1- Stella McCartney Falabella clutch | $1040 at Nordstrom
2- Fair Trade woven sisal tote | $88 at Beklina
3- Freedom of Animals Boromo circle bag | $300
4- Baggu Canvas sling | $32 (LOVE!!!!)
5- Matt & Nat Shoop cork tote | $165
6- MM6 Perforated Neoprene tote bag | $210 at Forzieri (I have this and have been carrying it non-stop lately)
7- TOMS woven hobo | $118 at Nordstrom (I’m very intrigued by this, it’s so similar to a hobo bag by The Row I love)
8- Viva Creatures Valkyrie crossbody | $320
If you’ve been reading Grechen’s Closet for a while, you may or may not remember that I was once a vegan. But I still carried and wore leather = I was a “bad” vegan. I can’t help it, I love leather; the look, the feel, and its sturdiness. But the more I learn about leather production, and the more I let myself think about where leather comes from, the more I wonder if I really need to own more of it.
Some thoughts for another day, but after watching the True Cost (have you seen it yet??) and trying to find out where leather is sourced for the bags we buy (it’s REALLY REALLY HARD), I’ve been searching more and more for leather alternatives. Anyway, in the summer I always lean towards canvas or straw totes – they seem more warm weather/beach/rain friendly.
To be honest, I’ve never liked faux leather. Besides the fact that it usually looks rather cheap, it’s very stiff and without the shape and softness of real leather, obviously. And anyway, if you’re not going to buy leather, why not just try something completely different? Why try to fake the real thing?? (I didn’t like fake meat when I was a vegan either…). Also, Faux leather has traditionally been made from polyurethane, which itself, isn’t ideal for the environment. Nowadays though, there are more companies working with other, more eco-friendly materials, like recycled water bottles (Matt & Nat), and nylon microfiber (Viva Creatures). So, if you’re going to choose faux leather, choose wisely, don’t just buy a cheap “pleather” bag at Target…
Of course, I prefer eschewing faux leather altogether and choosing canvas, straw, or other fabrics. I love the James Perse canvas tote, and a good vintage straw tote is always a great summer option (Etsy has LOADS). And I have fallen HARD for the Baggu canvas sling bag which is made from recycled cotton. Of course, you could always carry a regular Baggu bag as a shoulder bag, I’ve seen it done; my MM6 tote is the same style/shape, although a little more sturdy and with an inside pocket.
Some faux leather also eco-friendly bag designers:
Freedom of Animals
Viva Creatures
Matt & Nat
Ethica has a nice selection of faux leather bags
Do you carry any non-leather bags? Any other resources to share? What are your favorites?
More non-leather alternatives (although many straw bags, or canvas/nylon totes include leather handles):
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Recycled sail bags! That’s what I carry in the summer to work – I have a beautiful white & red tote. I got mine in Annapolis MD when I was visiting friends but there are lots of companies online.
O000h, thank you for this post. Part of my conscious closet commitment is to reduce the amount of leather I own…and I find bags a particular challenge. CONFESSION: Last week I impulse bought a Vince leather handbag during a flash sale, which goes against both my interests in company transparency regarding ethics (Vince = none) and reducing leather. It seems especially “bad” after resisting the Casual Petra by Everyone that I was originally going to try. Why do I do this?
One problem I encounter is that I don’t like most of the non-leather bags. I’d love to save up and support Stella McCartney, but I am not a fan of the chain she uses around most of her designs. I love the James Perse canvas bag, but it is super casual. Have you seen it in person? I also love your MM6 perforated bag, but it too is casual. It is hard to find something that still looks minimal and chic.
Oddly, I find my best non-leather stuff at Jack Spade. I can’t speak to their ethics, though. I carry around a sturdy waxed cotton tote. It has leather handles, but at least I have minimized the leather. His styles always have fun pencil slots, etc.
You know, I keep googling “waxed linen”. My husband has a super cool waxed linen jacket by John Varvatos that looks and feels just like thin leather. It is such an awesome technology. I am waiting for someone (not me) to figure out how to turn that into chic, slouchy handbags.
oh…forgot about those!! i like them though, so cool.
*Everlane. Darn autocorrect.
It’s a very casual look, which suits me (I also love to travel with le sportsac nylon totes or crossbody bags because I don’t want to carry a lot of weight on my shoulders when I’m traveling & walking for hours exploring a city) But hard to find a “dressier” option.
oh…which vince bag did you get? the prices were really good…but i’ve been sort of ‘meh’ on the Vince bags. they’re nice, but i don’t know. not interesting enough maybe?
i had a jp canvas bag but i wanted it for airplane travel and it didn’t have a top closure, so i took it back. i LOVED it though. now, funnily enough, i use my petra tote, which doesn’t have a top closure either…i have been considering getting the small jp canvas version, because i really like the gray/black canvas – but yes, it is VERY casual. as is the MM6.
i love the stella bags in theory, but i HATE the chain strap! i mean..how can you carry anything heavy in a bag that has a chain strap? and the prices are just whoa…if i thought i could carry it, i might save to buy one, but the chain is a deal breaker for me.
men’s bags are a great option for non-leather, i agree. and they’re so utilitarian. i’ll have to do a follow-up post on that!
