Can your wardrobe ever be complete without some fine purses and handbags? Well, we all know the answer to that question.
We've all heard the praises of leather purses; they're durable, long-lasting and age like fine wine. While all of that may be true, what proponents of leather fail to mention are the billions of innocent animals that have to die to produce leather for these so-called durable and exquisite fashion accessories.
You do not need to carry around the skin of a dead animal. There's absolutely no reason why the new purse you intend to buy can't be beautiful, functional, durable, and made without harming any animals.
Non-leather purses and bags made from PU leather, cork, teak leaves, and faux fur are just as good, if not better. More importantly, these purses are cruelty-free, recyclable, and in some cases, are renewable sources, which aid environmental conservation efforts.
The list below contains five beautiful and ethically made purses. And yes, they all ship to the UK.
Reviews of the Best Vegan Purses in the UK
Tree Tribe Vegan Leather Purse
This envelope-style purse from the Tree Tribe, with magnetic clasp closure, is made from teak leaf leather. The plant leather is just as strong and durable as traditional leather, with an exterior laminated with a thin seal to make the purse waterproof.
Measuring 11 x 21 centimetres, with two cash slots, seven card slots, and a zipper coin pocket, this purse can hold your cash, cards, coins, chequebook, and even a medium-sized phone.
The purses are handcrafted and are available in brown, purple, green, black, and turquoise. Each one bears the print of the teak leaf used for the leather, so no two handbags are exactly alike, just like no two teak leaves are alike.
Tree tribe is not only against animal cruelty, but the company is also committed to environmental conservation, planting a tree with every sale they make.
Pros
- Waterproof
- Every purse is one of a kind
- Multiple compartments
Cons
- Coin slot may be too tight
- Can't fit larger phones
Boshiho Cork Vegan Purse
Here is another purse made from parts of a tree, but from the bark this time. The cork material that forms the exterior of this purse is soft, and impermeable, made from the bark shavings of oak trees; they may have an offensive smell for the first few days after you buy it. Also, each purse is one of a kind, thanks to the cork material.
The Boshiho cork purse is mostly available in the light brown colour of the cork material, but there are some with different floral designs. It boasts considerable storage, having eight card slots, two compartments for mini receipts, one zip coin pocket, and three full-length compartments for cash.
This purse is one of the larger entries on the list, measuring 20 x 10.5 centimetres, it's big enough to fit a cell phone and a tube of lip gloss comfortably in one of the full-length compartments.
It has a smooth zip round design with a strap for ladies who like to hang their purses from their wrist as wristlets. The Boshiho cork purse is also fitted with RFID blocking technology to prevent fraudsters from electronically accessing any cards you carry.
Pros
- RFID blocking
- Every purse is unique
Cons
- Possible initial offensive odour
- Not many colour variants
Pearl Angeli Vegan Purse
This purse brilliantly combines aesthetics and functionality, with fourteen card slots, two photo holders, five cash pockets, and one coin zip compartment; this is the right purse for the gentle lady with multiple cards and licences.
The purse is made of soft PU leather and is available in an array of colours including black, brown, red, blue, and green. This vegan purse can comfortably house your phone in one of its five cash pockets, as it measures 19 x 10 centimetres, and has a magnetic clasp to close the many compartments.
Pros
- Can fit a mobile phone
- Multiple compartments
Cons
- Coin slot and photo holder may be too tight
- Possible electronic theft from lack of RFID blocks
FT Funtor Vegan Purse
The Funtor vegan purse is a wristlet made of PU vegan leather. It features a simple rectangular design with an all-round zip enclosure.
Measuring 19.5 x 10.5 centimetres, this is an undoubtedly large purse, and can accommodate a considerable number of things (including the average cell phone) in the five cash compartments, one coin purse, and
eight card slots, which can sometimes be too tight.
It's easy to detach the strap on the purse if you don't like having it hanging from your wrist. The Funtor vegan purse is available in several colours like pink, blue, brown, and red amongst others.
Pros
- Large, with many compartments
- Can convert to a wristlet and vice versa
Cons
- Tight card slots
Money Smart Vegan Women's Wallet
Coming in at 9 x 12 centimetres is the Money Smart women's wallet. It's by far the smallest of the purses on the list. Still, it can comfortably carry up to eight cards and a considerable amount of money in cash or coins. Unfortunately, it can't fit a cell phone.
Like the Boshiho, this purse is made of cork from living oak tree shavings. As such, it is not only vegan but environmentally friendly as well. Additionally, every purse is unique owing to the material it's made of.
Money Smart women's wallets are available mainly in the light brown colour of the cork. The design incorporates RFID blocks to prevent electronic theft.
Pros
- RFID blocking
- Unique design
Cons
- Small and compact
- Can't fit a cell phone
Final Thoughts
Traditional leather is strong and durable; but billions of animals must die each year to provide leather for shoes, bags, purses and belts.
The good news is, there are beautiful and functional purses that are animal-free and environmentally friendly—materials such as cork, PU leather, and teak leaves are some examples.
We hope you found this guide helpful, and remember, you can always get any of the purses shipped to the UK.