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The humble handbag. It’s the one thing that no outfit is complete without, whether for fashionable reasons, or just for the need to carry half of your house with you.
The handbag has been around for a long time, and this fashion accessory isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
But how exactly did our obsession start? Handbag styles vary so much for every type of occasion, yet originally, there was only one type available.
We’ve put together this ultimate guide on all things handbag, from its history, to the popular styles used today, to the modern movement towards a different type of fashion.
The first handbags as we know them were really just coin purses. These were worn by men and women for the sole purpose of carrying coins. As they became more popular, women in the 17th and 18th century began embroidering their own purses, and so they became a fashion item instead of just practical.
Eventually, due to the demand for something daintier, reticules came into fashion. These were small, wristlet style purses that were made of fine material such as velvet and silk.
What we now think of as a handbag is the brainchild of one man. Samuel Parkinson wanted a set of different bags for his wife to carry, made of the same leather as their suitcases. This set even included a clutch bag and a tote. This was the very first modern luxury handbag, but it took many years before they truly came into fashion.
Handbags today are massively versatile, and the sheer range of different styles out there can be confusing at times. What exactly are the different handbag styles, and what are the names of handbag styles? Look no further, we’ve got a run-down of the most popular handbag styles being used by women today. Do you have one of each in your collection?
In today’s world, we can work on the move. Computers aren’t just the staple of the office. When carrying your laptop around on the train or to meetings, it’s important that you have the right sort of laptop bag.
This is where the handbag satchel style comes in. Big enough to hold your laptop and some other essentials, it stops you needing two bags at once. As laptops have gotten smaller and lighter, our laptop bags have evolved to be fashionable as well as practical. Still sturdy, they are the bag that people will see you with the most, so it needs to be something work appropriate that people will admire.
The shoulder bag is the classic everyday bag that we all know and love. Endlessly functional, it’s just a little bit too easy to end up having way more of them than you actually need! This is because of the sheer variety of styles available, meaning that you can have a different bag for every occasion.
They are also big, meaning that they’ll fit everything you are likely to need in a day. Yes, we’ve all had that moment of tipping the contents of our shoulder bag onto the ground to find that one item, but we need all of those other things, really, we do.
The cross-body bag is the handbag that you grab for every day occasions. Whether it’s heading to the shops or for a cinema date, these are small, practical little bags that leave both of your hands free – great if you have kids!
They come in a vast range of styles from super chic to more down to earth. There is a cross-body bag made for every event you can imagine. Definitely an everyday essential.
The hobo bag is a cross between a formal bag, and a more casual look. It’s similar to a shoulder bag, but is generally not quite as wide, which means that it can be used in a larger variety of occasions.
At the same time, it is not as casual as a crossbody bag, so it’s an everyday bag that still oozes style. It’s a great choice of bag if you’re not quite sure what the day will bring, and a great addition to anyone’s growing collection!
The backpack is back! This handbag style looks good with any outfit and they are a really versatile type of bag. Generally quite compact, they are great if you are carrying a few heavier items and don’t want your arm to be weighed down.
They look cute whether you’re wearing a dress or jeans and are easy bags to grab and go.
Beach bags are waterproof for sea-ready fashion. After all, why would you want to get sand or seawater over any of your other bags?
Brilliant for holing a wet towel and some sunscreen, having a beach bag on standby is a must for when the one week of British summer arrives.
The tote could be arguably the most popular type of bag right now. Used for ‘toting’ items about, they are big, sturdy, and generally unfastened. Tote bags can be made of study fabric which is great for carrying groceries in, or of a thicker, stiffer material, which is perfect for, well, anything really.
So many brands give out their own thin fabric style totes that many of our homes are overflowing with them. But when you find one that’s perfect for you, it’s hard to carry anything else.
The clutch bag is for when you don’t need to carry your entire makeup collection with you. Made for lunch dates and weddings, it can be tough to know what to bring and what has to stay behind! You can get ones that are larger, but these are definitely less desirable.
The clutch bag is generally more in sync with whatever outfit you’re wearing and are chosen more for their looks than for any practical reason. A clutch bag is definitely an accessory as opposed to a handbag, and like the reticules of the past, are generally made of fancier and less durable materials.
Wristlets are the purse of the past, updated for the modern world. Just as small as a clutch, if not smaller, they are more likely to be made from fabric rather than leather. As they have the wrist strap after which they’re named, it leaves your hands free, whereas with a clutch you have to, well, clutch it.
Definitely a bag for a party, it has just enough room to hold the essentials and nothing more. Wristlets are just like your wallets but are so much more functional and comfortable to carry.
The purse can be grabbed if you’re just heading to the corner shop but is in general the most important part of any woman’s handbag. Coming in a range of sizes, they can either match your bag or stand out from it. Whatever the case, find the purse that works best for you and your handbag collection.
Today, more and more women are concerned about the impact that fast fashion is having on the environment. They are looking for an alternative to the high street stores that encourage us to buy more and more at cheap prices; items that have likely been made by people who aren’t being paid a fair wage.
The materials used in fashion is also a major concern. Not only is much of it non-recyclable, but its production also has a major impact on our environment.
