Votch (eco vegan handbags and totes)
Votch is more known for its luxury vegan watches. But has now also branched out into offering vegan handbags with eco-innovative materials like recycled fabrics and bamboo. Again, this brand donates a portion of sales each month to animal welfare charities.
The brand was founded by a young woman, who was reading about the leather industry, while in hospital with a serious skin condition. She vowed that when she got better (she did!), she would create a fashion brand that let animals keep their own skins, instead of having them used for fashion.
Why choose sustainable vegan handabags?
Most vegan leather is not a by-product of the meat industry, and made in countries with few animal welfare laws (the tanning process is also very polluting to the planet and workers in factories). Exotic leathers are just as bad or worse, with many creatures being skinned alive, for the fashion industry.
A sustainable vegan handbag is not just kinder, but usually made from toxin-free vegan leathers (not ‘pleather – plastic leather’) and some even use up fruit waste (apples, grapes) from industry.
To clean vegan handbags, wipe marks with a damp cloth (to remove oil stains, apply a little baking soda to absorb). Remove ink or make-up stains with a cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol. Dry wet handbags in the shade (avoid direct sun or heat)
Donate unwanted handbags to small charity shops (that don’t test on animals). You can place damaged or frayed handbags in textile banks. The materials are shredded to make insulation and other industrial goods.
