5 colors to choose from.
It is the perfect size for daily essentials, making it the perfect addition to your outfit for a day in the city.
Melina Bucher was established to relieve the damage caused by the fashion industry during production. This includes workers, the planet, and the animals. They are PETA-approved vegan and use the highest quality materials.
Their Bailey bag is crafted from MIRIUM, a plastic-free leather alternative, and award-winning. It is a classically sophisticated bag that protects your daily essentials in its waterproof outer, and most importantly looks amazing.
Nanushka is a brand based out of Budapest that covers all departments of clothing. They have a broad handbag range that is all made from vegan leather in contemporary designs made using traditional techniques.
Their Jen Clutch is a beautiful example of contemporary design. It is a truly unique and forward-thinking bag that will be the perfect addition to your late evening attire. It comes in a variety of colors, so you can be sure to find the perfect one for your taste and palette.
The OKOBOR vegan leather alternative is developed by Nanushka themselves and is exclusive to the brand. It is soft and supple like all good leather should be, and any plastic used to make it is recycled polyurethane and polyester.
Senreve is a luxury brand that prioritizes giving women all the choices they need in a bag. They are not an entirely vegan brand but as a result of their MO, they include vegan options for a lot of their bags.
Our favorite is the Aria Belt Bag. It comes in three different vegan material options, with multiple color variations available for each material.
Senreve is one of the numerous non-vegan brands that are embracing cruelty-free materials, which we should attempt to support. Although it may be considered best to support vegan-only brands, changing their material use through creating demand for it is certainly a step in the right direction
Stella McCartney is one of the most iconic designers in animal-friendly fashion. They are a forward-thinking and luxurious brand that has over 2 decades of experience in producing the finest quality vegan bags.
Stella McCartney has an extensive range of bags, but our favorite is the Falabella Tiny Tote. It is the first bag to be made using MIRUM, a plant-based and plastic-free leather alternative, which stands toe-to-toe in quality and looks with any animal-based leather.
Finished with a diamond-cut metal chain, this bag lends itself to an edgier look and will find its place on any night out.
They have a great range of top-shelf designer bags that demand a browse and certainly a purchase. They are pioneers of mainstream vegan designer bags with a fantastic and deserved reputation
Svala produces beautiful handcrafted bags in LA. They are a 100% vegan luxury brand founded by Helga Douglas that prioritizes sustainability. They use numerous different plant-based materials in their large collection, pioneering the use of high-quality biomass leathers in high-quality bags.
Our current favorite is the Gaia bag, made from MIRIUM. It is a versatile bag, it comes with a vegan leather strap and a chain strap and can worn as either a crossbody or as a shoulder bag.
MIRIUM can be recycled into a new MIRIUM, or due to it being plastic-free, can be returned to the earth by landfill. It is one of our favorite materials being used in the vegan fashion industry and we are seeing more and more brands adopt it due to its quality and sustainability.
Von Holzhausen is a vegan brand that is centered around developing its own vegan leather to rival animal leather. Rather than using a third-party leather alternative, they have created a leather alternative that is suited for their modern and stylish designs.
Our favorite is the bucket crossbody. It comes with different-sized removable straps, meaning it can be worn as either a crossbody or a shoulder bag. It is a beautiful example of a contemporary, luxury bag design, made using their signature vegan leather that feels and functions like deluxe calfskin.
They omit the use of any logos or hardware on this bag, making it perfect for any minimalist out there looking for a slightly left-field approach to vegan bag design.
Why Choose a Vegan Bag?
The cost of animal leather is very high. Not necessarily in money, but the suffering it causes to the animals used in its production and the environmental cost is often downplayed, but in reality, it is devastating.
Many vegan bags (although not all) prioritize sustainability in their production, as well as cutting out the suffering caused to the animals. It eliminates the enormous resource use that is needed to raise animals for their skin.
All around, choosing a vegan bag vastly reduces the damage you are causing to the earth whilst still looking great.
What’s the Difference Between Vegan Leather and Faux Leather?
Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, the main difference would be the amount of plastic used to make each material. Faux leather is often associated with the more traditional approach of using polyurethane to create a leather-looking material. Faux leather has often come under criticism due to its decrease in quality compared to other leather, and the fact that it does not naturally decompose (or at least it does not for a very long time).
The term vegan leather is often associated with the use of plant-based sources to create a leather alternative. This can include leather made from cork, cactus, apple, pineapple, or a combination of multiple plant-based sources. Sometimes a combination of plastics and these plant leathers are used, however, as research and development continue, we see manufacturers producing vegan leathers that completely omit the use of plastic. This means that we now have vegan leather alternatives that have less impact on the world during production and can be simply recycled or returned to the ground.
Are There Any Vegan Designer Bags?
The most mainstream, household-name design houses often use animal leather for their bags. Sometimes you may see certain brands such as Louis Vuitton venture into the use of plant-based materials, but they have not yet released a permanent line.
Stella McCartney is the most notable fashion house producing vegan bags. They are successful outside of the vegan fashion world and have paved the way for numerous independent brands to flourish and build up the reputation of cruelty-free fashion.
Whilst we understand the desire to participate in the latest trends, you should not have to give up your ethics to look good. Countless independent vegan designers are creating bags that rival the mainstream fashion houses in style and quality.
Supporting these brands will surely make larger brands take notice of the increasing demand for cruelty-free fashion. Besides, who wants to look like everyone else?
Summary
Vegan Designer bags may be less available from more well-known, mainstream design houses. However, this does not mean the industry is lacking in vegan designer bags by any means. There is a huge selection of luxury bag designers that produce 100% vegan designer bags. We understand the want to wear your favorite brands, but the truth is if these brands aren’t willing to adopt ethical practices then they do not deserve our money.
Most of the designers in our list are changing the landscape of fashion in real time. They are proving that luxury goods do not have to come at a cost to animal lives and the planet. Better yet, buying bags from these brands means you will have bags and styles most people will not have even heard of yet. So don’t try to look like everyone else, support designers who maintain ethical practices and have some of the most forward-thinking luxury bag designs around.