One of the major culprits of this is leather. Leather requires a vast amount of energy to be produced and uses a large amount of dangerous chemicals during the tanning process. There is now, however, a new movement towards 100% vegan handbags. This means no more leather, which is better for the environment, and for all of the animals that are killed so that we have the cutest bags on our arms.
Vegan leather is just as good, if not better, than the real thing, which is something that we know all about here at LaBante.
We only use premium vegan leather when making our bags, so you can guarantee that no animal was hurt in the name of our fashion. Not only this, but we also use recycled plastic bottles to make the lining in our bags. It looks and feels like silk, but it’s using items that would have otherwise been going to landfill and decomposing over hundreds of years.
We are dedicated to bringing our customers fashion forward designs in a way that takes into consideration the impact that consumerism has on the environment. We pay all of our workers a fair wage, and even have a zero-waste packaging policy for our products!
So, there you have it, LaBante London’s ultimate guide to handbags. Just one look at our collections will show you that having the best that handbags have to offer can be a completely cruelty-free choice.
National Vegetarian Week is organised by the Vegetarian Society and is dedicated to showing the British public that vegetarian food doesn’t have to be bland or boring.
Each year it has grown from strength to strength, with big name supermarkets and celebrity chefs all getting in on the action.
Now, much of the advocacy focuses around educating school children and families about the benefits of incorporating vegetarian meals into the diet. It encourages people to go vegetarian for the whole week, just to prove that it really isn’t that difficult!
National Vegetarian Week started off as just a single day in 1992, but quickly grew to incorporate the full week.
The public’s desire to know more about vegetarianism – and the rise in demand for vegetarian options in restaurants and supermarkets – has fuelled NVW's popularity. TV programmes have special features for the week, showing off easy vegetarian recipes, while shops run special promotions on certain items in support of the week.
There are events supporting NVW throughout the British Isles. From your favourite café in town, to your child’s school, even your workplace may be advocating to go vegetarian for the week.
As eating vegetarian is good for both the climate and for your health, events are heavily promoted by many companies, and so you’re sure to hear something about it wherever you go.
This year, the Vegetarian Society has come up with ’50 Veggie Things to do in May’ This list is a great way to get involved in vegetarianism, whether you are eating veggie for the whole week, a lifelong vegetarian, or just someone who’s a little curious.
Here are just a small sample of the great ideas that they have come up with:
Baking as a vegetarian is easy, and as everyone loves cake, it’s the perfect way to get people together and talk about the issues surrounding vegetarianism. A great community event, you could also share recipes with each other, and maybe even have a go at making a vegan cake!
Is there a greengrocer near you that you’ve never been into? When was the last time you actually bought an apple? Or some broccoli? Heading to the fruit and veg stall not only helps to support a local business, you can also rediscover the vast range of fruit and vegetables that are on offer.
The best thing about buying local is that it’s more likely to be grown locally as well. Asking where your food is sourced is a great way to learn more about the crops grown in your area.
This is one that they whole family can get involved in. There is amazing satisfaction to be achieved through growing your own food, and for herbs, all you need is a handy windowsill!
Soon you’ll be able to sprinkle your own home-grown basil into your veggie Bolognese and you just know that somehow, it will taste better than anything you’ve bought in a shop. If you have the room, why not go all out and try to create a vegetable patch?
There are a number of reasons why you might decide to go vegetarian or vegan, and even if it’s not something that you think you can commit to on a full-time basis, eating vegetarian a few days a week is just as valid, and can make in impact.
There are three main reasons that the Vegetarian Society talks about:
This is probably the first one that springs to mind when you think of why people decide to go vegetarian or vegan. Animals are as much a part of our world as we are and have intelligence and emotions just the same. Even the idea ‘fish don’t feel pain’ has long been discredited as a complete myth.
Not only this, but the conditions that animals are kept in before they are slaughtered is a cause of great concern.
Contrary to popular images of happy cows and pigs, many live in horrible, dirty, and cramped conditions, without adequate medical care. They are unable to live as they would naturally, which causes a life full of stress and fear, until they are ultimately killed.
Eating vegetarian is better for the environment. With our climate in its current state, we must do all that we can do reduce greenhouse gas emissions and look to sustainable resources. Intensive farming practices cause some of the highest production of methane in the world, directly contributing to global warming and the heating of our planet.
Deforestation is also caused in part from the need for more land for agricultural animals. This includes the food that the animals themselves eat. Instead of using valuable land to feed us directly, it is used to grow feed for animals – not a very sustainable use of our planet’s resources.
Not only this, but other resources such as water are used in farming. Much more water is used to rear an animal for meat purposes than is used to grow plant protein.
Eating a healthy diet is something that everyone is concerned about. Keeping your weight down and having a balanced diet has been proven to keep us healthier and living longer. Type 2 diabetes is on the rise, and this is directly linked to our weight and to our diet. Eating low saturated fat is a great way to stay healthy, and vegetarianism can help with that.
One of the major criticisms of vegetarianism is that people who don’t eat meat don’t get enough protein and other vitamins. Yet this simply isn’t the case. Of course, being vegetarian doesn’t automatically make you healthy, but you are getting your protein from much healthier sources such as beans and pulses, and more of your fats are likely to be healthy plant-based ones.
