15 Sustainable Straw Bags for Trips to the Beach and Beyond
By Jharna Pariani
A great sustainable straw bag is the kind that will mentally transport you to a tropical getaway by the beach every time you wear it. And with summer on the horizon, we want to make sure you have your beach essentials for a day on the sand with our curated selection of 15 of the most sustainable and stylish straw bags to carry to the beach, on your next vacation and beyond.
Fun fact: Long before Jane Birkin’s name became synonymous with the Hermès Birkin, the French style icon was never caught without her signature basket bag. Making a strong case for the bags beyond beach style, she was always seen swinging one around her forearm with casual denim jeans and a plain white tee.
So, whether you’re keen on copying Birkin’s iconic style or just looking for the perfect summer accessory, you’ll find a diverse range of straw bags here you’ll love to carry — and you won’t believe that they come packed with some impressive eco-friendly and ethical credentials.
What is a Sustainable Straw Bag?
A majority of straw bags in the market now are made from plastic that is non-biodegradable and remains in our ecosystem for hundreds of years. We’ve done our homework to find you a curated selection of straw bags that are made from natural fibers that also celebrate ancestral crafts and empower artisans across the globe.
You can pair these bags with everything from vacation looks to weekend outfits for an aesthetic that’s at once Parisian and fresh. From functional baskets to fashion-forward interpretations in a range of rattan, wicker, straw and beyond, discover our sustainable selections ahead to sport this beloved summer accessory.
Where to Find Sustainable Beach Bags & Straw Bags
The following guide includes affiliate links, which means we'll earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through some (not all) of the following links. As always, all brands featured meet rigorous sustainability criteria and are brands we truly love — and that we think you'll love too!
1. Mar Y Sol
If you’re on the hunt for a bright and cheerful bag to swing around your arm this summer, then look no further. Mar Y Sol captures the tropical spirit of Madagascar through their locally crafted fair trade raffia bags that also use materials like sisal and seagrass to make their uniquely crocheted designs.
Since Madagascar’s forests play host to the most magnificent variety of raffia palm, you can expect your Mar Y Sol bag to have a wonderful texture and quality to it. The brand employs hundreds of artisans all over the island to empower them to gain economic independence and help preserve their traditional craft in the process.
Price: $$$
Materials: Rafia, sisal, seagrass
2. AAKS
If you suspect your accessories might be suffering from a lack of texture, then a raffia bag from AAKS might just be what you’re looking for. This UK-based brand creates woven raffia bags that are distinctively punctuated with the bright colors of Africa and helps conserve the provenance of weaving as an art form.
In fact, raffia palm trees are native to the tropical parts of Africa, and the resulting fiber instantly wields an exotic look. AAKS bags are lined with organic cotton and any raffia waste accumulated is repurposed for smaller bags or other accessories like pompoms.
Women empowerment is one of the main sustainable objectives at the Black woman-owned brand AAKS, which employs over 80% of female artisans that are paid fairly.
Price: $$$
Materials: Raffia
Check out AAKS (UK) | Check it out @ 54kibo (US)
3. Equal Hands
Your one-stop shop for uncommon handmade finds, Equal Hands offers a range of striking straw bags that are made by Colombian artisans using ancient techniques rooted in regionally specific traditions.
Expect to find unique straw bags that are woven with the most intricate attention to detail. A majority of their bags are made using Iraca straw, a resistant thread that comes from Iraca palm trees.
As a brand that supports slow fashion and empowers communities globally, each one of its products has to meet at least five or more of their extensive sustainable criteria that include circularity, natural fibres and biodegradability, to name a few.
Price: $$$
Materials: Iraca palm fibers, natural fibers
4. Korissa
When making a new bag purchase (especially a sustainable one), it's important to consider whether or not it has the ability to transition from one season to the next — and this is especially true for straw bags.
Luckily, that isn’t the case with Korissa’s range of bags. Their jute totes stand the test of time in muted colorways and timeless designs that can be styled with a wide variety of outfits, all through the summer, and beyond.
Korissa has partnered with artisan organisations in Bangladesh to create their designs and in turn, help them gain access to fair wages to build sustainable livelihoods.
Price: $$
Materials: Jute, seagrass
5. Will & Atlas
Make way for summer carryalls that transcend beyond the beach and are bound to become your future companions on trips to the farmers market. Will & Atlas works with fair trade artisan groups in Bangladesh to create handmade bags that evoke laid-back Parisian style.
We love their macramé string bags crafted from materials like jute and hemp, featuring handles in classic leather and rope styles that give off a very nautical vibe.
Price: $$
Materials: Jute, hemp
6. The Little Market
What’s better than buying a straw bag for the summer? Gifting one, or a few — especially when their proceeds go towards a great cause. The Little Market is a nonprofit fair trade shop that features ethically sourced products that have managed to impact the lives of 70 female artisan groups in over 25 countries and sovereign states.
Their all-purpose jute totes come with printed messages that make for great party favors to suit all sorts of occasions and celebrations. Not only will these bags be reusable beyond a gift, but they will also be associated with creating a life-changing impact for the artisan that made it.
Since 2013, The Little Market has managed to ethically purchase 190,418 units and provide 864,929 hours of dignified work for underserved communities.
