Do you like apples?

How about a bag made of apples?

Meet Allegorie: an independent luxury bag & accessory label that is “committed to pushing the boundary of sustainable fashion while solving the food waste problem, one fruit at a time.”

It takes about 550 apples to produce the Gala backpack, one of Allegorie’s staple pieces. Founded by Heather Jiang and Jen You, this woman-owned accessory label produces bags and wallets in elegant, timeless designs. Their collection features mostly apple leather, but utilizes mango and cactus fibers for some gorgeous wallets and cardholders.

What we love about them? They don’t compromise in either direction. Form is as important as function is as important as sustainability, and they excel at all three. Not only are they dedicated to turning a global issue like food waste into a luxury product, they are completely transparent about themselves, and share a lot of information about their ethos, materials, and practices on their website.

Their small-batch production run is based on a few factors: how much raw material they can source (apples are more available than mangos), working with smaller, sustainable vendors to source and process the fiber (like Mexican-based Desserto for the cactus fibers), along with what the market is asking for. They ensure the timelessness of their products by using simple designs and prioritizing quality. 

"By keeping the design simple and classic, our bags can fully utilize materials with minimized waste and maximized functionality. Each piece is crafted to remain simple yet purposeful. It is designed to be durable while remaining highly sensitive and attentive to people and nature."

Honestly, Allegorie is one of my personal favorite brands. They represent everything we stand for here at Green & Bean: a luxurious product for you eco-conscious sensibilities. It’s sturdy, durable, well-designed, expertly crafted, and genius in the simplest way.

How ‘bout them apples?