This Berlin-based brand with Peruvian roots offers sustainable clothing and accessories in a range of organic fabrics. Its style can be described as modern and minimalistic with Nordic and Peruvian influences.
While everything Maqu offers is 100% organic and eco-friendly, their latest additions, the Shirina Shoes, is making a significant leap towards a sustainable future. The peach-tinted sandals, which is the color of the year according to Pantone, are made from the shiringa, or rubber tree, that grows wild in the Amazon forest. Its milky sap is extracted by hand and turned into rubber sheets, called latex. Due to their innovative nature, the Shiringa Shoes were nominated for the Green Product Award Fashion 2023 and were also presented at a window store display during the SS25 edition of Berlin Fashion Week 2024.
At Maqu’s store, you can find a range of stylish dresses, tops, and bottoms in soft, organic fabrics to create the perfect sustainable look around the Shiringa Shoes.
Avesu specializes in vegan shoes and accessories made from a variety of alternative textiles. Alongside microfibre, recycled cotton, and hemp fabrics, the brand incorates Piñatex™ - a vegan leather made from pineapple leaf fibers that requires no additional use of land, fertilizers, or pesticides. Another plant-based alternative is corn leather, which is both supple and sturdy, making it perfect for eco-comfy shoes.
Cork, an incredibly lightweight and breathable material, also takes part in Avesu’s shoe production. It’s a natural, renewable resource that can also be grown under organic conditions.
To top it off, Avesu incorporates recycled rubber, upcycled materials, and recycled PET-bottles into their designs.
For walking and hiking enthusiasts or those who simply love comfort, Avesu utilizes Gore-Tex®, a lightweight, windproof, and waterproof membrane that allows water vapor to pass through. This makes shoes made from this material perfect for outdoor and walking.
If you want to try out different vegan leather alternatives in shoe design, Avesu is your stop.
If you’re looking for a luxury handbag that not only boasts impeccable design but is also vegan and sustainable, Lucky Nelly specializes in bespoke designer bags made from a range of innovative materials.
Vegan leather made from apple skin, Muskin (mushroom leather), Malai (coconut leather), Desserto (cactus leather), and mango leather are only some of the plant-based alternatives weaved into unique handbags with a luxury look and feel. Last year, the brand won the Green Product Award Fashion 2023 with their Amy bag made from strawberries.
Lucky Nelly’s products are truly one-of-a-kind, and “you will not accidentally meet someone else with the same bag at the same event”, the brand claims. You can also order custom-made bags to match your look. Founder and Head Designer Christine Rochlitz can even use flowers from your own garden to create a completely personalized statement piece.
All of Lucky Nelly’s products are PETA-approved vegan and a true cherished premium item in your wardrobe.
Transport yourself to Mexico’s dessert, where the material for Zamt Berlin’s vegan cactus leather is sourced. Then return to Berlin, where the vegan leather is crafted into timeless designs that will last you a lifetime.
With backgrounds in art and architecture, founders Zisan Buga and Max Reinhardt aim to reflect their love for nature in eco-conscious accessories that don’t compromise on style. Utilizing European craftsmanship and promoting fair-working conditions, the brand’s designs radiate boldness through strong lines and sleek minimalism.
The cactus leather is incredibly durable, soft to the touch, and produced to the highest standards. If you’re looking for stylish vegan leather accessories made with appreciation for design and nature, Zamt Berlin’s assortment might be just right for you.
Vegan leather fashion is rising in popularity with the switch to a more eco-conscious mindset. We’re lucky that many Berlin-based designers are experimenting with fabric alternatives, offering us a chance to make more mindful choices. Let’s shop green in Berlin!
