Eve Cork Blog

So you have made the decision that you want to find a vegan handbag to replace the one you’ve been carrying. Luckily, as “veganism” is becoming more popular, so are vegan alternatives to traditional materials (like leather) used in the handbag industry. That said, you may want to think twice about the material your bag is made from.

Unlike cork handbags, most leather alternatives are made from plastics. It’s no wonder since they’re extremely cheap to make, are relatively durable and can be made into any color under the sun. However, these plastics and harmful chemicals need 500-100 years to degrade and pose a huge threat to both our oceans and to our food chain.

The production of these plastics to make vegan goods is extremely dangerous as it releases toxins in the form of dioxins into the environment. These toxins are found to cause cancers, other serious health problems, and harm the environment significantly.

That said, when you’re making the choice to choose a cruelty-free item, we believe that you should consider choosing something that doesn’t harm the environment as well.

So if you’re looking for an eco-friendly & cruelty-free bag, what’s your best option?

That’s where cork comes in.

Cork leather is a 100% sustainable and eco-friendly material that comes from the bark of the cork oak tree. Contrary to popular believe, harvesting the bark is actually helpful for the trees, allowing them to grow faster and live longer.

Cork is 100% vegan and is even more durable than leather when it comes to textiles. Cork not only gives our cork bags a unique look, but it makes them super soft, ultra-lightweight, waterproof and stain resistant. Talk about an amazing leather alternative.

What’s even better is that there are no harmful chemicals used in the production of our cork purses and accessories. All of the colors are made with vegetable dyes, and our vegan glues are plant-based.

Yes, we are on a travel kick, and no we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon! This summer everyone has the travel bug, and we love seeing how everyone travels differently! One thing we always wonder though is how do people travel with so much stuff for their content shoots and adventures? We thought we would share with you five tips on how to travel light, minimize your baggage, and maximize your experience!

1. Pick a lightweight, spacious bag. Yes, even your bag can weigh you down! Leather bags and  hardshell suitcases can definitely add to the weight of your luggage, so look for bags made out of lightweight materials! We absolutely love the Preston Duffle for travelling, it is the perfect carry-on, made out of lightweight cork, and is extremely durable!
2. Create a capsule wardrobe. Do not overpack on clothing ever! You know that shirt you bought over a year ago and it has been sitting in the back of your closet, but MAYBE you will wear it on vacation? Well, you probably won’t. Always pack things you love and wear frequently so you don’t waste space on unnecessary clothing! Choose a neutral colour palette of clothing pieces that you can mix and match to create multiple outfits, with just a few key pieces! For more info on a capsule wardrobe, check out this blog post! 
3. Roll your clothing. Along with only packing a few key pieces to create multiple outfits, roll your clothing to make more space in your suitcase! This will allow you to save space and maximize your suitcase to fit in your shoes, toiletries, snacks, and souvenirs from your adventures!
4. Make a list and plan ahead! Write out everything you are bringing and need to bring for excursions and events on your trip. If you are travelling to another country with different outlets, write down to bring your adaptors. Bring snacks if you have dietary restrictions, and know what you’re doing on your trip to pack accordingly!
5. Limit the number of bags you bring! This goes for both how many you are packing with clothing, and purses if you carry one! Always bring just a carry on and a backpack, this saves you time of checking your bags and picking them up, along with paying to check your larger bags! Packing too many purses is just unnecessary space taken up, instead choose one neutral bag that will go with anything! For smaller bags we recommend a bag like the Charlotte, and for a larger tote, something like the Nile! The less you bring, the less you have to worry about!

We hope you use some of these travel tips on your upcoming adventures to limit your stress and worries about what you brought and if you will use it all! Pack minimal, maximize your journeys! Remember, nobody will care what you’re wearing if you act confident! If you travel and take your Eve Cork bags with you, make sure to share your photos on Instagram and Tag us!

We get a lot of questions and comments surrounding the topic of cork, and whether or not it is really an eco-friendly and sustainable material to be used in the production of our vegan bags. Many people think that cork is not a sustainable material however, we are here to tell you otherwise!

In the world of fashion and product production, cork is one of the most eco-friendly materials on the planet. It's an amazing alternative to materials like leather, plastic, and canvas!

Cork is harvested from the bark of the cork tree, meaning that the tree will continue to live and grow while we use its outer layers to produce our bags. The harvesting process doesn't start until a cork tree is 25 years old, and is then harvested every nine to ten years. This actually allows the trees to continue growing for up to 250 years!  

