Luxury Handbag Brand Goes Vegan

Malibu, CA-based luxury handbag line von Holzhausen recently removed all animal leather from its collection. Founded in 2015 by automotive industry executive Vicki von Holzhausen, the brand initially sold both vegan and animal leather-based accessories. “A couple of years ago, we saw something missing in the market,” the brand stated on Instagram. “We noticed that while people wanted to support more ethical brands, it was difficult to find leather alternatives without diluting the quality of the touch and feel of the product. For this reason, animal-free has come to be associated with lower quality. But we’re ready to change that.” Von Holzhausen created a proprietary material it calls “Technik-Leather” that is water- and crack-resistant, non-toxic, and pliable. The brand partnered with animal-rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to give away one of its vegan handbags—the Technik-Leather Shopper bag in white worth $450—to an Instagram follower that it will select after March 9.