Price: $$
Materials: Jute, cotton canvas
7. Nannacay
Derived from the Peruvian word Nãnākay, which stands for ‘the sisterhood of women’, Nannacay has set out to achieve just that by working with female artisans from marginalized groups across Brazil, Peru and Ecuador.
Crafted from cotton ropes and piaçava straw using techniques like macramé and crochet, these bags are reflective of the South American spirit through their vibrant designs and shapes.
Find everything from roomy totes to bucket bags and crossbody styles in bright hues that are sure to liven up your entire look.
Price: $$$
Materials: Piaçava straw, cotton
8. Nipomo
Born out of the need to celebrate the local craft and traditions of Mexico and California, Nipomo creates handwoven bags that provide a fair income for skilled Mexican craftspeople while helping preserve their traditional craft.
Find a selection of roomy beach totes (one of which can double as a shoulder bag), bucket styles and mini basket bags that are intricately woven using natural palm fibers.
Price: $$
Materials: Natural palm fiber
9. Kayu
Kayu’s straw basket bags have Jane Birkin written all over them — so, naturally, it speaks to us on a deeply fashionable level. Think grosgrain ribbons that look like chic scarves delicately wrapped around the handles, set against classic woven straw bags that instantly have you envisioning a vacation in the French Riviera.
Their bags are crafted using natural straw that has been harvested, stripped and dyed by hand. The brand mainly uses seagrass, a fast-growing grass traditionally known as seaweed. With time, the natural straw will fade, giving it a unique patina and will eventually biodegrade upon proper disposal.
Price: $$- $$$
Materials: Natural straw, seagrass
10. Indego Africa
While a range of raffia-detailed wants is bound to fall on our radar this season, Indego Africa’s beach-appropriate carryalls exude unparalleled summer brilliance. Crafted using natural fibers like locally sourced raffia, banana leaf, sisal and even elephant swamp grass — these bags are begging to be carried somewhere warm and fabulous owing to details like cowrie shells and fringes.
Each one of their bags is carefully handcrafted using time-honored, heritage techniques. Indego Africa’s approach to artisan empowerment helps transform the lives of women, youth, and refugees across Rwanda and Ghana.
Price: $$- $$$
Materials: Elephant swamp grass, raffia, banana leaf, maize, sisal
11. The Dharma Door
The anatomy of a stylish beach getaway — or staycation — includes a swimsuit, chic cover-up, beach towel, plenty of sunblock and a roomy straw bag to toss it all in. Lucky for us, The Dharma Door makes a range of bags that just happen to fit that description.
Crafted from hand-spun hemp and jute fibers that have been naturally dyed, the Australian brand’s overarching goal involves empowering female workers and artisans by commissioning their skills and matching them with fair wages.
Price: $$-$$$
Materials: Jute, Hemp
Check out The Dharma Door (AUS)
12. Okhai
We’re suckers for functional shoulder bags that don’t involve us lugging around our essentials on a short handle around our forearm. Lucky for us, Okhai’s range of straw bags deliver on functionality, form, style, and sustainability, all at once.
Based out of India, Okhai was born with the aim of economically empowering women from rural communities across the country by bringing their rich cultural handicrafts to a global audience.
Their range of straw bags is handcrafted from sabaii grass, a strong and sturdy perennial grass that has colonial roots as it was used by the British Army in India for pulling their artillery.
Price: $$
Materials: Sabaii grass
Check out Okhai (IN)
13. Helen Kaminski
If vibrant raffia bags aren’t your thing, then perhaps you could help yourself to some neutral iterations instead. Helen Kaminski marries the classic design of a leather tote with the summery feel of raffia to create wearable bags that are at once timeless yet minimally rustic.
Outlined in leather-trimmed details and classic shapes, when it comes to getting your summer on, Helen Kaminski will have you covered with covetable finds. The brand uses sustainably harvested Madagascan raffia that is seamlessly crocheted into clean designs. Case-in-point: this vase-shaped bucket bag has already made it our wish list.
Price: $$$
Materials: Raffia
14. Swahili Modern
In case you’re wondering how to crank up the notch on your summer wardrobe, look no further than one of these striking straw carryalls from Swahili Modern.
The brand works directly with artisans in Africa to bring you captivating bags that are expertly woven from natural fibers like sisal, palm leaves and elephant grass.
Our suggestion? Polish off your hot weather wardrobe to perfection with this vibrantly woven basket crossbody.
Price: $$
Materials: Elephant grass, palm leaves, sisal
15. Magda Made
Magda Made’s range of straw bags is entirely handmade by Colombian artisans working in decent conditions for fair wages. Made using natural materials like fique, wild vine and iraca palm fibers, their bags are as quintessentially summer as it gets.
Featuring woven basket styles, beach carryalls and market bags, each one of Magda Made’s designs is sourced from artisan cooperatives, indigenous communities, and individual artists across Columbia who are paid fair wages determined by themselves.
Price: $$-$$$
Materials: Wild vine, fique, moriche (palm fiber), iraca palm
About the Author:
Jharna Pariani is a fashion writer and creative strategist whose work is rooted in honesty and deep observation of the world around her. When she isn’t busy penning down her thoughts, she moonlights as a video editor creating fashion and food reels on Instagram for several brands and influencers.
PIN IT & SAVE IT:
Cover Image credit: AAKS