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Today on PunkMed, I’d like to share some of my favorite sustainable laptop backpacks in 2022! My workweek is a “hybrid style,” where I work both from an office building and my home office. Traveling back and forth between the two means I’m often packing up my items and my laptop. Having a reliable vegan backpack is critical for my life, as it can be easy to misplace things in transit.
Recently, I began a search for a new sustainable laptop bag, and I thought I’d share my finds with you!
Hi, I’m Leslie
My name is Leslie, and I’m the founder of PunkMed! On my blog, I and my team share my info, experiences, and recommendations in the area of sustainability, urban homesteading, and outdoor living.
In today’s post, I’m sharing eight brands to check out for sustainable laptop backpacks. Now, I want to be clear upfront – I haven’t bought each of these backpacks (that would be a lot of backpacks, yikes)! I’ve put together this roundup so you can find what you need, and my intention is to save you from hours of Googling.
This post is all about sustainable laptop backpacks.
Sustainable Backpacks
As you may know, the term “vegan leather” is fraught with debate. Many fast fashion brands use this term, saying a backpack is made out of “vegan leather,” when it’s actually plastic. Besides being misleading, some studies and reports have shown that these plastic bags and backpacks are harmful to your body, as well as the environment.
For this reason, I’ve included additional information on sustainability and labor practices. In my opinion, it simply is not enough to say a backpack is made from “vegan leather” for it to be considered a more sustainable and ethical choice.
Let’s get into it!
#1 Sustainable Backpack from Sakka Handmade
Whenever I’m shopping for sustainable and ethical items, Etsy is one of the first places I look! I love the texture of this sustainable bag, made out of cork.
Sustainability Info:
- Labor Practices: “We design and sample every piece in our Sydney office, then produce them in China. Fostering robust relationships with all our factory owners, we’re SEDEX approved and deal only with department stores with an ethical sourcing team.”
- Materials Used: “Our vegan leathers are PU (polyurethane) – never PVC (polyvinyl chloride). We also work with sustainable cotton, canvas, and recycled nylons.”
- Price Point: $78
- Warranties or Guarantees: None listed
Snag this sustainable laptop backpack here.
#2 Sustainable Laptop Backpack – Out and About Cork Backpack
Next up on my list of sustainable backpacks, we have this cork backpack from Tiradia Cork. This backpack gives me hipster vibes, and I love that it comes in multiple colors.
Sustainability Info:
- Labor Practices: “Handcrafted in small batches by skilled Portuguese artisans, keeping production close to the source and benefiting the local economy.”
- Materials Used: Natural cork dyed with vegetable dyes. PETA certified vegan.
- Price Point: $150
- Warranties or Guarantees: None listed
This ethically-made backpack fits up to a 15” laptop.
Get this sustainable laptop backpack here.
#3 Sustainable School Laptop Backpack from Terra Thread
Next up on our list, I wanted to share a bright and bold sustainable backpack. I don’t know why most sustainable products only come in muted tones, but the lack of color can be a fashion bummer!
Terra Thread is a star seller on Etsy, and their Earth Backpack comes in over 10 colors!
Sustainability Info:
- Labor Practices: None shared
- Materials Used: Made using heavy-duty 14 oz organic cotton canvas
- Price Point: $69.95
- Warranties or Guarantees: None listed
This sustainable backpack can also be washed in a washing machine, which is great! Many sustainable backpacks are spot clean only. This backpack also has a laptop sleeve, around up to 15 inches (assuming I’m looking at their info correctly!)
Shop this laptop school backpack here.
#4 Sustainable Laptop Backpack – Commuter Backpack Made with Cork
As I shared earlier, “vegan leather” can be a misleading term, an eco-marketing way of saying “made from plastic.”
Luckily, vegetable dyed cork can be a great “vegan leather,” as Tiradia Cork shows us with their commuter backpack. I’ve shared this sustainable backpack on a few other posts, and I’m such a fan of its sleek design.
Sustainability Info:
- Labor Practices: Handcrafted in Aveiro, Portugal
- Materials Used: Made of natural cork, dyed using natural vegetable dyes
- Price Point: $180 USD
- Warranties or Guarantees: None shared
In addition, this is a great sustainable laptop backpack, fitting up to a 15” laptop in an interior pocket.
Shop this sustainable laptop backpack here.
#5 Sustainable Upcycled Water Resistant Backpack – Rolltop Rucksack
This next sustainable backpack is made out of “upcycled materials,” meaning the brand, Wyatt and Jack, prevents materials from ending up in landfills by repurposing it! In this case, this backpack is made from salvaged bouncy castle PVC and broken inflatables. Fun!
Sustainability Info:
- Labor Practices: Accredited living wage employer in the UK, with no outsourcing
- Materials Used: Made using upcycled PVC and other materials
- Price Point: $103.01 USD
- Warranties or Guarantees: Lifetime repairs and end of life policy (see product page for info)
In addition, this backpack is water resistant. Fun fact, most backpack brands cannot market themselves as being “waterproof,” because if you jump in a swimming pool or an ocean – the contents of your bag will get wet!
I think this would be a great backpack for someone who cycles to work, as the bright colors catch the eye.
Get this water resistant sustainable backpack here!
#6 Laptop Backpack from STATE
Next up on our list of ethically made laptop backpacks for work, I’m excited to tell you about STATE! This company sells fair trade backpacks that can also be personalized with your initials. This brand is making headway into the sustainability space, but there is still work for them to do. Specifically, the company does not list its partnership with any certifying body that vouches for the labor practices in Chinese factories.
That said, I believe it is important to support businesses who are doing the work to be more sustainable and ethical, so I’ve included STATE in this roundup.
Sustainability Info:
- Labor Practices: Made in China “under fair and ethical working conditions”
- Materials Used: “All of our products are made with non-toxic materials that comply with US testing regulations. Although not fully eco-friendly, it’s our company mission to be sustainable by 2025.”
- Price Point: $135 USD
- Warranties or Guarantees: Lifetime repairs and end of life policy (see product page for info)
Shop STATE laptop backpacks here.
#7 Sustainable Laptop Backpacks from Lo & Sons
I learned of Lo & Sons during early 2020, and I have loved seeing this ethical and family-owned business grow!
They have a number of laptop bags, but I think my top two favorite sustainable laptop backpacks are The Rowledge and The Beacon. Lo & Sons make three versions of each of these ethically made laptop backpacks, with different colors of hardware. Some folks love a silver color and others prefer something more in the gold tones!
Note: Not all of Lo & Sons products are vegan.
Sustainability Info:
- Labor Practices: Info not shared on their sustainability page
- Materials Used: Each laptop bag has different materials. Check the product page for a full description of materials used
- Price Point: $298 – $485
- Warranties or Guarantees: One year warranty (see Lo & Sons website for full details)
Overall, I’m really impressed with the transparency and thoroughness of Lo & Sons with regards to materials. I would like to see more information on their labor practices.
Shop sustainable backpacks at Lo & Sons here.
#8 Fair Trade Vegan Leather Backpack from Gaia
You know products that you can’t help but check in on every now and again? One of my products I lust after online is the Gaia Apple Leather backpack. As someone who loves to travel, take weekend trips and works from both my home and the office – the organization features of this bag are really appealing!
Sustainability Info:
- Labor Practices: Made in New York City
- Materials Used: Made from apple peel and recycled plant-based materials
- Price Point: $475
- Warranties or Guarantees: None listed
Get this ethically made and sustainable laptop backpack here.
This post was all about sustainable laptop backpacks.
