New York label TEICH uses high-quality, green materials to create its stylish, modern handbags.
Designer Allison McGowan launched the TEICH brand in 2007. She christened it after her maiden name, a German word meaning “pond.”
“It’s a word that suits the great respect I have for nature and the ways we can demonstrate that respect through sustainable design,” she explained on her website.
However, many green fashionistas may not agree with the way McGowan expresses that respect. Vegetable-tanned leather and deerskin may be more sustainable and eco-friendly than traditional cow leather or exotic skins, but animal lovers will never agree that they’re truly green.
If you’d prefer you can look for the purses made from animal-free materials like ultrasuede, organic cotton, and hemp canvas. These bags are labeled as vegan, but I wish the site had a vegan search so we could find them more easily.
Handbags like this Rockaway Tote are very stylish though, and with production staying in McGowan’s native New York they also help stimulate the local economy.
TEICH bags are available from the label’s New York store or website.
