PLANET-FRIENDLY PURSES

Brands are going the extra mile to put an environmental spin on summer's must-have handbags. Future-thinking is key; from Anya Hindmarch’s recycled plastic to reduced-waste initiatives and the world’s lowest carbon leather at Mulberry.

The memo for this season is chic — and conscious, to boot.

STELLA LEADS THE WAY

Minimalists, rejoice! The clean lines, snap-button fastening and gold-toned hardware of the Logo Shoulder Bag make for a lesson in simplicity.

Italian made, it’s got all the sustainable credentials we’ve come to know and love from Stella McCartney. The iconic designer’s accessories collection features bags made with varied sustainable materials including ultra-soft solvent-free polyurethane leather, recycled polyester webbing, and also vegan suede lining created using reduced levels of solvents.

A Stella McCartney handbag is not only a lesson in understated elegance, it’s proof that luxury can be cruelty-free. Since launching in 2001, the brand has never used leather, skin, fur or feathers in any of its goods: a positive given animal agriculture accounts for around 18 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

GO FAR WITH BY FAR

Trust us: nothing says you’re in the know like a By Far tote swinging from your arm. The fact that the brand combines noughties styling nous with sustainable practises is all the better.

At the moment, 60 to 70 per cent of leather in By Far goods are made in environmentally responsible leather tanneries, as accredited by The Leather Working Group, and the brand is working towards a goal of 100 per cent sourcing from tanneries with environmental, traceability and social compliance certifications. Additionally, By Far does not source any leather from cattle raised in the Amazon Biome, an area that is particularly endangered due to deforestation and forest degradation.

A darling of the Instagram set, the Rachel Croc-Embossed Shoulder Bag in Nutella is set to be a surefire hit.

MAKE IT A MULBERRY

Creators of the original ‘It’ bag, Mulberry’s commitment to responsible leather eschews fast fashion trends for something far more considered.

The brand is not only rallying against deforestation, it’s seeking positive change. Mulberry’s ‘farm to finished product’ initiative will see the heritage house work with selected Leather Working Group audited tanneries to develop the world’s lowest carbon leather, sourced from a network of organic and regenerative farms across Britain.

Pledge your allegiance to planet earth with the Lily Medium Shoulder Bag by Mulberry. The chain shoulder strap, postman's lock and leather padlock fob scream future-classic.

ALL ABOUT ANYA

Anya Hindmarch rocked luxury fashion when she launched the sell-out I’m Not A Plastic Bag tote in 2007. Up next? The designer's new I Am a Plastic Bag range pioneers coated recycled plastic.

Not only is Hindmarch a bona fide green queen, she’s also the Marie Kondo of accessories. Nothing says ‘chic on the go’ like the brand’s nifty Cosmetic Vanity Kit. The perfect travel accompaniment, it’s made from certified recycled nylon which reduces waste and lessens our dependency on natural or fossil-fuel derived materials.

Aiming to be as socially and environmentally responsible as possible, the designer works on the ethos of “progress, not perfection” — and it shows. The brand only works with sustainably-certified textiles, which includes cotton approved by the Better Cotton Initiative and leather that’s been green-lit by the The Leather Working Group.

GANNI IT UP

Mention Danish fashion and the three Cs spring to mind: colour, confidence and a conscious approach to getting dressed. A true sustainable sweet-spot, Ganni is a Copenhagen favourite that is always ahead of the game.

Why? The brand is always innovating. As well as eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals, upcycling old stock and introducing a rental platform in 2019, Ganni has committed to a responsible fibres policy, pledging to only use cotton, viscose and polyester that are independently-certified.

A staple for earth-friendly accessories, this season’s considered carry-alls are crafted from recycled nylon and leather. Choose from: roomy totes in khaki and glossy black — and the star of the show, a multi-coloured crossbody with a zinging candy pink strap; dropping in store soon.

Ganni bags coming soon online and to Brown Thomas Dublin.

MORE TO READ

Want to know more about Anya Hindmarch and her latest collection? Well, you’re in luck: in Bag to the Future, we hear from Hindmarch for a chat on all things sustainability and fashion.