Sustainable Crossbody Bags
At Parker Clay, Personal Style Means More Than Appearance
Your personal style is more than just a statement about what you like to wear — it also represents who you are and what your values are. That’s why each crossbody bag, tote bag, wallet, and backpack should show a personal story that goes above and beyond your everyday style. At Parker Clay, we believe it should represent your love for a better world with more sustainable practices for the planet and its people, beginning in Ethiopia, where each good is crafted.
The Story of Parker Clay’s Sustainable Crossbody Bags
At Parker Clay, we stand behind the belief that each bag you wear should show your personal style and the story of where it came from. As a certified B Corp, here’s what Parker Clay’s commitment to sustainable practices means.
The Story of Parker Clay’s Sustainable Crossbody Bags
Sustainable Leather From the Start: Our commitment to sustainable practices begins from the minute we source our leather. Unlike other companies, our leather is sourced from local Ethiopian farmers as a byproduct of the industry. This is eco-friendly and minimizes waste, especially compared to other leather companies that raise animals explicitly for leather production. It’s part of the Parker Clay commitment to lessening environmental impacts and making the planet a better place for all.
Commitment to an Ethical, Supportive Community: We believe that “sustainable” not only means co-existing with the planet. It also means creating a sustainable, fair trade environment for those who delicately and artfully handcraft each of our leather goods. Each leather good purchased directly provides hours of work to our artisans.
Our artisans — many of who are women who escaped human trafficking — are paid fair wages and given additional benefits to ensure quality working conditions, like coffee breaks, transportation, education, and more. It’s important to us to support the individuals and community who dedicate their time to creating beautiful leather goods. That’s the true meaning of sustainability to Parker Clay.
Handcrafted Goods With a Rich Ethiopian Heritage: Each Parker Clay item shows a unique story of where it came from. With unique leather grains that wear over time, your bag, wallet, or other accessory shows the journey from Ethiopia to your hands. From local farming to skilled handcrafting, each item in your hand tells the story of the artisans who delicately crafted each item.
Traditional companies use harsh chemicals and machines to mass-manufacture goods — which is harmful to the environment and takes away from the quality of the items. At Parker Clay, however, we use environmentally-friendly materials and handcrafting processes. This is better for the planet and ensures each item is made to last for years to come.
Planet-Friendly Practices from Farming to Your Doorstep: We believe that sustainability doesn’t stop after sourcing and creating each handcrafted leather good. All of our goods are shipped in recyclable cardboard, ensuring a zero-waste shipping process. And each item is further protected in a reusable organic cotton dust bag — allowing you to protect your item for years to come.
Quality Leather Goods for a Lifetime: We believe that everything including our satchels, pouches, belt bags, and leather tags should last a lifetime. And more than that — they should get better with age. One of the biggest pain points of sustainable fashion is over-consumption — and at Parker Clay, we want to do our part in creating high-quality items that stand the test of time. As you use your leather goods, that functionality should continue to serve you — whether it’s five years, ten years, or a lifetime from now.
Explore Crossbody Bags
Best-Selling Sustainable Crossbody Bags
Whether you’re searching for a casual shoulder bag for day-to-day or a sleek messenger bag that adds an element of luxury to your outfit, there’s a sustainable handbag for everyone.
City Crossbody Bag
For the working professional running to the office, the busy parent heading to meet a friend for afternoon coffee, and everyone in-between, meet the City Crossbody Bag. With a simplistic design free of zippers and pockets, yet room enough to hold all the essentials, this bag is the sleek companion for wherever you’re headed. An adjustable crossbody strap and stud closure on the front flap means your items are close and secure no matter where the day takes you. With two colors to choose from — Black, and Rust Brown — you can choose the perfect color to match your everyday style.
Sebli Crossbody Phone Bag
Whether you’re a minimalist or just like carrying only the essentials, the Sebli Crossbody Phone Bag is your companion. It features a zippered closure and exterior zip pocket, giving you just enough room for the classic phone, keys, and wallet trio. The Sebli also comes in Rust Brown and Black, so you can pair this sleek bag with all your favorite outfits. Check out the City Crossbody Bag, another top seller that’s just big enough for all the essentials — without sacrificing style.
Desta Belt Bag
If you’re an adventurer in search of a hands-off crossbody bag, look no further than the Desta. Named for the Ethiopian word for “joy,” this versatile belt bag comes with adjustable belt and crossbody straps, so you can wear it around your waist during a hike and swap the straps to transition to a stylish crossbody style in the evening. Remove the straps entirely and toss the bag in your backpack or tote to triple as a travel pouch. With a zippered front pocket and interior and exterior panel pockets, you’ll have quick and easy access to your phone and all the other essentials.
Makeda Crossbody Bag
Featuring a fresh foldover design, Makeda is the ideal all-around crossbody bag for day-to-day use. With two interior pockets, a zippered closure, and a foldover design that expands for more storage, the Makeda offers the needed versatility you desire in a classic everyday bag. Plus, with removable straps, this design doubles as a clutch that can be carried on its own.
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Sustainable Style You Can Be Proud To Show Off
At Parker Clay, we believe in true sustainability and transparency throughout production and the supply chain. But what does that mean? Other companies in the fashion industry may throw around terms without backing them up. You may see words like “eco-friendly materials,” “recycled materials,” “vegetable-tanned leather,” “cruelty-free,” or “ethical handbags.” However, many fashion brands tout words like these with the intention of making shoppers think they’re doing good for the planet. However, much of it is performative, and they don’t have the transparency to explain how their practices are sustainable.
“Vegan leather,” for example, may sound eco-conscious. However, many vegan leather alternatives are made with plastics and harsh chemicals. They’re not made to last, either. Within a couple of years (at best), that vegan leather bag that’s really made from cheap, harmful plastics will begin cracking — and as it heads to the landfill, it will let off toxins and harsh chemicals in the environment. At Parker Clay, we’re proud of truly sustainable materials and ethical fashion. Using leather that is a byproduct of the farming industry minimizes waste. Our handcrafting processes use gentle materials — not harsh chemicals — to limit environmental impacts compared to traditional tanning practices. We also have a line of upcycled leather bags in The Woven Collection that are made using scraps — furthering our commitment to planetfriendly practices.
Our Commitment to a Lifetime of Bags You Can Love
At Parker Clay, we’re committed to ensuring not only that our bags are eco-friendly and ethical — we want you to know that each purchase means high-quality leather you can love for a lifetime. As part of our promise of leather goods that stand the test of time, if any item fails to hold up, we’ll repair or replace it free of charge. That’s true sustainability you can love.