I’ve been vegan 17 years and these are the best vegan designer bags

I’ve been vegan since 2008, which means I’ve seen the entire cycle from canvas bags and sad PVC “pleather” to the explosion of plant-based leathers and most recently, the development of vegan designer bags. It’s still tricky finding fully vegan luxury bags when brands like Hermès announce the launch of a mushroom leather bag that isn’t even vegan – it had calfskin trim. Yes, that really did happen (and worse still, it was reported as a vegan bag in the mainstream press). Yikes!

That’s why I put together this article a few years ago (and update it every year, including most recently in December 2025) – to help you find designer bags that are actually vegan. Below are some of my absolute favourite luxury vegan bags – from designer brands to fully vegan brands, but all design-led! I’ve also noted which brands I’ve tested and loved.

This list is different to some of the other lists you’ll find around the internet, which list any and all vegan brands (including budget brands!). I’ve left the lower-end, budget brands off this list and kept them in my guides to vegan bag brands; instead, I’ve looked at quality and design focus and only listed brands which focus on high quality materials, craftsmanship and good design (and yes, often with prices to match).

The best vegan designer bags
(as chosen by me, a vegan of 17 years):

Stella McCartney vegan bags

Famous designer | 100% vegan bags | $$$

My pick: Falabella tiny tote

The most famous mainstream luxury designer to make exclusively vegan bags, Stella McCartney is a mainstay of vegan designer fashion. As a lifelong vegetarian, she eschews leather in all her collections (note: her clothing range isn’t vegan as she sometimes uses wool and silk, but her bags and shoes are 100% vegan).

I love her iconic Falabella range, with its signature chain link edge detailing (I also personally think it’s a clever design feature, as the edges are often where wear first shoes up, especially with vegan leather alterantives).

I was incredibly lucky (and a bit of an eBay bargain hunter) and two years ago managed to bag a great bargain on a Stella McCartney Falabella tote, though the handles did need repairing (pic top left). If you want a Stella bag but don’t have the budget for one, then I recommend trying eBay (though it’s hard to verify authenticity) or Vestiare (where they verify authenticity as part of the service, but charge more).

In my opinion, Stella McCartney is the best option luxury vegan handbags. My pick is her iconic Falabella bag tiny tote (pictured bottom photo). This shoulder bag has become a classic, and Rihanna, Anne Hathaway and other celebrities have sported it in recent years.

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Watson & Wolfe vegan handbags

Vegan brand | Timeless designs | $$

My pick: Maddox vegan leather tote

Watson & Wolfe make non leather designer bags in classic styles. I love how their styles are the sort that will never go out of fashion and work with any outfit. I love a good tote bag, and my pick is their Maddox vegan tote (on the right in the photo). To me it looks the perfect size to hold everything needed for a workday (like a laptop, water bottle etc), or for a day out.

I also love their attention to detail – while their bags look very classic and minimalist (e.g. black or dark brown in classic shapes), they include lots of great detailing, like cobalt blue edges on their vegan black leather bags.

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Svala vegan bags

My top pick: Gaia in silver pineapple leather

Svala makes vegan bags out of sustainable materials like cork, vegan pineapple leather, and Mirum, a new plastic-free bio-based vegan leather. Personally I’d recommend sticking to cork or vegan pineapple leather, materials that are durable and have been around for years, vs Mirum, which was only developed a few years ago. I have a Mirum bag of theirs, and while the style is flawless, the material didn’t hold up as well as I’d hoped. Developing a plastic-free plant-based leather is a challenge a lot of companies are currently confronting, so I hope to see progress in the area soon!

For now, my top pick is their pineapple leather Gaia bag (left in pic), which looks very versatile – it can be worn as a shoulder bag or a crossbody. Pineapple leather has been around for years now, and was one of the first plant-based leathers developed using waste materials. It uses pineapple leaves which otherwise would have gone to waste – which I love!

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Frida Rome cactus leather bags

My top pick: The WEEK/END bag

I love that these bags are made using eco-friendly materials like cactus leather and vegan microsuede, so you can be sure you’re getting a bag that’s high-quality, beautiful and eco-friendly.

I also love the innovative design of their WEEK/END bag (pictured top right), which was their first bag and which can be completely deconstructed, packed flat and put in your luggage. It can be worn as a crossbody, shoulder or clutch, and they also sell interchangeable panels separately which can be added to transform the bag – that’s the kind of innovative sustainable options I love seeing

Their luxury vegan bags are made of apple leather or cactus leather, a relatively new vegan leather material made with the leaves of the Nopales cactus. Given cacti grow in desert conditions, it takes much less water than many bag materials, and it is harvested with cutting down the cacti. Cactus leather is also durable and built to last 10+ years.

The vegan leather handbags’ designer was featured on BBC’s Dragon’s Den and the brand was nominated for Eluxe’s Vegan Brand of the Year 2021.

Choose between the ‘Saint’ (no story inside) or ‘Sinner’ option (which comes with an erotic story inside).

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Kaila Katherine vegan bags

My top pick: the Kensington

Handmade in New York City, they’ve chosen to use vegan cactus leather, an eco-friendly material. They’re lined with organic cotton.