At LaBante, our founder Vanita had her own conversion to vegetarianism at the age of 18. she walked past a butcher shop every morning on the way to university. But this wasn’t the same shop that you may be imagining. Live animals were kept there, and the smell and sound of the slaughter, along with the cramped cages, was enough to make her vow never to eat meat again. Now, she is a great supporter of National Vegetarian Week, and her products also support this cause.
All of LaBante’s handbags are vegetarian friendly, using premium vegan leather in place of animal hides. Even the glue that we use is free from animal parts in order to ensure that we create a cruelty-free product.
In support on National Vegetarian Week, we also support looking after our environment. All of the linings of our handbags are made using recycled plastic bottles, which is just one of the ways in which LaBante strives towards creating fully sustainable fashion.
It’s easy to switch to eating vegetarian for the week. You’ll be able to give most of your tried and tested recipes a veggie upgrade, as well as try out some new ones.
The purpose of National Vegetarian Week is to show you just how straightforward it can be. You don’t need to go out and buy any expensive vegetarian products, in fact, you’ll soon see that you’ll actually save money by eating meat-free. If you are still having troubles, there are loads of easy recipes online for you to try out.
Foods like beans and nuts are staples of the veggie diet, and incorporating them into your meals will insure that you get enough protein.
Another interesting food to try is Jackfruit. Covered in BBQ sauce, this strange fruit has the same texture as pulled pork or chicken. You won’t even be able to tell the difference! The same goes for when you are making your signature chilli or Bolognese.
There are loads of meat-free mince alternatives that are even cheaper than the real thing. You might be surprised to find out just how good it tastes. Bulking these recipes out with red lentils can also make them go even further and add in more healthy vitamins.
Going vegetarian doesn’t have to be a decision for just one week, every little choice can help animals, our environment, and your health.
Trying Meat-Free Mondays is also a great way to incorporate more vegetarian meals into your diet and save you a bit of money at the same time. A great way to do meat free Mondays is to keep leftovers from the weekend and use them up. Make a vegetarian pie with leftover potatoes and veg for example. Quick and easy for that first day back at work, especially if you haven’t done the weekly shop yet!
Eating vegetarian shouldn’t be a chore, but an exciting challenge. Trying out new recipes and incorporating new vegetables into your diet will leave you feeling stronger and healthier, and your family can get involved as well. Not only this, but it is also a way that you can do your bit for the environment and decrease our carbon footprint.
Give it a try!
What inspired you to go vegan?
It all started when I realised there was a long history of diseases and cancer in my family, sadly. I decided one day that I wanted to have more control over my own body. I didn’t want to suffer the consequences of a bad diet or not looking after my body, so it was purely out of health reasons.
As a consequence, I started looking into vegetarianism and veganism. Social media and YouTube played a huge part in it for me, and as I started a plant-based diet 5 years ago, I switched all my make up and clothing to vegan.
What is the main reason you moved to blogging although you have a full time job – what was the motivation?
I have been working since I was 17 years old, always in conjunction with my studies and started working full time whilst still enrolled in a Master’s degree.
Blogging was something I did since 2012 at a very amateur level, posting on Flickr as there was no Instagram at that time. Because I used to work in Digital Marketing, I noticed what my bloggers and influencers were doing to promote the products I use to sell, so I figured that if they could do it, then so could I! But I wanted to use the power of social media for good – for something I was (and still am) passionate about.
Eventually I rebranded my dusty, forgotten blog and turned it into a destination for vegan and sustainable fashion and beauty! And I have been doing it on the side of my job since January 2017.
What would be your main advice to someone trying to go vegan?
Probably to take it easy! Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect vegan world so being realistic about how far you can go in specific situations is very important.
Educate yourself and try to do it gradually, otherwise you may have an unhealthy relationship with your food which might backfire in the future. Personally, I would also say don’t get too obsessed with super healthy foods, eating should be enjoyed! Just leave animals off your plate. And finally, look into other ways to help the animals!
Whether it’s with beauty products, fashion, or even plastic pollution, there are so many ways to help them! You just need to find what you like.
Is sustainability an important part of your profile?
Absolutely! When I first started I only focused on making sure my clothes were vegan and my beauty products cruelty-free, but when I started looking more and more into the human and environmental impact of the fashion industry, I couldn’t look back.
Equally the issue of plastic pollution and the consequential problem of climate change made sense to me and I started making huge efforts to change the way I shopped, ate, dressed and looked at things.
I feel nowadays sustainability is part of me and I think so much about the impact I make on the world in just about everything I do!
You got married this year, that was a big surprise for your followers – tell us more about that.
Yes! I got married in November last year to my husband Kenzo Mizumoto, who is from Brazil but originally from Japan. We’ve been together for 4.5 years and organised it in three months. We did a very private, small ceremony with our beloved ones but it was an amazing day!
What is your pet peeve?
I have too many…. Which one do I choose? Haha! The biggest pet peeve for me I think is people cracking their knuckles. I just can’t!
What do you love doing in your spare time when you are not working or posting on Instagram?
Very good question – to be honest I spend most of my time working on my social media and enjoy it so much I sometimes forget to eat or even go to bed with even more ideas! But I love working out early mornings, cooking or baking, watching anime or J-Drama, catch up with my family, or watch beauty videos on YouTube.
What is the most terrifying thing you have ever had to do?
I think leaving my home country where I grew up (Belgium) and moving to London within a month was one of the most stressful and terrifying things I ever did!
