Leather is commonly misconceived as cool, stylish, and acceptable because it’s simply a by-product of the meat industry. However, this isn’t true. Leather is a co-product of the meat industry because it accounts for much of the ‘value’ and ‘profit’ assigned to an animal. The process of obtaining leather is incredibly cruel as it is literally the skin of an animal. Baby animals aren’t exempt either as their skin is often desired for the softness. The way leather is processed is damaging to the environment and humans due to the toxic chemicals involved.

The cruelty of leather is enough to make you ditch buying and wearing it altogether. But if we’re being honest, faux leather isn’t exactly great for the environment. Unfortunately, it’s the most affordable solution. But if you’re interested in investing in high-quality, sustainable vegan leather products, we’ve got you covered!

We put together a list of 10 accessories available on Amazon that are made of sustainable vegan leather!

1. Vegan Leather Cork Handbag 

Source: Vegan Leather Cork Handbag 

This Vegan Leather Cork Handbag is PETA-approved for being free of animal suffering! Cork is a natural fiber that’s sustainable, light, soft and smooth, resistant to abrasion, and water resistant! The cork used for this handbag is FSC certified which means the cork oak forest must be protected and the cork must be harvested adequately. It’s also made by Portuguest artisans. It’s available in four colors: Brown/Red, Dark Brown, Light Brown, and red. The price is $94.50.

An Amazon customer says, “This purse is great! It’s big enough with plenty of pockets, without being too big. It feels like leather, but looks like a tree. I get a lot of compliments on it.”

2. Original Cork Wallet

Source: Vegan Leather Original Cork Wallet

This Vegan Leather Original Cork Wallet is made from renewable, recyclable, vegan, and eco-friendly cork. It’s a stylish accessory with a bifold design. It’s also water-resistant, and has six card slots, two under card pockets, and two pockets for notes/bills. It costs $28.29.

Aaron says, “Great vegan wallet. I have been looking for a non-leather wallet that is nicer looking than canvas or paper wallets and this wallet is perfect. It’s a nice color and the cork pattern is really cool. I also like that the company is committed to vegan and eco-friendly products. This is a great wallet for anyone who is vegan and wants to look a bit more classy and it would also be a great gift for a vegan.”

3. Fashion Backpack

Source: Vegan Leather Fashion Backpack

This Vegan Leather Fashion Backpack is PETA-approved! It’s made wth cruelty-free materials, and ten percent of profits go to charity. It’s made by artisans and has compartments, making it suitable for work, travel, or school. It’s made from a durable, recyclable, and soft material, and the inside linings are made of recycled polyester. The backpack is available in two colors: Black and Bordeaux, and it costs $139.90.

Matt says, “My wife is an animal lover and read about Labante’s mission to provide ethical, vegan handbags that are also of the highest quality. She tries to buy ethical and sustainable products, but she still has a number of coach and kate spade bags in the closet. However, she said this backpack has better features and is higher quality than any of her other purses, coach included, while supporting a good cause.”

4. Notebook Journal From Recycled Tires

Source: Notebook Journal From Recycled Tires

Streamlet aims to save the planet one Notebook Journal at a time! This journal has a beautiful black cover made from recycled tires. The straps are also made of vegan leather. Streamlet says, “no animals were harmed to make the world’s first recycled tire journal.” More than 300 million tires go into landfills every year, and they aren’t biodegradable, but can be recycled. It contains 240 blank pages of tree free paper. It’s available in two colors: Charcoal and Chrome, and costs $36.99.

An Amazon customer says, “I am very impressed with my new Streamlet journal! I’m vegan and try to live as sustainably as I can. So buying pieces that reflect my values are very important to me … and this checks all the boxes! I love that this journal is cruelty-free and uses tree -free paper! I appreciate that this piece is handmade as well, the quality is fantastic – the cover made out of recycled tires doesn’t only feel and look amazing, but was truly built to last! And the fact that I’m helping salvage unwanted tires from going into the landfill, makes me happy to Support a brand trying to make a difference. Thank you Streamlet for your compassion for people, animals, and the planet!”

