The Best Vegan Wallets
[Buyers Guide 2021]
So if it’s a choice between a material which causes considerable damage to the environment or one that helps reduce waste and helps the cause, why not choose the latter? Over the past few years alone the innovation in creating vegan leathers has advanced significantly as the demand for environmentally conscious and sustainable products has become a major concern of the mind of consumers. With a predicted net worth of $85 billion by 2025, it’s no wonder many brands are beginning to explore the world of vegan leather.
This article will look into some of our favorite examples of vegan leather wallets on the market today. All the wallets we recommend are independently reviewed and we don’t take brides or promote misinformation on any of our articles (although we might have the odd affiliate link here and there). Vegan wallets tend to be more expensive than other wallets are the process of developing and manufacturing them is harder than typical animal leathers.
What is Vegan Leather?
Vegan Leather is, as the name suggests, 100% Vegan. It does not use any animal products to be made in any aspects of its production making it far more sustainable and ethically sound. Along with this, vegan leather takes and resembles animal leather in every way. In fact, sometimes it can be hard to tell whether or not the leather is actually vegan as it so closely resembles animal leather in look, feel, and quality.
Think of it like vegan sausages or chicken. The company Quorn does a fantastic job of creating plant-based alternatives to meat that not only looks and tastes like meat but also have similar nutritional values. Vegan leather is the same principle and uses a range of clever materials to achieve almost identical leather alternatives. Examples of materials used to create these vegan leather wallets include mushrooms, apple skin, and even tree leaves. The example video below is a great example of leaf leather.
Examples of Vegan Leather
Although this article is especially looking at vegan leather wallets, we can’t forget the range of other non-leather materials that are entirely free of animals. This includes the likes of metal or elastic that we won’t be covering on this list. We have many dedicated articles and reviews looking at various leather alternatives that you can discover using the links below.
How Ethical is Vegan Leather?
It’s often a misconception that all Vegan Leathers are sustainable and an ethical alternative to animal leathers. In reality, though, many of the leather alternatives themselves pose their own environmental concerns to consider so it pays to know what to avoid and research intently before you choose a vegan wallet to buy.
An example of some of these included the likes of synthetic materials. We all know too well the issues revolving around microplastic in the ocean and these petroleum-based plastics are one to avoid as they are non-recyclable and not biodegradable. Remember to always research a brand first to understand their manufacturing process, and if you can, make sure they’re part of an approved regulatory body for environmental concerns such as B-Corp.
Corkor Wallets
Corkor is a brand close to our heart and one we actually stock in our own store. Our main reasoning for this is down to their use of Cork (tree bark), a material rarely used in wallets but a perfect choice for those looking for a sustainable leather alternative.
Cork is a really sustainable and vegan material. The production of Cork, on the surface, might seem bad as it uses wood. But in reality, that’s not the case. Cork is made from the bark of trees which means it doesn’t require the destruction of any actual trees. Cork as a material also has many amazing properties including its distinct look and texture, and water-resistant properties.
Along with handbags and a variety of products Corkor is most known for its range of Cork Vegan Wallets. They offer over 10 different designs to choose from that meet the needs of anyone whether you’re looking for a traditional style bifold or a more minimalist ‘smaller’ sized wallet. Each wallet is handmade in their factory in Portugal and made to the highest standard with wonderful craftsmanship. My personal favorite in the range is their
The Corkor wallet range starts at a price of $15.00 and ranges as high as $45.00. I think this is a wonderful price range and well worth the money. The quality of each wallet is fantastic and considering they’re all handmade they’re very affordable to most. Again, my top picks are either the Cokor Bifold or Minimalist Cardholder both of which are two amazing wallets designed for people looking for different things. For more information on the Corkor vegan wallet, range checks out their official website by clicking the link below.
Oliver Co. London
Oliver Company is my top pick for wallets that look the closest to leather in look, quality, and feel. That being said, Oliver Co’s range of wallets are as far from leather as possible. Being made from Bio-materials Oliver Co uses a combination of biology, technology, and science to create fabrics that are sustainable for the environment. The specific material we’ll be discussing today is Oliver Co’s Apple Leather, as the name suggests, created from leftover pomace and apple peel.
Apple leather was first created by Alberto Volcan and inventor from Italy. He released that using a combination of 50% apple waste, with the remaining being PU leather, can create a durable yet soft material that is perfect for crafting small accessories. That being said, Oliver Co still uses PU along with their apple leather that isn’t exactly the most environmentally friendly material in the world. It’s a halfway house with this brand.
Starting at a price point of around $30.00 and ranging up to $80.00, the Oliver Co. range of wallets might be small but they pack a punch. Although Apple leather isn’t entirely sustainable thanks to the use of PU leather I think the range is one of the best in this list and their compact wallet is a fantastic example of a bi-fold wallet being brought into the 21st century. The range of colors is sleek and the Apple Co. range is the best for people who want a wallet made from a material indistinguishable from animal leather. For more information on Oliver Co click the link below.
Tree Tribe Wallets
You only have to take one second to look at Tree Tribe’s range of wallets to see what they’re made of. Their innovative Leaf Leather is not only environmentally friendly but also provides a unique wallet like no other. Being made from leather you get the distinctive look of leaves with all their unique intricacies and patternations. This makes every wallet slightly different and unique to you as no two leaves are ever truly the same in size shape or texture.
The process of creating leaf leather is fastinating and along with using less water, no animals being harmed even the trees are not harmed in the manufacturing process. Once collected, the leaves are soaked, dyed into a fantastic array of stark colors (Tree Tribe provides a range including colors like red, blue, purple, and natural green). From here the leaves are reinforced with cotton to provide structure and a hardier exterior to prevent it from simply falling apart – it’s as simple as that.
Tree Tribes Wallet range is also quite extensive. Along with typical bi-fold style wallets they also provide a range of women’s purses including a leaf clutch purse and zip wallet. I have no doubt that with a range of over 10 different designs you’ll find a wallet that fits your needs. My personal favorite is their simple minimalist cardholder wallet.
Starting at a price tag as low as $28.00 and as high as $50.00, the Tree Tribe wallet range is suited to everyone’s budget as its diverse pricing structure means you can pick and choose one with your budget. I personally love Tree Tribe and leaf leather and find it a perfect and durable material for those looking for a vegan wallet. For more information on Tree Tribe, Leaf leather and their full range of wallets check out their official website using the link below.
