10 Best Eco-Friendly Wallets Made Sustainably
A mobile phone, some loose change, house keys, and a collection of cards are things we usually like to have on us at all times. And, of course, many of us choose to carry a few notes and our important cards in a wallet. Choosing an eco-friendly wallet ensures that you stay organized and fashionable without hurting the planet.
Wallets are not only functional items but great fashion accessories, too. So, people buy wallets not just to carry personal items around but also to complement their style. The global leather wallet and purse market was worth about $38 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $53.8 billion by 20271.
When you go wallet shopping, eco-friendliness is essential for those seeking to buy better for the planet. Despite being small, your traditional wallet carries an environmental cost. For example, many wallets made from regular leather may leave a trail of animal cruelty, carbon emissions, and pollution. Also, there is a problem of resource waste and plastic pollution when most wallets made from plastic-based synthetics end up in landfills.
Eco-friendly wallets are made from sustainable materials in ways that don't hurt the planet. Some of the eco-friendly materials include organic cotton, cactus leather, and hemp.
Upcycled materials include nylon and synthetics sourced from everything from old car tires and recycled cement bags to offcuts alongside recycled plastic. Others may use recycled leather from offcuts or byproducts of the meat industry and recycled plastic. They may be recyclable, compostable, or just biodegradable at the end-use stage.
Although wallets are generally viewed as men's accessories, there are designs made to be genderless or that may appeal in place of a purse.
10 Best Eco-friendly Wallet Brands
Below are some of the best eco-wallet brands. We have provided key information you will need to get familiar with these sustainable brands and see if their level of sustainability suits you and your loved ones.
Our recommendations have prioritized genuinely sustainable brands certified by leading initiatives such as the Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS), REACH, and the Leather Working Group.
For more info on these labels, check out our guide, How to Shop Sustainably. And to stash alongside those cards and essentials, you might like our selection of eco-friendly business cards.
Quick links to our picks of the 10 best eco-friendly wallet brands:
1. Corkor
For: Men
Product range: wallet
Ethical practices and value: plant-based materials, handcrafted, non-toxic dye, biodegradable, PETA approved, FSC certified.
Size range: 2.2 x 3.3 x 4.0, 3.9 x 3.0 x 0.4
Store location and shipping: based in Portugal and ships internationally
Corkor makes minimalist wallets that come with just enough storage in a size that fits perfectly into regular front and back pockets. Corkor's ethical wallets come in different sizes and styles. Some have as many as six card slots, 1 top note compartment, and two slip pockets. Others have about two interior card holders, an exterior card slot, and a note compartment.
The vegan wallet has RFID protection and is cruelty-free. As the name suggests, they make it with cork, a water-resistant scratch and stain-resistant natural material. Their vegan leather wallets have a silky feel yet are durable. It is pretty supple, so it won't crack or crumble. It's also easy to clean; you can just wipe it with a bit of soap and warm water.
The superb craftsmanship of Corkor wallets comes from skilled Portuguese artisans. The brand's local production supports local artisans. They cancel out intermediaries and sell directly to consumers. They make their FSC-certified wallets without causing any harm to the oak trees they source them from.
Shop Corkor on Amazon or Direct
2. Tree Tribe
For: Men and women
Product range: Wallet, clothing
Ethical practices and values: vegan leather, handmade, non-toxic materials.
Size range: 4.1 x 2.8 x 0.2, 3.7 x 4.3 x 0.4, 7.5 x 7.5, 4.5 x 5.5 x 0.2
Store location and shipping: based in the United States and ships worldwide.
The Tree Tribe launched in 2015, and their vegan wallets are a conversation starter. Handcrafted by a small artisan group in Thailand, every tree tribe wallet features leaf vein patterns so real it is almost like holding real leaves. The wallets are lightweight and water-resistant on the outer layer.
This outdoor lifestyle brand makes its unique wallets using leather made from teak leaves. The leather looks and feels a lot like regular animal skin, but it is 100% vegan. They claim teak leaf leather is durable and will outlast animal leather. They harvest the teak leaves sustainably by picking only fallen leaves.
