Mulberry Just Launched a 100% Sustainable Handbag

After a successful collaboration with Acne Studios last month, British heritage brand Mulbery is back in headlines with news of their first entirely sustainable handbag. Named the Portobello Tote, the bag is manufactured entirely in the UK at Mulberry’s carbon-neutral Somerset factories.

The heavy grain leather used for the bag is a by-product of food production (so no animals were harmed during the process) and comes from a tannery with a gold-star rating from Leather Working Group, a leather-industry focused organization, on the basis of its environmental operations and output. The tote is unlined and has been stitched with Epic EcoVerde thread, a recycled polyester fibre.

“Our starting point for this family was the ultimate everyday item, the plastic bag – functional, but throwaway,” said Johnny Coca, Mulberry’s Creative Director, in a statement. “The Portobello keeps the beautiful utility of this silhouette and elevates it into an elegant tote that is practical and, more importantly, made to last.”

The bag is inspired by the brand’s hallmark colour Mulberry Green, a reflection of their commitment to social and environmental responsibility. For all Mulberry handbags, the brand offers a lifetime restoration service which encourages customers to repair, rather than replace, well-loved bags. One route to sustainability is buying less and buying better, so purchasing a bag that you’re confident will last a lifetime is a great way to keep your environmental impact low.

100% of net proceeds from the sale of the bag will go to the World Land Trust, a conservation charity that funds the creation of reserves and provides permanent protection for habitats and wildlife.

The bag is available in store and online in a range of shades: Black, Midnight, Chestnut, Nordic Blue, Crimson, Tangerine Orange and Mulberry Green, for CAD 1450.