Womenswear
Ethical British-Made Women's Bags and Satchels — Voted by the Community
This directory lists 10 brands that make ethical women's bags in the UK. They are most often based in Devon and London. Prices run from affordable to luxury. Ranked by community upvotes.
The Leather Satchel Co.
A brand that specialises in handcrafted, bespoke leather satchels, bags, and accessories. Founded in 1966, their products are made using traditional techniques and high-quality materials.
- Bridal
- Classic
- Contemporary
- Bridal
- Classic
- Contemporary
WAWWA
WAWWA is a Manchester clothing brand making functional, gender-inclusive everyday wear in its own UK factory. They work to a pre-order model, use organic and recycled materials, and pay the real Living Wage.
- Casual
- Contemporary
- Ethical
Shop to visit- Casual
- Contemporary
- Ethical
See these brands on the map12 places from 9 brands, 7 of them shops you can visit.Open the map
Ednerat
Ednerat designs and makes women's coats, clothing and accessories. Everything we offer is made by hand in the British Isles. We champion our makers and use British textiles and materials in everything we can.
- Bridal
- Casual
- Classic
Shop to visit- Bridal
- Casual
- Classic
Church of Sanctus
Church of Sanctus, established in 2012 by Lucinda Sinclair, handcrafts ethical gothic clothing in England..
- Ethical
- Heritage
- Slow Fashion
- Ethical
- Heritage
- Slow Fashion
Phoebe English
Clothing made in England attempting a variety of solutions towards less extractive fashion systems. Est 2011.
- Bridal
- Casual
- Classic
Shop to visit- Bridal
- Casual
- Classic
Sam Brown London
Sam Brown London crafts premium leather belts, bags and accessories using British hides and traditional veg-tanning methods.
- Casual
- Classic
- Contemporary
Factory shop- Casual
- Classic
- Contemporary
CARV
CARV creates timeless, minimalist leather handbags and accessories handcrafted in the UK using sustainable vegetable-tanned leather and traditional techniques.
- Contemporary
- Ethical
- Slow Fashion
Factory shop- Contemporary
- Ethical
- Slow Fashion
Cherchbi
Cherchbi is a British clothing brand founded in 2007 by Adam Atkinson, specialising in bags crafted from discarded Herdwick wool and premium materials.
- Country
- Ethical
- Heritage
Factory shop- Country
- Ethical
- Heritage
HERD
HERD, founded in 2020, crafts sustainable womens knitwear.
- Classic
- Ethical
- Slow Fashion
Shop to visit- Classic
- Ethical
- Slow Fashion
- LPOL
LPOL
LPOL, formerly Lost Property of London, is an independent British design brand crafting ethically made leather and upcycled bags and accessories.
- Classic
- Contemporary
- Ethical
- Classic
- Contemporary
- Ethical
Shops run by brands that make ethical women's bags
7 of the 10 brands that make ethical women's bags have a shop you can visit in Abergavenny, Bideford, Brixham and 4 other towns.
Abergavenny
Bideford
CARVfactory shop
Brixham
Sam Brown Londonfactory shop
Melton Mowbray
Cherchbifactory shop
Show 1 more townShow fewer towns
Stow-on-the-Wold
This independent directory lists UK-made clothing brands, and marks those that make only some items here.Why choose British-made?
A Brief History of British Made Bags
From about 1650 until the late nineteenth century, many women carried their belongings in tie-on pockets: separate pouches tied round the waist under the skirt and reached through openings in the dress. In the 1790s, slimmer dresses with fewer petticoats made these pockets awkward, and many women began carrying small drawstring bags instead. Known as reticules or indispensables, they held a purse, smelling salts and a handkerchief, and were often made and decorated at home. The word handbag first meant hand luggage, usually carried by men when travelling. In the later nineteenth century the leather travelling bag, with its metal fastenings, inside compartments, ticket pockets and sturdy handle, inspired a new handbag for women, the forerunner of the twentieth-century handbag. Some British saddlers and harness makers turned to bags as well. In Walsall, the centre of the saddlery trade, some firms were making travelling bags and other light leather goods from the 1870s, and turned more of their work to them as motor vehicles replaced horses after 1900. British-made women's bags today draw on this background of leatherwork and accessory making.