Sustainable Bags to Snag for Fall/Winter
We all know that a good bag can make or break your outfit. When chosen properly, they can give your entire look the extra boost and help you to take-on the day. However, the problem is that many popular bag companies struggle to meet sustainability expectations. This is often due to the use of leather and other materials that are extremely disruptive for our environment. Carrying a bag that is both fashionable and environmentally friendly can leave you feeling both confident, and help create a more sustainable environment. Consider the following elements to know how to sustainably shop for your next cute bag!
Essential Sustainable Bag Shopping Elements
#1. Look at the materials being used
The first giveaway for an eco-friendly bag is knowing what it is made out of. Natural fibers have been verified as sustainable, which include natural cotton, linen and vegan leather. Also keep an eye out for bags made from vegetable fibers like natural bamboo and jute. Additionally, recycled materials are also good indicators that the bag was made sustainably, as the usage of recycled materials shows the manufacturer was being eco-conscious in the manufacturing process.
#2. Take a look at the company’s manufacturing process
Do your research! It’s not the most glamorous thing to do, but it can be really important when choosing your next bag. Take a moment to investigate each brand by looking into their mission and goals, whether they have any sustainability or ethical credentials, if they are fair trade, and if products are cruelty-free. The more transparent the company is, the better!
#3. Opt for something that will last
This doesn’t always have to mean that it needs to be a huge investment, but try to purchase a bag that will last you a long time. Having to constantly purchase a new bag every season leads to more waste. Bags made sustainably may cost more upfront but the benefits are immense in the long run. Try to choose bags you think will go well with a lot of outfits, and you’ll want to hang on to for years to come.
5 Brands That We Suggest When Shopping for Your Next Bag
Marisa Simoes founded her company in 2018 as a passion project to help the environment. Her bags are PETA-approved and use materials such as cork fabric, linen and metal hardware from a female-owned business in the United States. The cork fabric used in her bags come from a forest with strict regulatory processes. Fun fact, when cork oak trees are harvested, they absorb 5 times the amount of CO2!
Photo Source: Carry Courage’s Website
2. Rothy’s
Rothy’s uses over 125 million single-use plastic bottles to create the fabric for their designs. To add structure they aslo use materials such as algae-based foams, natural rubber, hemp fiber, and marine plastic from nearby coastlines. They also offer a fantastic recycling program incentive for those that wish to return a Rothy’s bag. They offer a credit to the returner and then repurpose those pieces to be something new and beautiful.
Photo Source: Rothy’s Instagram
3. Made Trade
This female-owned, family business uses cactus leather, vegetable-tanned hides, organic cotton, jute and palm leaves to create their bags. They have offset 100% of their carbon emissions and are Climate Neutral certified. Additionally, Made Trade ensures that all employees are paid a livable wage and work in healthy environments.
Photo Source: Made Trade Website
Fay Grant and Michelle Chavez founded The Tote Project in 2013 as a way to provide hope for human trafficking survivors. Made with 100% organic cotton and eco-friendly ink, each bag is manufactured in India at a fair trade social enterprise. 10% of their proceeds go towards the survivors of human trafficking and their entire mission is raising awareness for unethical workplace practices and slave labor.
Photo Source: The Tote Project Website
5. Quince
Quince offers sustainably made, luxury leather bags at an affordable price. They partner with manufacturers that have a commitment to ethical practices and aim to reduce their environmental footprint. All of their packaging is compostable and they opt for materials such as 100% recycled polyester, alpaca wool and cashmere.
Photo Source: Quince Instagram
Written by Maddy Henry
Maddy is a 24 year old Graduate Student at Marquette University, studying communications and media studies with a focus on feminist and queer theory. She loves writing, reading fantasy books and has a huge passion for sustainability and environmental activism. After graduation, Maddy plans to move to Sweden and hopes to work for a publishing company as an editor or at a sustainable fashion company as a Public Relations Practitioner.