If you were to choose your top three bags from LaBante which one would those be?
My favourite LaBante bag is by far the Demi bag! Perfect for everyday wear and always looks perfect with any outfit !
What are your plans for the future? Are you planning to do more videos or is there anything specific you are working on for 2019?
My biggest plan is to become a full-time blogger, and definitely grow my YouTube! I absolutely adore filming videos.
I’d also like to expand my network to Spain and France ideally as they are so close to my heart. At least that is for this year! Watch this space!
LaBante London recently had the privilege of speaking with Vegan Fashion Photographer & Artist Anisa Bejleri (@anisabejleri)
What inspired you to work with us, as a cruelty free brand?
I love animals, and I love nature too, these give me inspiration in my work. I feel very sorry because killing animals is destroying the natural balance and one day we will all disappear love the job and the ideals of your company, you are doing a great work!
What type of photography do you like to shoot ?
I love to shoot self portraits, a self-portrait almost always contains a concept,a story or an emotion the artist wants to share.It took more than a few seconds to create it. It is a piece of the artist , a page of their diary. Taking a self-portrait does not mean that you love yourself or that you think you look beautiful. It’s a simply way to express yourself or an idea/concept/ emotion. But I love photogaphy and I love every photo I take
What would be your main advice to someone trying to go Vegan?
Food is all about community and sharing,so do your best to share this lifestyle with people you care about even if they’re not making the change along with you.
Is sustainability an important part of your profile?
For sure YES, since I started to collaborate with you I always wanted to know more information.
How old is your daughter and what is it that you love doing with her?
My daughter is 20 months old. She is my everything, We are together all the time, we play together, take photos together, eating, singing, we paint together and dance ‘’FROZEN’’ all the time
What is your pet peeve?
Dirty dishes.
What do you love doing in your spare time when you are not working or posting on Instagram?
Even when I'm not on instagram or posting on instagram , always love to take photos and working on photoshop, but I also love traveling a lot.
What is the most terrifying thing you have ever had to do?
I think nothing, always think positive guys .
If you were to choose your top three bags from LaBante which one would those be?
They are all beautiful and love them all because they all carrying a message inside them.But if I have to choose I will pick: Sycamore Backpack, Aricia Carryall Bag and the cute one Mae Satchel Cross Body Bag.
What are your plans for the future? What would you like to do more: photography, videos or blogging ?
I have in mind to work with videos , love to explore new things and learn always about photography/videos.
Earth Day is a day of international recognition for environmental causes. Held every year on the 22nd April, it first started in 1970, and has been growing every year since.
Earth Day now has events in 193 countries, and is run by the Earth Day Network, which works all the year round to “solve climate change, to end plastic pollution, to protect endangered species, and to broaden, educate, and activate the environmental movement across the globe.”
Originally, Earth Day was conceived to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Now, it is an environmental movement that organises events throughout the year, and especially in the lead up to Earth Day itself.
Earth day started as a grassroots movement in order to garner support for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Some 20 million Americans protested on April 22nd 1970, with many colleges and universities organising rallies. As a result, not only was the EPA set up, but the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts were all passed.
With Earth Day’s 50th anniversary coming up next year, it’s hard to believe that we are still protesting about the same things – litter pollution, protecting the environment, and a sustainable future.
Human apathy is the cause of this, and the Earth Day Network continues to ask people to wake up and acknowledge the damage that we are doing to our beautiful earth.
The theme for Earth Day 2019 is Protect Our Species. This theme won’t be surprising to anyone who's even slightly interested in environmental matters. Over the past six months, the fate of our planet’s wildlife has had even more publicity than usual.
Thanks to some hard-hitting journalism from Sir David Attenborough, in his Our Planet series for Netflix, we have seen the devastating effects that climate change is having on our environment.
The strong words and determination of 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg is also having an impact. Calling on politicians to “panic” before it’s too late for many of our species, and eventually, for us as well.
Nearly 50 years after the Endangered Species Act, many of our animals are still on the brink of extinction because of our impact on their environment.
This theme follows on from 2018’s End Plastic Pollution. Plastic pollution is having a massive impact on our ocean life, and so harming many already endangered species. 2019 widens this cause, looking not only at our seas, but all of the creatures that humankind has endangered.
One of these is the humble honey bee, without which many of our plants and crops would no longer produce fruit. The Earth Day Network have put together an interesting yet scary fact sheet on the current wave of extinction.
The Earth Day Network has set out a number of goals for this years Protect our Species campaign. They are as follows:
Much of this is related to our environmental literacy; educating the general public about what is happening to our precious animals, what they can do to help the environmental cause, and what we can encourage our politicians to do as well.
One of the main events is the Earth Day 2019 Cleanup. Across the world, volunteers are invited to get involved and clean up their parks, beaches, and urban landscapes.
This Cleanup will not only help our native flora and fauna, it will also show just how much rubbish we throw away, and the potential damage that this can inflict.
With approximately 25 Cleanup locations in each city, and over 300 total Cleanups, the Earth Day 2019 Cleanup is set to be the biggest yet.
Participants are encouraged to take pictures of their successes, sharing them on social media far and wide so that everyone can not only see the impact that we are having on our planet, but also realise the massive difference that just a few hours of cleaning can achieve.
