The Best Vegan Bags For Back To School

Back to school season is in full swing and with it, the endless journey of back to school shopping. As a college student, I am less likely to go out in search of colorful new notebooks and pencils like I used to as a kid because I spend all my time on my laptop now, but there’s still one thing we are often on the hunt for.

That would be the perfect school bag. One of the first things I noticed when I got to my college campus, especially because I go to a school with a prominent presence of fashion students, was that nobody really carried a backpack anymore. 

So one of the first things I did my first week of freshman year was find a shoulder bag more appropriate for the fashion and social climate I now found myself in. Unfortunately, I did thrift this purse, which I have loved thoroughly for almost four complete years of school, but I can still help you find the perfect, environmentally-friendly school purse for your needs.

Baggu bags are highly trendy right now and I use several of them every time I travel. The shiny, nylon material used in all their bags is recyclable and sustainable, making these bags highly reusable and easy to wash. All excess fabric gets recycled into smaller bags and pouches and you can take your Baggus from class to even the pool or the beach and they are fully durable and bounce back after all uses. Here are a couple of great options from this innovative brand.

Puffy Laptop Sleeve 13”/14”

Allégorie is a really cool company because they transform discarded food waste and compost into the vegan, cruelty-free leather material for their bags, how cool is that! They operate in NYC’s own Garment District and utilize food waste like apples, mangos, cacti and pineapples to create a soft, unique texture, which reduces GHG emissions. When you are browsing their website for your new favorite school bag, play around with the features that explain the eco-friendly and wildly impressive process that brings their vision to life. Here are some stand out bags that caught my eye.

Gala Cruiser

Stella McCartney is, of course, a brand that is highly famous for being very dedicated to veganism and avoiding using animal products and fabrics at all costs. The bags on this site are free of traditional leather and instead rely on materials like raffia palm. The products offered on their website create a sleek, sophisticated look without having to be forced to rely on the harmful practice of leather farming. There are endless beautiful bags in unique shapes and sizes waiting for your perfect school year, and here are a couple of my favorites.

Falabella Fold-Over Tote Bag 

I hope that everyone has a great school year, but even if you are not a student, I think you can definitely get some great use out of any of the bags from the brands listed. There are very few excuses in 2026 for not striving for the absolute best materials and methods of making and designing fashion in an environmentally conscious way, and highlighting these companies that are aiming to lead by example is exactly how I want to begin my fall and my senior year.