5. Vegan Leather Wallets

Source: Vegan Leather Wallets

LaBante’s Vegan Leather Wallets are made from an ultra-soft microfiber that’s long lasting, durable, and sustainable. This slim classic wallet is designed on faux saffiano texture and has gold metal details. The materials used to make these wallets are recycled, renewable, ethical, and sustainable. This brand is PETA-approved and ten percent of profits go to charity.  It’s available in three colors: Black, Brown, and Red, and costs $69.60.

Elena says, “Great product.”

6. Vegan Cork Briefcase

Source: Vegan Cork Briefcase

Like the first handbag on the list, this Vegan Cork Briefcase is made of cork which is sustainable, light, soft and smooth, resistant to abrasion, and water resistant. This briefcase has a smooth and premium feel, roomy interior, and adjustable strap. It’s available in Black and Brown. The price is $195.00.

Mary says, “I bought it because of its vegan origin (no animal had to die so I could have a beautiful and practical bag in which to carry my necessities). When I switched to a vegan diet, it was good, moral and took a little while to be enthusiastic with the new options and choices. But this switch to a vegan product was driven by the aesthetics, not the moral imperative! People stop me and ask where I bought it! I feel very avant guard!”

7. Cork Vegan Belt

Source: Cork Vegan Belt

Corkor’s Cork Vegan Belt is made of genuine cork. It’s vegan approved, durable and strong, flexible and comfortable, and is great for everyday wear! It’s available in Black and Brown and in different sizes. The price is $34.90.

Amir says, “I’ve now had my Corkor belt for over 1 year, wearing it about 4 days a week for both work and casual use, and it’s held up well, with only some mild fraying in highly chafed areas (near where I buckle it), along with a slight bump/bulging where the buckle metal thing pokes through… but none of this is really noticeable when the belt is buckled. There are numerous tiny, very thin specks of lighter color (exposed cork?) around the very edges of the otherwise black belt, likely from wear and tear, but they don’t bother me, as they add a tiny bit of texture and roughness that seem consistent with the belt’s style. Overall, it’s a solid belt with a great look, especially if you’re looking for a non-plastic-y vegan alternative to leather.”

8. Men’s William Vegan Classic Oxford

Source: Men’s William Vegan Classic Oxford

These Men’s William Vegan Classic Oxford by Bourgeois Boheme (BoBo) are handcrafted in Portugal. The sole is made of natural rubber and cork. The vegan leather is made from “the finest quality Italian faux leathers and eco-friendly natural materials” according to BoBo. The price is $210.

An Amazon customer says, “The shoe fit and finish is great and looks fantastic, better in my opinion than the pictures. I wore these to a wedding right out of the box and expected my feet to hurt, but it was not the case. I will say the shoe is ever so slightly tight fitting out of the box, but that may just be about breaking them in, and also I didn’t need to do anything special to put them on… I did not need a shoe horn nor did I have to struggle through acrobatics to get them on. The shoe comes with a shoe-bag which is a nice touch. I am just really happy with my purchase and to have found a nice vegan dress shoe and I think I’ll pick up a couple of their other models.”

9. Women’s Vegan Grace Chelsea Boot

Source: Women’s Vegan Grace Chelsea Boot

This Women’s Vegan Grace Chelsea Boot is also made by BoBo and made from the same eco-friendly, natural, vegan materials. These are also handcrafted in Portugal and have a comfortable insole and a breathable lining derived from seed-based bio-polyoils. They cost $259.

10. Vegan Leather Convertible Backpack 

Source: Vegan Leather Convertible Backpack

This Vegan Leather Convertible Backpack by Left Coast Original is artisan-made. Convertible backpacks are great because you have both a shoulder bag and a backpack in one! This means you get double the use of the same product. It’s available in Navy, Tan and Cream, and costs $48.00.

If you’re interested in more cruelty-free products, check out our list of Affordable, Leather-Free Canvas Shoes and Cruelty-Free Makeup Products!

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that are raising awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
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• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!