As the cork tree continues to mature and go through harvest, the tree is able to absorb more CO2 to aid in its bark regeneration. As a result, our harvested trees will filter three to five times more CO2 than those left untouched. So if you want cleaner air, keep buying cork bags!

Aside from cork being eco-friendly and great for the environment, the premium cork fabric we use is lightweight, waterproof, and super durable - making it the perfect material for our cork handbags.

So if you thought cork wasn't an eco-friendly option, think again. Our mission is to provide sustainable products that people love. It's the reason why we started this company!

With the summer kicking off to a great start, it seems as though EVERYONE is traveling these days! With flights becoming more affordable, and Air BnB becoming a commonly used platform to book affordable accommodations, what is holding anybody back? Well, if you are not someone who is traveling currently, but looking for some travel inspiration and some must-see destinations, we have found some of the most amazing travel bloggers for you to follow!

Debi Flugge @debiflue 

Debi is a charming young woman who is originally based out of Berlin, although you will never find her there. She is constantly on the go, trotting the globe and venturing to everyone’s dream destinations! She is currently in Mykonos as we write this, but will be soon heading over to Panama, then London and New York City. Guess what else? She’s VEGAN! Bonus points for Debi as she can share with you all of her vegan travel adventures abroad! Who thinks She would look great traveling with a cork backpack or duffle? We sure do!

Chelsey Luger @chelsey.luger

Chelsey Luger is one of our new favorite travel bloggers, who combines her passion for health, fitness, sports, and travel in her journeys abroad. Her feed consists of content that demonstrates her devotion to a healthy lifestyle through diet, mindfulness, fitness and spirituality, something that is perfectly in line with Eve Cork’s values! Her feed also features amazing Native artworks by artists like Wakeah Jhane and designers such as B. Yellowtail , demonstrating her indigenous roots in America.

Dani Chase @thedanicheese

Dani Chase is an L.A. based photographer, with an eye for beauty in the world, and shared her travels abroad through breathtaking photographs that balance both introspection and vivid scenes of life across the globe. You truly feel like you are there with her in every photo. She captures the earth’s beauty in crisp, refreshing and vivid photographs, something that is not as easy to find as you may think.

Brittney @theblondeseyeview

As a Los Angeles Based travel blogger, Brittney loves to share her love for travel, beauty, health and fitness, and her love for animals on her bright and bold feed! Her love for bright and bold colors in combination with her passion for travel and lifestyle create the perfect storm of exciting and aesthetically pleasing content that everyone will enjoy! Follow her for healthy, beauty, and lifestyle tips and be sure to track her journeys across the globe!

George @explore.infinity

George is an extremely talented artist and nomad, who currently resides in Bali, Indonesia. His passion for travel, art, photography, and veganism is shared through his miraculous photos on his feed. His talented works of art capture everyone’s eye and have definitely inspired the team at Eve Cork to explore our own creative sides! Who thinks George needs a cork duffle bag? If only Bali weren’t so far away to send one to this extremely talented and artistic traveler!

Well that's it from us! We hope you check out these amazing accounts, maybe give them a follow if you love them just as much as us! Don't forget to bring your cork bag on your adventures abroad and be sure to tag us on Instagram! 

One of the most common questions we get is, “how do I clean my Eve Cork handbag?”.

Although our cork handbags are inherently stain-resistant and anti-bacterial, you may still wish to clean your cork bag from time-to-time.

After using your Eve Cork product for a while, you may notice that your bag has picked up some color from your jeans or another article of your clothing. Since we use vegetable dyes to color our bags instead of chemicals to change the composition of our fabric, this is just the nature of the material. That said, any marking should come out with ease:

Step 1: With a dry towel, wipe off any visible dirt covering the surface of your cork bag.

Step 2: Fill an adequate sized dish or vessel with warm water. Add a few drops of mild dish soap or liquid detergent. The trick here is to make sure the water isn’t too bubbly.

Step 3: Take a clean towel and dip it into the solution. Wring it out to make sure it isn’t too wet. 

Step 4: Rub the surface of your cork bag with the wet towel. Make sure to cover the entire bag, and to get the places where dirt/markings are apparent. If you feel the need to, repeat the process until the difficult spots are gone.

Step 5: Allow your bag to dry!