This event is already set to be even bigger in 2020 with the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. The Great Global Cleanup will be aimed at spreading the environmental volunteering message as far across the globe as possible, getting more countries involved in it than ever before
There are events for Earth Day happening all over the country, particularly in London where there is a whole week of events taking place at Somerset House. These include a walk for earth, guided mediation, as well as art installations and music.
Even Nasa has got involved, asking people from around the world to post close-up pictures of nature and to share them with the world. This is to show as many people as possible just how amazing our Earth can be.
“Use the hashtag #PictureEarth and upload the photo on April 22. Be sure to include the location where the photo was taken in the text of your social media post.”
If you’re not going to any events, there are still many ways that you can show your own individual support for Earth Day 2019.
One thing that the Earth Day Network promote is the fact that it isn’t just one day.
If we truly want to protect our endangered species, more needs to happen on a continual basis. Big changes need to take place such as new laws and policies on overfishing, deforestation, and plastic pollution. But we can all do our bit to help. The more the people demand change, and show that they want change, the more the government will be forced to listen to us.
Just like Earth Day, there are certain things that you can do to live a more sustainable and eco-friendly life every day.
You thought that giving it up for just one day was hard? Well how about every day?
We are over-reliant on single-use plastic for everything, and this reliance means trouble for our environment. Take canvas bags to the supermarket and store your food in reusable containers. Making small changes can have a big impact.
It seems simple, right? But maybe doing the recycling is a chore, and especially with electronic items, sometimes its easier to just throw them in the skip. Yet you’ll be surprised at what can be recycled.
There’s never any need to just dump items you don’t want any more. With clothes, consider charity shops. If they’re in good condition, someone else will want to buy them.
Thinking about the items that you buy can help you to live an eco-friendlier lifestyle. Knowing exactly where your clothes and accessories come from is a major part of this. Ditching slow fashion, and buying clothes that are sustainably made and long-lasting, can lessen the impact that current fashion trends are having on our environment.
At LaBante London, we are committed to helping the environment by using 25 recycled plastic bottles in each of our handbags. Landfills occupy 55% of our planet, which is why we only use recycled goods in our handbags. Already, we have saved over 10 million plastic bottles from heading to landfill.
Our bags and wallets are 100% vegan and we are a PETA-approved brand. We are totally committed to our fashion being cruelty free.
Our handbags are made in a sustainable way, with all of our workers paid a fair wage. We also have a zero waste packaging system, meaning that all of our products are packaged using recycled materials.
We also give 10% of LaBante’s profits goes to charitable causes, which is our way of paying it forward.
LaBante London wishes good luck to everyone taking part in Earth Day 2019!
Sustainable fashion blogs are everywhere, and once you start looking, more and more just seem to appear. Yet with so many to choose from, which ones are the best to follow?
LaBante London presents to you 15 ethical fashion influencers that we love. They are all from or based in the UK, so their top tips and recommendations are going to be a lot more relevant to you, as well as the issues that UK sustainable living faces.
Born in Tel Aviv, raised in Bangkok, Nataly moved to England over six years ago, where she now lives and blogs about ethical luxury at Literally Nataly. Yes, you read that right. Nataly has a background in the luxury business, and she doesn’t see why something luxurious can’t be ethical and sustainable as well. As she’s recently had her first child, she has also reviewed sustainable fashion and accessories for babies and new mothers. Her pictures are always fabulous, she really makes eco-fashion into something glamorous.
Scotland is home to some absolutely amazing sustainable fashion blogs and Ruth MacGilp is leading the way. She doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the big issues surrounding ethical fashion, calling for more transparency about where our clothes are made, and the pay and working conditions of everyone involved in producing our garments. Ruth may have a smaller following than some, but her blog posts are truly inspired. She really cares about what we are doing to our environment, and what we can do to change it. A true eco-warrior.
Another wonderful Scottish blogger, Less Waste Laura advocates living life with as little waste as possible. Her Less Waste Warriors post regularly to Instagram about the little changes they are achieving, and the sense of community that they have is really heart-warming. It’s important to Laura to know where her clothes are coming from, and she encourages ethical buying from workers who are paid a sustainable living wage. She’s also a committed vegan, and so everything that she recommends is cruelty-free.
The Fair Edit is run by Beatrice Turner, where she blogs about her attempts to make her family live the most sustainable life possible. She has great recommendations for brands and is always the first to know when some of the fast fashion favourites are bringing out a more ethical clothing line. She emphasises quality over quantity, writing about living a minimalist lifestyle, and paying careful attention to every product that you buy. Her daughter features in a lot of her Instagram posts, and it’s easy to see why. Just like her mother, she is gorgeous and Beatrice models all the items she writes about herself.
Style Eyes is one of the most wholesome ethical fashion blogs out there. Based in Newquay, Ceri Heathcote blogs about plants, sustainable fashion, and living by the sea. She promotes a relaxed, contemplative way of living that is in tune with her surroundings. Working towards a life that is completely single use plastic free, she comments on her journey, the hurdles she faces, and how she’s overcoming them.
The Woodland Wife seems to be living a life that only happens in dreams. The fact that it’s real, and she gives tips on how to achieve it, makes her blog more than just inspiration. ‘Inspired by wild nature and simplicity’ Jessica writes about everything from gardening tips, to slow fashion for her growth-spurt prone children. She encourages us to reconnect with nature. It seems perfectly natural that if we want to look after our earth, we should be more involved in how it works.
