Vegan Wallets, Purses and Cardholders (the best brands)
Most people have a wallet or coin purse. But rather than use leather (made from animal skins, often in countries with poor animal welfare laws) or plastic (made from oil, which contributes to pollution and the climate crisis), here are some better brands made from natural kind materials, to last for years.
Donate unwanted wallets and purses to small charity shops (that don’t test on animals). For items that are worn out, ripped or stains, place in local textile banks (the materials are shredded to make insulation and other industrial goods).
Corkor (beautiful vegan wallets from Portugal)
Corkor is a premium brand of cork accessories in Portugal, making belts to bags. Its wallets are created by a family company using artisan methods, and sold in gift packaging with optional engraving.
These wallets have a range of features including bill compartments, slip pockets and coin pockets. Many have RFID-blocking technology, to protect you from theft.
Cork is a ‘vegan leather’ that is made by stripping the bark of trees in Spain and Portugal every nine years or so, but the trees are not cut down. Keeping the cork industry alive (in a world of plastic wine corks) is a good way to save these forests from being cut down for development, which in turn protects local wildlife that use the forests for food and shelter.
Votch vegan leather wallets, purses & cardholders
Votch is a wonderful pioneering brand of vegan leather wallets, founded by a woman when she was in hospital with a condition that made her skin fall off. She vowed that when she got better, she would create a leather-free fashion brand that led animals keep their skins.
The range includes bamboo bio-leather bags either as big totes, small chain purses or elegant rucksacks. In elegant muted colours like black or tan.
Like all items at Votch, a portion of profits each month, is donated to various animal welfare non-profits.
Votch also make sustainable vegan purses
And card holders, all made to the same wonderful quality and style.
Watson & Wolfe (luxury vegan wallets & purses)
Watson & Wolfe (London) is another brand of luxury vegan leather wallets and coin purses. These use PVC-vegan leathers, and are very high quality, with attention to detail. Again they are sold in eco gift packaging, with optional engraving, ideal for a unique gift.
With neat stitching, the company’s understated logo is included on every item, from a classic wallet to a slimline card holder. Mostly in brown or black, but there are also items in bright red and feminine pink.
Oliver & Co (apple leather vegan wallets)
Oliver Co (London) makes luxury vegan wallets from ‘apple leather’, which is a mix of vegan synthetics with waste from the apple juice industry (usually near Milan in Italy).
They makes ideal gifts for special people in your life, sold in a number of designs and colours, in easy-to-recycle packaging.
Willow Earth (cotton canvas wallets & coin purses)
Willow Earth (Sussex) makes nice canvas cotton rucksacks and totes, then uses the offcuts to make these pretty wallets, in many colours.
Some have cork detailing, and one is made entirely from cork.
Willow Earth also makes similar pretty coin purses in the same range of colours.
8000 Kicks (durable hemp wallets)
8000 Kicks wallets are made from an eco-friendly durable material that needs almost no water to grow, and nourishes the soil. These wallets are thin yet have space for over six cards.
The brand also sells tech pouches with five inside pockets and a central waterproof zipper.
Snow Pine Cardholder (made from plastic bags)
This snow pine cardholder is made by a company that upcycles plastic bags to make beautiful accessories. Lined with organic cotton fabric, this has two compartments, and is ideal to hold all your travel, grocery, loyalty and bank cards in one place.
The magnetic closure and foldable design prevents cards from falling out. Try not to wash it, just spot-clean. It’s better for the bag and the planet.
Each bag contains fabric made from five reclaimed plastic bags and recycled PET. It also features recycled plastic zippers.
The plastic bags are collected in India, where they are locally cleaned, and cut by hand into yarn and handwoven on traditional looms by artisans. The facilities hold certifications like GOTS, Fair Trade and/or OEKO-TEX to ensure sustainability and worker welfare.