The leather-making process is environmentally friendly, and the finishing is a thin layer of non-toxic film to produce the most sustainable wallets. They also make the interior of the wallets with cotton. The Tree Tribe makes bi-fold wallets, women's clutches, zip wallets, and travel passport wallets. Moreover, they plant a tree for every purchase, with nearly half a million planted to date.
3. Core Hemp
For: Men, Women, and teens
Product range: wallet, backpacks, fanny packs
Ethical practices and values: organic material, handmade, vegan, fair trade wallets
Size range: 4 x 4
Store location and shipping: Based in the United States and ships worldwide.
Core hemp makes a few wallets alongside a larger range, including hemp backpacks and other bag options. Their fancy eco-friendly wallets appeal to men, women, and even teenagers. People who like minimalist wallets will enjoy this brand's simplistic woven wallet. Even with its simple style, the bifold wallet is designed with lots of dividers that create a sense of space and organization.
The wallet comes in one neutral color suitable for both men and women and is easy to wash. They make the wallet in the Himalayas from organically grown Nepalese hemp.
Core hemp works with local artisan associations to provide skills for disadvantaged women and then provides a platform for their products to get into the market. The brand's Dream Catcher Foundation supports people who run charity organizations in Nepal that help women.
4. Eco Slim
For: Men and Women
Product range: Wallet
Sustainable practices and values: Vegan leather, plant-based dye
Size range: 4 1/2 x 3 1/8 x 1/16
Store location and shipping: based in China and ships worldwide
Eco Slim makes sturdy, sustainable wallets using natural cork. They dye quality cork leather with soy-based dye, a non-toxic plant-based dye. The wallet is lightweight, waterproof, and resistant to abrasion.
The wallet comes with RFID protection for your bank cards, ID cards, and licenses. Just like the brand name implies, the wallet is ultra-slim with a modern look that fits quite easily into your pockets. It has five cardholder slots, one clear ID window, and a center currency pouch for your cash.
If you love minimalist wallets in both design and size, Eco Slim is one vegan wallet to explore.
5. Svala
For: Women
Product range: Wallet, handbags, purse
Ethical practices and values: vegan fabric, Italian vegan leather, recycled polyester, locally manufactured, handmade, PETA-approved
Size range: 7.75 x 4 x 1
Store location and shipping: based in Los Angeles and ships internationally.
The Svala brand makes its wallets, bags, and purses from cork, Pinatex, and Italian polyurethane (PU leather). They also line their wallets with organic cotton and recycled polyester made from plastic bottles. Svala packages its products with organic cotton dust bags.
The brand has Fur-Free approval from the animal welfare organization PETA. They also ensure that the artisans who craft their products work in good conditions and are well paid.
Svala completely cuts out intermediaries in retailing their products to keep them affordable. The brand donates 10% of its profits to charities working to end the illegal wildlife trade. They also purchase carbon offsets to reduce the environmental cost of shipping directly to every customer.
6. Funky Kalakar
For: Men and women
Product range: wallet, shoes
Ethical practices and values: vegan wallet, fair trade, transparency, PETA approved, eco-friendly packaging, recyclable
Store location and shipping: based in Mumbai and ships worldwide
Transparency, empowerment, circularity, and veganism are the four things Funky Kalakar claims as pillars of its brand, making them one of the best sustainable wallets. Their high-quality wallets come in natural, bright colors of bi-fold, tri-fold, slim, or wallet purse designs.
All Funky Kalakar products are handcrafted with highly durable faux leather. The brand ensures that all its partners have fair trade certifications. Following use, you can recycle the leather up to eight times.
A fair trade certified women's self-help group makes their 100% plastic-free packaging. The brand also works with associations that support underprivileged cobblers in Mumbai and local artisans that use traditional block printing.
Funky Kalakar's packaging is biodegradable. They have also shown commitment to giving old bags and shoes a second life.
7. Matt & Nat
For: Men and women
Product range: wallets
Ethical practices and values: transparent supply chain, vegan leather, recycled materials
Size range: 3 x 3.75 x 0.5
Store location and shipping: based in Canada and ships internationally
The Matt & Nat brand coined its name from the words material and nature. They are a brand focused on social inclusivity and environmental responsibility. The eco-friendly Canadian brand rejects the idea of using animal-based materials in their wallets and other accessories. Their products are entirely vegan, and their vegan leather wallet is as durable as real leather.