My pick is the Kensington, pictured on the right. It can be carried by its handles or comes with a detachable shoulder strap. Inside, it has a three-pocket card holder. I love the gold hardware finish – I always find (when done well, like with Kaila Katherine) it really elevates the look of a bag.

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Melina Bucher vegan bags

My top pick: Angel vegan shopper

I really admire how Melina Bucher’s luxury vegan leather handbags combine luxury, design, ethics and sustainability. The designer, Melina Bucher, teaches sustainable fashion management at universities in Heidelberg and Reutlingen.

The main material, which outperforms animal leather, is a cotton fabric backed with a thin PU and vinyl layer, which is soft and also durable. The inner lining of these high end vegan leather bags is GOTS certified organic cotton. The brand only uses OEKO-TEX and GOTS certified suppliers, meaning they meet the highest labour standards. The printing materials, paper and even furniture in the brand’s headquarters are vegan – I love this kind of commitment to the cause!

My pick is the Angel extra large vegan leather shopping bag. The bag comes with a detachable padded pocket that will fit a laptop up to 15 inches, so it’s great for a work bag.

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Ava Carrington vegan bags

My top pick: Stockholm bag

Ava Carrington is an LA-based brand founded by Swedish sisters Sofia and Helena Mattsson in 2019. They wanted to merge the best of luxury fashion and ethical practices.

Their aim was to create the best vegan leather bags that were made with high quality vegan leather that was eco-friendly and also lightweight, stain-resistant, scratch-resistant and water-resistant.

My top pick is the Stockholm vegan leather handbag, which comes with a removable shoulder strap so you can decide how to carry it. I love that it also has a phone pocket, pen pocket and interior zippered pocket so you can keep your things organised.

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Alexandra K vegan handbags

Alexandra K is a PETA award winning vegan luxury brand based in Poland. They’ve won awards for their luxury vegan purses and also an award for their vegan leather jacket.

My pick is the black shopper (pictured on the right), which is made of grape leather. This innovative vegan and sustainable material is made of leftover waste from the wine industry – I really love materials that make use of waste. The inside of the bag is lined with fabric and contains a slip pocket, and the top fastens with side ties or a lobster closure.

If you need a smaller bag, prefer a designer vegan crossbody bag (there’s nothing for comfort like a crossbody!), or, like me, you want a bag with a zip top closure for security for day-to-day use, I recommend the muffin camera bag (pictured on the left). It’s made of Italian corn leather, another vegan and eco-friendly material.

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Nanushka (vegan options)

Nanushka has been making some of their luxury bags non-leather since they started – they also make vegan leather trousers and dresses too. While they’re not a vegan brand they do have a range of vegan options – just check that the bag is made of vegan leather.

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Mashu vegan handbags

I’ve been lusting after Mashu’s vegan bags for awhile – I just love their sculptural handles! It’s so unique and artistic. Mashu handcrafts their cruelty free handbags in Greece and uses eco-friendly materials to their vegan leather luxury bags.

My pick of their high end vegan purses was designed during lockdown, the Cassiopeia bag (pictured on the right).

This super sustainable bag is made out of white cactus leather, and lined with Mashu vegan suede, made from recycled plastic bottles and recycled polyester.

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Thalie (vegan options)

Thalie makes some non leather designer handbags (though not all their bags are vegan, as some are made of upcycled leather). They launched in Paris during the March 2020 lockdown. 

Their first vegan collection is made with Desserto, vegan cactus leather. This innovative material is sustainable, with low carbon emissions and low use of land and water.

It’s an OEKO-TEX certified organic material, made using organic cacti, and is highly durable, resistance to tears and scratches and isn’t susceptible to rotting or cracking in water or with humidity, as animal leather does.

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Telfar (vegan options)

Telfar is a NYC-based designer brand that makes some vegan options even though it’s not a fully vegan brand. The Telfar vegan leather shopper was likened the ‘it’ bag of the decade by The Guardian.

As a black-owned, unisex fashion house, Liberian-American designer Telfar Clemens described the aim of creating the bag as “genderless, democratic, and transformative.” 

Based on the dimensions of a shopping bag (Bloomingdale’s, specifically), it also has plenty of handles and straps to make it useful for whatever you want to carry – plus it’s made with vegan leather. As the strapline says, it’s “the everyday bag for everybody.”

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von Holzhausen

von Holzhausen’s aim is not just to make timeless vegan bags, but to shake up the whole industry with the creation of vegan leather alternatives that are superior to their animal leather counterparts. As well as bags, they also make belts, wallets and even a vegan leather car interior for Teslas. In fact, their business seems to be shifting away from bags to focus more on materials innovation – but they still offer a small range of their vegan designer bags.

Most of their cruelty-free designer hangbags are made of their own Technik-Leather, which is made of post-consumer plastic and is biodegradable in landfill. It is lightweight, stain-resistant, water-resistant and scratch-resistant.

