Material and nature: those are the focus behind vegan bag brand Matt & Nat. Their e-shop features a cornucopia of chicly-designed backpacks, satchels, totes, clutches and other assorted arm candy, all created from recycled goods.

From its inception, the company committed itself to not using leather or any animal-based materials in their designs. The result is a variety of sustainable fabrics: recycled nylons, cardboard, rubber and cork, with linings created from old water bottles.

Yet these are not fusty, out-of-date, hippy designs. Witness sleek backpacks, perfect for the city-slicker: the Paxx (£138) in midnight blue or black, or the more feminine Peltola (£115) – perfect for summer in duck-egg-blue. The vintage collection is rife with retro, structured shapes. The curved Nemesis (£103) and the Phil mini-messenger (£95) are favourites.

Using such textiles requires constant innovation. The vegan leathers produced by the team in Quebec are coloured with vegetable dyes, giving them an authentic appearance, much like the real deal, and means the bags come in an incredible range of hues, both on-trend pastel and day-glo brights. And the material’s strength means you can continue loving your bag for years to come.

mattandnat.com

Tags: handbags, Matt & Nat, vegan