Thank you!!! It arrived yesterday and I'm in love with it. This is my first Stella purchase and the craftsmanship is amazing! You know I did the math and I realized I spend more on Starbucks in a year and I will enjoy this purse for many years to come!!
Going Vegan
- Thread starter GemGems
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I am not vegan or anything, but I had seen a Matt and Nat bag that I liked in a store window while on vacay. I made the comment that it was a pretty bag (nice shape, pretty color combo) Never handled the bag or anything because I had no intention of buying as it was bigger then I typically like to carry. Anyhoo, someone was paying attention and got me the bag for my birthday. This is a bag that cost over $150, and I am sorry to say that the quality is really bad. I understand that it is vegan leather. That is not my complaint. My complaint is that the bag feels like it is made of somewhat flimsy cardboard with a thin layer of vegan leather layered over it. The hardware is painted plastic, not even real metal. Up close, the bag looks and feels very cheap. For a $150+ bag, I expect much better quality. This bag does not seem like it will hold the test of time. I don't see it lasting , just doesn't seem well made. It certainly is no Stella McCartney...not even close, not even even in the same galaxy.
So glad you started this thread! I'm about to read through but I've been going vegan over time and decided "no new leather". I have also been turning to Stella McCartney and was wondering why there's no group dedicated to her bags here. I have a tote and crossbody from her now and I'm obsessed with the quality. Would love to see if anyone recommends other vegan designers.Hi lovely handbag peeps,
I have been having a big think about the leather trade. And after reading some terrible terrible articles on crocodile farming and leather sourcing for Designers. My next new purchase will be a vegan purchase. I think the only way to change the market is to change the demand.
There are some lovely vegan bags out there so maybe lets share some examples here...!
To start i'll proffer a Stella article
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sorry no idea how to post the pic
My latest Stella tote I got for work! Everything fits perfect.
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I just bought two of his bags...satchel and crossbody. I love them both and quality and price are reasonable!
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Faux leather late spade iPhone wristlet I just bought..mirror and credit card holder inside! This and my two Ted baker bags were purchased at discount during Nordstroms anniversary sale!
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It's great to see this thread. Becoming more aware of any act and its repercussions is the hallmark of maturity. No one can live an entirely pure life , but making any shift that feels more kind, more generous, and more nurturing of our planet and its inhabitants is always helpful. Everyone has different lines they draw on what they feel is acceptable. No judgment either way.
Just a few month ago I had the revelation of not being able to ignore the meat and leather industry any longer. I couldn't believe society lets this happen but also there is just no eduction on this industry. I was really struggling with this and how I want to live my life. I since have given up eating meat but I still crave it. I felt at first like such a hypocrite for not being able to go vegan and giving up leather products because I love food, in particular certain meat dishes. I also love cheese and I love bags! I just felt so sad that in order to live, in my opinion, a cruelty free life I had to give up all the things I love. My fiancé suggested to transition slowly by going vegetarian first. I also cut out milk. I buy bags from discount stores or sometimes second hand. It's a start and I hope I will be able to live a vegan live eventually. I like how you mentioned how everyone draws different lines. I really like your comment.
I am not vegan but do own a few vegan leather bags...mostly Stella McCartney. Her bags are soooo nice. I have leather bags also, but my Stella McCartney bags rank as some of my favorites. They are superb quality and I really like her designs.
I was also given a bag from Matt and Nat (another vegan leather company). I do not personally recommend them. Based on the price of their bags, the quality is not there. The vegan leather looks like cheapo vinyl, plastic hardware that is painted silver, etc. The bag just looks really cheap in person...something I would think would cost around $40...not $150. There are much better made vegan leather bags for that price. They are also made in China which I find a turn-off. So they don't want to hurt animals but are fine with exploiting the workers making their bags. Kinda hypocritical IMO.
You can find Matt&Nat at TJ Maxx for around $20-25. Seeing them in that store was the first time that I had heard of the brand. I find it shocking that they are $150. For that price, there are better non-leather items from places like Nine West, Tommy Hilfiger. They may even be cheaper.
I read somewhere that when Matt and Nat started becoming popular in the vegan community that they pretty much doubled the prices of their bags. So originally the prices while still high for the quality were apparently much more reasonable. Now the prices are ludicrous for the quality you get. Definitely much better vegan options out there.
Matt and Nat is more than just about producing faux leather bags, they are also sustainable and eco-friendly by using recycled bottles and bike tires, etc.. They also allege to use only factories that comply with social accountability standards. So I don't think you can really compare them to bags from typical designers that are just made with faux-leather since their brand has a more complex vision than that. There are many faux leathers that are horrible for the environment (some would argue worse than the use of real leather) due to how they are manufactured to biodegradability. But I agree wholeheartedly that their bags are not very high quality...especially for the price.