Jen is the blogger of The Sustainable Edit, an award-winning sustainable fashion blog that has been on the go for quite a number of years. One look at her website leaves you feeling calm and refreshed. It’s easy to see why. Jen’s focuses are self-care and slow fashion, and she is a self-confessed hygge addict. She believes that taking care of our planet needs to take place alongside taking care of ourselves. If you follow Jen you’ll see lots of woollen and knit items, lots of tartan, and many, many cups of tea.
Singe Hansen is a fashion influencer who is originally from Denmark. She is now the owner of Useless Jewellery, where she only uses lasting and sustainable materials to make her timeless pieces. Her style is street chic and she is constantly encouraging her followers to think about what they are wearing and to buy some long-lasting pieces that they can wear for multiple occasions. Slow fashion means a lot to her and judging by her looks, she knows exactly what she’s doing.
Blue Ollis is a blog that combines yoga and meditation, with zero waste and slow fashion. She gives really clear advice on a whole range of matters, including how we should be helping our environment. Blue is also a vegan advocate, and all of her recipes are divine. She promotes caring for nature and caring for yourself in the best way possible.
Moral Fibres is the brainchild of Wendy Graham, a Scottish resident who wants our homes, and our wardrobes, to be as sustainable as possible. She is a massive advocate for zero waste and zero chemicals, particularly when it comes to cleaning our homes. She has some innovative ways to tackle grease without needing to fumigate your house after use. She says that we need to be buying less, not more, and really think about what we already have, and what it can be used for, before discarding it.
Honestly Mili is a fashion blogger for any budget. She understands that sustainable fashion doesn’t always have a reputation as being affordable and has made it her mission to change that point of view. Through her blog posts, you can see that sustainable fashion can be stylish, trendy and friendly on the wallet. She is great at finding amazing eBay and pre-loved clothes, showing that what another person wants to throw away, can be another’s staple items. She’s always on the look out for long lasting, slow fashion, as well as her take on what a ‘basic’ piece really means.
Do you ever look at items in shops and think ‘I could totally make that’? Well Victoria of Thimble End is just the girl to show you how. She is the Queen Bee of sustainable sewing and ethical living. She blogs about not only making brand new clothes (she is making her own wedding dress!) but also how to give older clothes their spark back. With a great guide on buying ethical sewing supplies, she is showing the world that old clothes can be made new again with the right techniques. If you want to buy something, but know that it isn’t ethically sourced, why not make it instead!
Lottie Woods is the blogger who created Into the Eco, a sustainable fashion and eco-friendly blog for those who love to travel. She is a big advocate of slow fashion and promotes 30 wears, the idea that, before buying a garment, you should ask yourself if you will wear it at least 30 times. Originally from the UK, she has now made a permanent move to the gorgeous Cambodia, where she is living the minimalist and zero waste dream. She shares all her adventures in her really insightful blog. If you’ve never really considered slow fashion before, you will after reading what Lottie has to say.
Uppish is a London based blog that has high standards. They want clothes to be about style, not fashion, and for us to really think not only about the clothes that suit our bodies, but where we source them as well. Uppish has an amazing take on sustainable fashion and are real advocates for pre-loved clothing. They have a great guide to the thrift stores in London where you are most likely to find a designer brand. They want the clothes that are already out there to get the care and attention that they deserve, and for an item of clothing to last you as many wears as possible.
At LaBante London, 25 recycled plastic bottles go into every one of our vegan leather handbags. We focus on sustainability as well as a zero waste packaging system. When you carry a LaBante London handbag, you know that the people who made it are working for fair pay, and in good conditions. Check out our range of eco vegan bags today!
Vegan, or faux leather, has been around in different formats for years, especially as a material used for manufacturing handbags. While faux leather used to be cheap, flimsy, and full of harmful chemicals, those days are mostly gone.
Technology has come a long way since PVC was first invented, so the market is now full of a vast array of different, cruelty-free ways to accessorise using faux leather. Read on to find out all about vegan faux leather.
Vegan bags are made with absolutely no animal products. This means every part of them; from the covering material on the outside, such as vegan leather bags, to the very glue that is used is cruelty free. Vegan handbags aren’t just about no animal products however. Many companies now try to use material that is as sustainable as possible and ensure that their bags are made by workers who are being paid a fair wage.
Of course, not every company is like that, so it is worthwhile doing your research and making sure that the brand you are buying from isn’t using the vegan label while still supporting sweatshop conditions. Eco-friendly accessories are just one way that we can move forward into a more sustainable future.
Vegan handbags can be made from a whole variety of materials. The most common is faux leather. Yet you can also get vegan handbags that are made from a range of other faux fabrics, from recycled rubber, to waxed cotton. Even cork has been used to make environmentally sustainable bags for us to enjoy – guilt free.
Vegan handbags tend to come in one of two main types. The first are the bags that try to imitate leather using some form of faux leather. These try and look as close to the real thing as possible. The other type of vegan bags are those that move away from the leather look entirely, be it canvas, cork, or cotton.