Their designs have a classic feel and are sure to match any outfit. I have to admit, I’ve had my eye on some of their bags for awhile! (I even have an eBay alert set up but so far it hasn’t yielded anything…)

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Labante

Labante London makes high-quality designer bags, some of which they collaborate on with artists. I was lucky enough to receive their Danai bacpack (middle photo) a few years ago and it’s fast become one of my favourite bags, and gets endless compliments.

The Danai has a detachable shoulder strap and can be worn as a crossbody or backpack. The crossbody strap features designs from impressionist artist Iris Scott, and it’s gorgeous (I was kindly gifted a backpack). It has a padded laptop compartment which perfectly fits my 13-inch Macbook Pro and is perfect for taking your laptop to work in style. I honestly cannot believe how many compliments I get every time I take that bag out – it’s my most complimented bag ever!

FAQ

Are there any vegan designer bags?

You might be wondering which designers make vegan handbags – the answer is that of the mainstream fashion houses, not many. Stella McCartney is the exception – as a lifelong vegetarian, she doesn’t use any leather in her designs (though the brand isn’t vegan, as she uses wool and silk in some of the clothing designs).

Whilst other well-known designer brands don’t have vegan bags in their ranges, there are plenty of lesser-known, but gorgeous, vegan luxury brands making all vegan bags. For a full rundown, see above.

What about some of most famous designers? How can I find a Chanel vegan bag?

If you’re looking for designer vegan bags, Chanel doesn’t make the cut.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any Chanel vegan handbags (they all appear to have leather detailing).

Are there any Louis Vuitton vegan bags?

It doesn’t appear that there is a single Louis Vuitton vegan bag – further, Louis Vuitton still uses exotic animal skins in its designs and is the target of campaigns by animal activists.

Have a look at Stella McCartney instead, whose bags are vegan.

Is there a Gucci vegan bag?

While Gucci pledged to stop using fur, and has created vegan sneakers in the past, thus far they haven’t created a vegan Gucci bag.

How can I find the Givenchy Antigona vegan bag?

The only Givenchy vegan bag to ever be made, the Antigona Vegan was unfortunately a limited edition and sold out, and it’s hard to get your hands on it secondhand now.

Try Vestiare Collective for a verified secondhand bag, but you might have to wait to find one. If you love it, email them and ask them to bring it back!

Is there a Prada vegan bag? 

Like other mainstream designer brands, Prada tend to use vegan details and trim even on otherwise vegan materials, so they don’t have vegan bags at present.

Where can I find a YSL vegan bag?

Is there a vegan YSL bag? Yves Saint Laurent has made vegan bags in the past, but it might be tricky to find one – the Kate bag, for example, was for sale through Selfridges and is now sold out. You can always keep an eye for verified second hand bags on an app like Vestiare Collective.

What about a Coach vegan bag?

I couldn’t find a definitive answer on whether vegan Coach bags exist.

It looks like Ellen gave out Coach vegan bags in 2013 on her TV show but I can’t find any vegan models since. (If you know of one, please let me know.)

Will we see more vegan designer bags in the future?

While in the past “real leather” stamps may have been seen as a badge of honor, more and more people and companies are realising the devastating impacts on animals, workers and the environment so I suspect more and more luxury brands will start designing vegan bags.

Unfortunately some are still missing the mark, case in point the mushroom leather Hermes bag that got a lot of press a few years ago.You’d expect it to be made entirely of a vegan material, given how keen they were to push the mushroom leather angle…but they made all the trim from calfskin! What were they thinking?!

However, as more and more luxury brands take on board environmental concerns, I’m optimistic we’ll start to see a pivot to more vegan fabrics and more 100% vegan handbag designers.I n particular I’d expect to see plant-based leathers used to make faux leather designer handbags, like pineapple leather, mushroom leather or cactus leather, since these are eco-friendly and up-and-coming.

According to this article, Kering, which owns Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga paired up with Bolt Threads, the company behind Mylo mushroom leather, to create a supply chain for mushroom leather, meaning those brands may launch more mushroom leather products at some point once the material is ready (which can take years of development).

Where can I find vegan bags at affordable prices?

Designer bags, by the nature, don’t tend to have low price tags, though you can always check secondhand sites like Vinted, Depop and eBay.

Or if you’re after a budget bag and don’t mind whether it has a designer label or not, check out my full vegan purse guide, which covers a full range of budgets.

You could also check out discount stores, as they tend to use faux leather as it’s cheaper, but bear in mind bags from budget stores may not be made to the same ethical standards, ie fair wage for workers, so I always recommend secondhand as a first port of call on a budget.

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Want more vegan designer fashion? See my guide to vegan designer shoes.

Need a wallet for your bag? Find my full guide to vegan wallets, including designer pieces

Looking for more styles of vegan leather handbags? Check out my full guide to vegan leather bags.

If you’re looking specifically for a vegan leather crossbody bag, I’ve got a guide to vegan crossbody bags. I also have guides to vegan satchels and vegan bucket bags.

Find my guide to the best vegan tote bags here.

I also have guides specific to vegan backpacks, luggage, laptop bags, briefcases and messenger bags.

See all my vegan lifestyle, fashion & beauty guides.