According to Veggani’s website “… founder and Designer Laura de Waal’s goal in starting Veggani was to create stylish, functional, quality handbags that do not compromise our ethics but promote them. All of our handbags reflect our commitment to being socially responsible, environmentally conscious and animal friendly. One of the key elements of VEGGANI’s mission is to not only help impoverished communities, but to bring awareness to them. We use high quality materials that are often recycled and/or repurposed. When possible, we work with and support smaller factories and artisan workshops. These efforts are never easy and require much more attention, research and heart than creating a product without a conscious.”

Ahhhhhhh.  So good…right?  You know what’s even better?  Veggani’s bags are beautifully made, chic and fashion forward.  Let me show you!

The lovely people at Veggani let me choose which bag of theirs I wanted to review, so I chose the Malala.  Let me start by saying that I love this bag so much that it is now my everyday bag.  The Malala is a versatile bag as it is both a shoulder bag and a backpack.  How cool is that?   Veggani uses high quality vegan leather that is incredibly soft yet durable and the lining of the Malala is made from recycled plastic bottles.

To top it all off, some of the metal hardware on their handbags was created by artisans in a remote village in the Xieng Khouang Province in Northern Laos. The artisans create the hardware using recycled aluminum from Vietnam war era bombs.  There is so much good going on here people and it’s so good looking!

I am always a fan of pockets and compartments and the Malala does not disappoint.  There are two separate main zipper compartments, a smaller side zip pocket (perfect for my keys) and an internal zip pocket along with two pouches for cellphones.  The straps fit comfortably whether you are wearing it as a shoulder bag or a backpack.  Below is a photo of the Malala as a backpack.

There are several other fabulous bags available at  http://www.veggani.com/ from shoulder bags to clutches, all are vegan, all are made with compassion for people, animals and the environment.  So head on over to Veggani and show some love to our new vegan fashion friends.  Your closet will thank you!

The post Veggani vegan handbags – Vegan fashion blogger tested and approved! appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Based in NYC, The Underground Chic’s founders noticed that there was a lack of companies supplying sustainable yet fashionable handbags, and they decided to fill the void. They have found their niche by providing affordable style alternatives that are cruelty-free, vegan, reduce the environmental impact and recycle the earth’s natural resources creatively, intelligently and responsibly.

The Underground Chic’s ‘Birkin’ style handbags look good on anyone’s arm without the back-breaking price tag. All of their bags are made 100% RPET, which is a polyester made from recycled plastic bottles. It may appear that these bags are made out of leather and are covered in metal hardware, but on closer inspection you’ll see that the texture and most of the details are actually printed on the bags.

My Samantha bag is lightweight and roomy, with enough space for all of the items that I usually carry around, including my camera. (Because what food and fashion blogger leaves the house without her camera?) My laptop would surely fit inside too, if I needed to do any blogging on the go. Inside there are pockets for my iPhone and keys, satisfying my need to be organized at all times. There’s a detachable shoulder strap, so that I can carry it over the shoulder or by hand.

The Underground Chic’s bags come in a variety of sizes, from large handbags to small cosmetic bags, and they’re available in bright, cheery, fashion forward colors such as Citrus, Grassy Green, Nautical Blue, and Turquoise.

The Underground Chic takes being an eco-conscious company seriously and they feel it is their responsibility to contribute towards protecting and respecting our environment. They have partnered with Trees for the Future, and for every handbag or cosmetic bag purchased a tree is planted. How’s that for eco-friendly?

The Underground Chic bags are available at www.theundergroundchic.com and retail for $32-$125, however, Chic Vegan readers will receive a 20% discount when they enter the coupon code chicvegan at check out. Discount expires December 31, 2013. The Underground Chic handbags make holiday gifts, so start your shopping now!

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