Vegan leather is a replication leather that isn’t made with animal products. Some of this ‘pleather’ as it is sometimes known looks so close to the real thing that is can cause many people to ask - is faux leather vegan in its entirety? The answer is that yes, it is.
No matter how real it looks, faux leather isn’t made with any animal products. My only advice is to always check the labels of items to make sure! Vegan leather is used as a cruelty-free alternative to real leather, and many people feel that, just like fur, real leather shouldn’t be used to make handbags or accessories at all.
How to make vegan leather isn’t the easiest of questions to answer, because there are so many different types available. Traditionally, and the one you see most often is Polyvinyl chloride. Otherwise known as PVC, it is a plastic that is coated onto the back of a polyester layer of fabric.
While PVC is vegan, there are other reasons that it maybe isn’t the best alternative. For one, this is the material that gives vegan leather its cheap reputation. PVC has been mass produced to such an extent that it is essentially a thin layer of plastic with a fabric covering. This doesn’t survive the wear and tear of everyday life very well, and so animal leather has kept its reputation for being strong and long-lasting, to the detriment of animals everywhere.
Vegan leather can be made in other ways as well however. Here at LaBante London, our handbags are manufactured with vegan leather that is made from recycled water bottles. These are spun into yarn to make fabric. We also use vegetable leather for our premium brands, which is a by-product of vegetable waste. These products are not only 100% vegan, but they are eco-friendly and sustainable as well.
By this stage, you’re probably all wondering; is vegan leather safe for the environment? When it comes to PVC, the answer is, unfortunately, no. As PVC is made from plastic, it comes with the same problem as all other plastic products.
The first issue is the amount of energy, not to mention chemicals, that it takes to produce. When PVC is made, the process itself releases harmful dioxins. It is also treated with chemicals known as phthalates. These phthalates are damaging not only to animal life, but to humans as well.
PVC also has the same issues as all other plastics when it comes to being biodegradable. PVC isn’t biodegradable at all. This is made worse by the fact that PVC clothing and accessories are treated like they are disposable because they are so cheap and flimsy. This means that they are thrown away at an incredible rate, where they end up on landfills. As they start to break down slightly in the sun, this then releases its own set of chemicals.
Don’t despair however. New technology means that PVC and alternatives are being made in more and more sustainable ways. There are also brands out there that use thicker, more durable PVC, such as the leatherette used on sofas. These alternatives aren’t biodegradable, but they are designed to be used for just as long as real leather. When it comes to accessories however, looking for vegan leather that isn’t PVC is the eco-friendliest thing to do.
Faux leather fabric for clothing has been around for years, and some women just can’t do without their pleather leggings! However, with the environmental concerns over PVC, how can a vegan ever use it? There are ecological concerns with all types of leather, real or vegan, but ultimately, faux leather contains no animal products, and causes no cruelty to animals.
As mentioned, brands are doing all they can to make faux leather as sustainable as possible, with more and more innovative ideas being produced. One of these is kombucha, which is made from the same concoction as the increasingly popular tea. The great thing about kombucha leather is that is can be composted after use. Now that really is some eco-leather!
You might be wondering whether vegan leather is the right way to go at all.
Some environmentalists still advocate the use of real leather, due to the harmful effects PVC has on the environment, and the fact that leather is seen as a one-time purchase. Yet vegan leather is still better than real leather for the simple fact that it is vegan. The type of PVC you purchase is also important. PVC has a bad reputation due to all of the flimsy garments out there. If you shop carefully however, you can find PVC products that have been made to a very high standard and are very durable.
That being said, real leather continues to be popular because there isn’t really another material like it, which is why faux leather tries to imitate it so much. Real leather is very expensive to produce and comes with its own host of environmental issues, aside from the fact that it comes from an animal.
Tanning leather is the only way to turn it from animal hide, to a product that is usable. This uses a chemical called chromium which is very harmful to the environment. The run-off from this has to be treated before it can be released into the water system again, which uses up even more energy and water.
With new innovations in the vegan leather industry happening all the time, it is getting more and more sustainable to make a good leather imitation that is just like the real thing. Faux leather is also much easier to dye as the dye can be added during the actual production process. This means that you can get a wide range of colours without a lot of effort, and without the harmful tanning process.
Vegan leather, when it is well made and not single layer PVC, is surprisingly durable. A well-made pleather jacket will be just as good as one of real leather.
Because it isn’t made of animal hide, it doesn’t need to be treated regularly to keep it supple. Faux leather is also resistant to cracking like real leather. Of course, certain care should still be taken. For example, if you do own a vegan leather handbag, you shouldn’t hang it by its straps. You should also avoid leaving vegan leather products out in direct sunlight, as the heat can affect their quality.
All in all, just take care of your items the way you would with other products. Don’t be rough, but make sure you still use them!
Vegan leather is waterproof, but depending on what product you are using, some react better to water.
If you have a vegan leather jacket for example, it will have an extra waterproof coating. Many handbags however are not designed to get very wet, and so while they are waterproof, they shouldn’t be brought out in a heavy rainstorm. And remember, always leave faux leather products to air dry. Just like real leather, they don’t agree with a tumble dryer!
How to clean vegan leather is a question that is asked time and time again by consumers. The answer is very straight forward, and similar to how you clean real leather. You can buy faux leather cleaning wipes, however wipes for real leather will work just as well in this case. Gently rub the wipe all over the faux leather, paying particular attention to any stains.
