The 13 Best Vegan Leather Handbags and Purses of 2023

They're stylish and sustainable.

 A model, vegan leather bag detail, walks the runway during the Stella McCartney Womenswear Fall/Winter 2022-2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week at Centre Pompidou on March 07, 2022 in Paris, France
(Image credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

In recent years, the market for vegan leather has exploded. Many of the best sustainable bag brands have turned to vegan leather alternatives that are just as stylish, versatile, and long-lasting as the real thing. New vegan leather picks from some of the top sustainable fashion brands, like Everlane and Santos by Monica, utilize cactus leather. Meanwhile, luxury brands like Stella McCartney and, most recently, Chloé have relied on vegan leathers for their accessories and sustainable footwear collections.

The number of designers and consumers supporting sustainable fashion is growing. According to Natalie Tomlin, a spokesperson for ThredUP, an online thrift store, and resale platform, their 2022 Resale Report found that 56 percent of consumers say brands should play more of a role in reducing fashion's environmental impact.

The push for more sustainability is felt from the brand side, too. "I feel like many brands want [to create] luxury items that are sustainable and don't harm animals," says Noel Veloz, the Founder & Creative Director of New York-based accessories brand Hemincuff. "I want to pick the best materials that also have longevity," he adds, and vegan leather bags might last longer in your collection than the real thing. "They're often easier to clean when compared to leather, and they're more resistant to cracking."

The first step in trading your leather goods for the alternative? Do your research. "A whole host of things can be used to create vegan leather bags," says Whitney Bauck, an independent environmental reporter who contributes to outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, and the Financial Times. "While innovative new leathers derived from materials like cactus, mycelium, or food waste tend to get a lot of buzz, plastic or other fossil fuel derivatives are probably still the most common materials. Natural materials like pineapple or cactus fibers might require a plastic coating, binding, or base," she says.

Luckily, designers are increasingly moving away from plastics to offer consumers high-quality options. Plus, we've already done most of the work for you. Ahead, we've vetted the best vegan bags on the market right now. 


Fashion E-Commerce Editor

Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she covers everything from the latest beauty and fashion launches and sales to celebrity outfits and news. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and STYLECASTER. In her spare time, Julia can be found creating shopping guides for all of her friends, spending too much money on yet another pair of black boots, and cooking in her far-too-small kitchen.