They, however, use plastic. They use a lot of recycled plastic to make their plastic consumption better for the environment. This brand recycles about 9 million water bottles annually by making 100% of its recycled wallets with recycled plastic bottles inside linings. They also use recycled windshield glass (polyvinyl butyral) and polyurethane, which is biodegradable.
Matt & Nat take workers' welfare to heart. They carry out audits twice a year in the various factories they work with to ensure no issues of child labor, unpaid wages, or health hazards. The brand's CEO goes on periodic visits to the factories. They also have local managers who regularly visit the factories to ensure that factory owners treat workers fairly and do not endanger the environment.
8. Tentree
For: Men and women
Product range: wallets
Ethical practices and values: Certified B corporation, climate-neutral certified, recycled materials, transparent supply chain
Size range: 3.9 x 3.15,
Store location and shipping: based in Canada and ships internationally
Tentree is an ethical fashion brand that not only uses sustainable materials but gives back to the environment. The brand has a goal of planting 1 billion trees by 2030; so far, it has planted 58,060,422 trees. For every item it sells, Tentree will plant ten trees.
They make their collection of zipping and bi-fold wallets from a variety of eco-friendly materials, including cork, hemp fiber, and REPREVE polyester. All Tentree sustainable wallets have RFID-blocking capacity.
The brand partners with factories all over the world. They ensure that the factories they choose to work with pay workers fairly and provide them with insurance coverage. WRAP, Fair Wear Foundation, BSCI, Fair Trade, and SA8000 certified many of their production partners for eco-friendliness and ethical labor.
9. Wave
For: Men
Product range: wallet, mobile phone case
Ethical practices and values: vegan wallet, recycled packaging.
Size range: 4 x 3.5
Store location and shipping: based in the UK and ships internationally
Wave uses cactus leather to make stylish cardholders with a modern feel that will always be in fashion. The cardholder has four card slots and a center pouch. They also produce trendy, eco-friendly compostable cases for mobile phones and ear pods.
All the materials used in Wave products are biodegradable and plant-based. This brand sources all its plant-based eco-friendly material from one sustainable plantation. They ensure that no plants are damaged during production.
The brand uses minimalist plastic-free packaging made from recycled cardboard. Wave supports the Surfers Against Sewage Club, one of the UK's top marine conservation charities. They also get involved with local humanitarian initiatives.
10. Been
For: women
Product range: wallet,
Ethical practices and values: recycled nylon and materials, handmade, plant-based materials, transparent supply chain. Locally manufactured
Size range: 7cm x 11cm x 2cm, 14cm x 22cm x 8cm
Store location and shipping: based in the UK and ships
London-based ethical fashion brand BEEN makes wallets, bags, and purses from recycled waste. They use recycled leather offcuts and recycled plastic bottles to make sustainable wallets and other accessories.
BEEN gets its leather from tannery waste. The recycled leather cuts out the pollution and animal cruelty that arises from procuring their own virgin leather. This means BEEN leather has a lower carbon footprint than regular animal leather.
They also use regenerated threads made from nylon scraps, fishing nets, and other plastic removed from the ocean.
They also make vegan wallets using leather made from the waste core and peel of apples. Recycled cotton, PET bottles, and felt are also featured in their wallets. Another plant waste material they use is Pinatex, which is made from pineapple leaves.
This eco-friendly company works with artisans in East London and ensures that all workers are paid fairly and have a conducive workspace.
Conclusion
Having a wallet to carry essential small personal items around is a smart thing to do. An even smarter idea is making sure it is a sustainable wallet. We have put this article together to help make finding the right eco-friendly wallet easier for you so that next time you go to pay for something, you can be sure your wallet choice supports a healthier planet.
When you purchase from any of these ethical brands, you help save the pollution caused by creating new goods without the environment in mind.
| 1 | Leather Wallets and Purses - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics, Research and Markets, April 2021. |
Jen’s a passionate environmentalist and sustainability expert. With a science degree from Babcock University Jen loves applying her research skills to craft editorial that connects with our global changemaker and readership audiences centered around topics including zero waste, sustainability, climate change, and biodiversity.
Elsewhere Jen’s interests include the role that future technology and data have in helping us solve some of the planet’s biggest challenges.
