Their products are hand-dyed and hand-woven using a process used by the Zapotecs for centuries. The brand’s goal is to make weaving a more viable livelihood for artisans and connect Zapotec textiles with socially conscious consumers around the world. Many of the bag characteristics below produce limited and small batch runs of their bags, which ensures a limited risk of overproduction and waste. If you are actively doing all these things, you should be able to find information about them on the brand’s website.
Ecoalf is a Spanish fashion brand that ethically makes affordable and sustainable clothing, bags and accessories from recycled materials to reduce their impact on the environment. Sandqvist from Sweden produces a range of stylish and everyday durable bags, from backpacks to handbags. The Cecilia is a contemporary bag from the brand’s ‘Tomorrow’ series, but FYI, the bags are made of Scandinavian leather dyed full grain aniline.
We included the United by Blue review because the company is socially responsible. The company promotes environmental impact by physically removing waste, plastic, styrofoam and rubber tires from its local communities in the U.S. Second, United by Blue is a B-Corp certified company, a supporting member of companies that strive to promote economic and social awareness of the environment. This is really a company to feel good about buying products with. Matt And Nat uses environmentally friendly materials such as recycled nylon, cork, rubber and polyurethane.
In a 2009 article about bags for Design Observer, Urban Outfitters designer Dmitri Siegel claimed to have found 23 carry-on bags in his home, collected from various organizations, stores and brands. Just like plastic bags, hand luggage bags now seem essentially endless. Because of their ubiquity, handbags that have been used very little can be found stacked on curbs, dumped in garbage cans in city parks, in garbage cans, everywhere. Their abundance encourages consumers to see them as disposable, defeating their own goal.
While eco-friendly garbage bags made from recycled plastic reduce waste during the manufacturing process, their end-of-life alternatives are no better than traditional garbage bags. After discovering that many vegan alternative leathers can be plastic-based, Marici set out to find an eco-friendly material that wouldn’t compromise that sense of luxury. The brand discovered fruit skins and uses pineapple Eco-friendly waste to make its products, which are manufactured through low-waste production and minimal water use to keep their impact on our planet low. In order for organic matter to decompose in an ecological way, matter needs oxygen and water throughout the process. Even basic food scraps don’t break down well in a landfill because they’re buried under the trash in an environment without enough oxygen.