Mulberry Launches Its First 100% Sustainable Handbag

First came the Bayswater, then the Alexa. Today the hit-making team at Mulberry has added a new member to the family - the Portobello. This isn’t just another leather tote, although it’s undoubtedly a lovely addition to the genre, with its soft structure, loop handles and shoulder strap so you can sling it cross-body-style. Instead, it marks Mulberry’s first 100% sustainable handbag.

Its shape is a clever riff on an item that has a reputation for being both disposable and planet-damaging. ‘Our starting point was the ultimate everyday item, the plastic bag – functional, but throwaway. The Portobello keeps the beautiful utility of this silhouette and elevates it into an elegant tote that is practical and, more importantly, made to last,’ says creative director Johnny Coca.

It’s proudly made in the UK, at the brand’s carbon-neutral Somerset factories, and uses leather that’s a by-product of the food production industry from a gold-rated tannery. It’s also stitched with a recycled polyester fibre called Epic EcoVerde, and 100% of profits from the sale of the bag will go to international conversation charity World Land Trust.

Encouraging you to buy it would be against the very nature of its sustainable credentials, but if you’re in the market for a new handbag and want to make an investment in something classic, why not make a self-gift of the Portabello this Christmas?

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