Another solution for how to clean faux leather is with a mild detergent. One of the issues with both vegan and real leather is that it absorbs things such as ink, oil and wine. So, if you are wondering how to remove dye stains from faux leather, the solution is lukewarm water with a small amount of a mild detergent in it. Wipe down the back with an undyed cloth, and then wipe again with a cloth and only water. Repeat a final time with a completely dry cloth.
If you can’t do this immediately after a spill, try and get some talcum powder or cornstarch onto a greasy stain. This acts as a natural faux leather stain remover and you can wipe it off once you get a chance.
Another top tip for caring for vegan leather is to avoid heat. If your item does get wet, always leave it to air dry. Never use any form of artificial heat on vegan leather, as this can damage it.
Lots of companies now sell vegan leather handbags and accessories. It’s always recommended that anyone who wants to make their purchase as environmentally friendly as possible researches what the leather is made from, the working conditions where it is produced.
Here at LaBante London, 25 recycled plastic bottles go into every one of our vegan leather handbags. We focus on sustainability as well as a zero waste packaging system. When you carry a LaBante London handbag, you know that the people who made it are working for fair pay, and in good conditions.
Check out our range of eco friendly faux leather bags today!
This past week we had a lovely cute baby orangutan featured on our Instagram and we received an overwhelming response to this post so we did some digging to give you more information and when we dug more it turned out the matter is much more serious than even we originally understood.
Not only are there many food and cosmetic brands that are using palm oil its found in everything from shampoo to donuts, palm oil is now the most common vegetable oil in the world—and also one of the world's leading deforestation drivers.!
Palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the palm tree, which thrives in humid climates.
The majority of palm oil production occurs in just two countries, Malaysia and Indonesia, where huge forests are being cleared to make way for palm oil plantations...but when this habitat is cleared it does TWO horrible things :
To explain in a bit more detail to set up this palm oil plantation they need to BURN the peatlands which are carbon rich. What this means is that when they are BURNED both carbon and methane are released into the atmosphere and release global warming emissions for decades!! Yes you heard right DECADES! As if that wasn't bad enough, the burning of peatlands releases a toxic haze into the atmosphere, resulting in severe health impacts and significant economic losses. Each year, more than 100,000 deaths in Southeast Asia can be attributed to particulate matter exposure from landscape fires, many of which are peat fires.
Beyond its global warming and human health impacts, palm oil production also takes a toll on biodiversity and human rights. Only about 15 percent of native animal species can survive the transition from primary forest to plantation. Among the species vulnerable to palm oil expansion are orangutans, tigers, rhinoceros, and elephants. So it’s just not the baby orangutans there are other species ALL impacted by this crazy greed.
So what did we as a Western Society do … We set up a Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil Production (RSPO) If the company you want to order products from is a member then great there are some checks in place to ensure that they don’t OVERBUY palm Oil and the sources are supposed to be sustainable. 'The Accreditation Body will certify sustainable palm oil production, as stated in the RSPO Certification Systems. Growers will be assessed for certification once every 5 years, and if certified, will be annually assessed for continued compliance’- Source Rspco.org
What can we do to help ensure this deforestation stops?
Being on the RSPO is not a guarantee card that the deforestation will not continue the only way forward is if we as a community stand up and ask Vegan brands to stop using Palm oil in their products brands such as Oreo, Jordan Cereal etc lets ask them to just stop using it
If you have other ideas write to us on ecoblogs@labante.co.uk
Last September fashion house Gucci announced it would go fur free from 2018.
The Italian fashion house’s president and CEO Marco Bizzarri has announced no fur will feature in the brand’s collection from spring-summer 2018. All remaining animal fur items will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the animal rights organisation Humane Society International (HSI) and LAV. Gucci is positioning this move as demonstrating the brand’s absolute commitment to making sustainability an intrinsic part of their business.
However, scratch the surface and what does it really mean? Did the Gucci organisation suddenly find compassion for animals or dare we suggest that fashion has changed and that fur no longer offers the same return on investment it once did? Is this a business decision disguised as a PR opportunity? It’s always worth asking these questions at times like these. Could there be a reverse statement by these big name fashion houses if fur suddenly became trendy again?
At LaBante London we are passionate about animal rights and ethical fashion, so of course we do welcome the news that such a powerful fashion house has made this move. In recent years, hundreds of other major fashion brands have ditched fur, including Armani, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney and Tommy Hilfiger. We also echo comments like those of Kitty Block, (whatcomment?)president of HSI, who feels this is a real game-changing moment for the fashion industry. We just want to things to stay this way and for progress to continue…
I can’t help but be reminded of beauty brand NARS that, overnight, went from being a cruelty free brand to one that tests on animals. They even released a statement this summer claiming that the global elimination of animal testing needs to happen and that they firmly believed that product and ingredient safety can be proven by non-animal methods, but that they must comply with the local laws of the markets in which they operate. To quote Kat Von D who I believe said: if a brand cannot stand to its ethos where does it leave its consumers?
xoxo,
Vanita
10 years ago most vegans would have struggled to count on one hand the number of quality vegan events in the UK. Nowadays, there are so many great vegan events that visitors actually need to decide between one event or the other.
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