In the search for more eco friendly and sustainable materials, manufacturers and retailers everywhere are on the prowl for cork.

Cork is a material that is both eco friendly and flexible. It can be used for so much more than the traditional bottle cork for which it is used for now. Case in point? The lovely and oh! so chic cork purses pictured below.

The designs are edgy, the cork is soft and waterproof, and they are the brainchild of a company called CorkDesigns. My favorite part of about the bags is that they are also animal-friendly. Woot!

How is cork eco friendly?

Cork harvesting is one of the planet’s best examples of a sustainable agro-forestry system where people conserve their natural resources, without disturbing or destroying the environment.

The bark of the cork tree is harvested from the tree without injury. A mature cork tree can have its cork bark harvested every nine years, regenerating itself with no harm to the tree

The bags from Cork Designs are a true work of art and this art starts at $35.

via Focus Organic

*not affiliated or available via Keetsa