Etsy has some options but I haven’t seen any in a quick look that appear to mimic leather….
ha! i know…mine corrects it every time and i have to be sure to go back and check!!
I love supporting Etsy artists and there are quite a few great waxed cotton finds. But they are casual.
Thank you!! This couldn’t have come at a better time.
Just a little shout-out for Matt & Nat — I’m a longtime fan. My newest is their “Sloan” bag and it’s perfect for what I need — a tote that zips on top that also has good pockets and compartments. I also have two older bags that look almost flawless after years of use. The quality of workmanship is superior and I always get a lot of compliments of these bags. Also, I’m extremely picky about bag handles and I’ve found M&N’s to be well-made, properly structured, and strong enough for all the stuff (books, laptop, & notebooks) I carry around. I’m not vegan but I like that M&N is committed to using sustainable and eco-friendly materials. Pretty cool company with an interesting design aesthetic, too.
Here I am with a budget conscious recommendation–LOVE the JP canvas tote, but I cannot pay $250 for a tote that is basically an LL Bean boat tote in a monochrome colorway.
Just did order this basic black tote that is ON SALE from Baggu as a substitute. Not quite as nice as the linen blend JP one, but better for my budget, and will do basically the same thing.
https://baggu.com/shop/boattote/black22
If you’re looking for something with more color, this one is just $14!
https://baggu.com/shop/duckbag/nightmountain14
haha! of course you are right about the JP tote – it’s so expensive…but… 😉 it’s not a solid, heavy black like the LL bean tote, it’s more nuanced. and i guarantee it’s a lot softer right in the beginning. not that it’s worth $250 for that necessarily, but still…i gotta go to bat for JP LOL
i like the baggu tote, but i had one and gave it away because the long strap was too narrow and when i used it for travel, it was way too heavy to carry by hand, or by the shoulder strap (I think i wrote about that when we went to amsterdam?)
and of course i wasn’t paying attention – you got a different tote, not the duck tote. i prefer the longer double handles on that one!
Arounna of Bookhou (Canadian) makes some lovely bags – and waxed cotton – still quite casual but exceptionally well-made
http://www.bookhou.com/collections/tote/products/carry-charcoal
Ok Grechen, need your advice on this leather thing! I’m fine with non-leather bags (have carried them for years – leather is too heavy for me in a bag anyway) but on my wishlist for years has been a leather biker-style jacket. There’s one from Veda I’ve been saving up for, as it’s pretty pricey, but i believe in spending more on a leather piece because the quality is so much better. But now having read this and other posts on the ethics of leather I’m questioning my plans…i guess i could try buying secondhand, but oh how hard it is to find a good leather biker jacket that isn’t too masculine in the thrift stores, even the high-end ones! Do you have any advice? Would you talk me out of buying this piece that over time I’ve come to see as so essential and so desirable? Any thoughts on where to find good secondhand leather jackets? !!! I’m also obsessed with finding the perfect army jacket (years go by and I’m never quite satisfied with most of what’s out there.) maybe if i could find the perfect olive army jacket then the leather one wouldn’t seem so necessary….or what do you sub for the leather jacket? Thanks!!!
They’re really the only ones I know about that have been appealing to me design-wise. And they seem to be really great quality.
I love the look of the TOM’s bags, but the mechanics look complicated….maybe to scare-off a potential thief?!? 😉
Ooo!!! That Forest Green! Thanks for a new source, Chris.
i’m not going to try and talk you out of a leather jacket…i had a veda max jacket and thought the quality was superb. the only reason i don’t have it anymore is that is wasn’t black 😉 anyway, here are my thoughts:
you will never be able to settle for something “less than” after searching and saving for so long – so i think you should continue saving and buy your “holy grail” leather jacket. assuming you’ve thought enough about it and would wear it enough to justify the cost, that is…believe me, i know how it is to search and search for something, trying to “settle” and not being able to. i am finished doing that…
do some research on veda, maybe contact them and ask where they buy their leather, if they know anything about where it came from, how it was tanned, etc.. i know they’re a relatively small company, so someone will probably reply to you. as with anything though, and as i’ve said before, as long as you REALLY use something, and it doesn’t sit around collecting dust, then it is worth buying.
as for an olive army jacket, i will be getting the twill james perse version if it’s on sale soon (and i think it will be) – i tried it on multiple times and loved it. it’s perfect for me, but may not be exactly what you’re looking for. here it is on nordstrom rack
Thanks grechen! Can you put in the link?
for the JP jacket? it’s there – i just linked it inside so it would open in a new tab… here it is though: http://bit.ly/1I1wWPT