Matt & Nat
Rated: Great
Price: $$
Location: Canada
Quick verdict
Matt & Nat is best for budget-conscious shoppers wanting clean, minimalist vegan bags and accessories with mainstream appeal, the brand sits at an accessible $$ price point and sells in 40+ countries across 800+ boutiques. What stands out is their pioneering 30-year commitment to vegan fashion (founded 1995) and the use of recycled plastic bottle linings (~21 bottles per bag). The significant caveat: the brand has significant transparency gaps, historical PVC use, a 2019 UK Advertising Standards Authority warning for exaggerating recycled content, and ongoing durability complaints.
Key info
- Headquarters
- Montreal, Canada
- Founded
- 1995
- Product categories
- Accessories, Vegan, Shoes
- Price range
- $$
- Key certifications
- PETA-Approved Vegan, SA8000 (one factory)
Matt & Nat sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
Primary material is PU (polyurethane) vegan leather, better than PVC but still petrochemical-derived. All bag linings use 100% recycled plastic bottles (~21 per bag, 9M+ annually). Newer innovations include UPPEAL/AppleSkin (apple waste) and PVB (recycled windshield resin). Materials sourced via agents in Hong Kong and Taiwan; some from Italy.
Manufacturing historically in China, with recent reports of Italy and Romania as well. Only one factory holds SA8000 certification; no evidence of living wage across the broader supply chain. Labour practices are weak. No published Code of Conduct or factory list.
Recycled bottle linings and the PVC-to-PVB transition are genuine steps forward. But no carbon tracking, no water reduction, no hazardous chemical policy, no circularity programmes (no repair, take-back, or resale). Environmental practices are weak.
Significant transparency failures. No factory list, no supply chain map, no impact reports. Product pages historically omit outer material composition. The 2019 ASA warning for misleading "recycled" claims is a notable concern. Bloggers report unanswered transparency inquiries.
Very accessible for a purpose-driven brand, wallets from ~$35, crossbody bags from ~$80, totes from ~$100. But recurring Trustpilot complaints about cracking, peeling, and short product lifespans undermine the value proposition. Trustpilot global score is only 2.8/5.
What they do well
- Vegan pioneer: founded in 1995, nearly a decade before "vegan fashion" entered mainstream vocabulary, with 30 years of commitment to animal-free products
- Recycled bottle linings: a genuine, measurable initiative recycling 9+ million plastic bottles annually into bag interiors
- Material innovation trajectory: investing in next-gen materials like UPPEAL/AppleSkin (apple waste leather) and PVB (recycled windshield glass resin), showing a genuine effort to move beyond conventional PU
- Accessible pricing and global reach: available in 40+ countries and 800+ boutiques, making vegan fashion mainstream at a $$ price point
Room for improvement
- Greenwashing concerns remain unresolved, the 2019 UK ASA warning for exaggerating recycled content in advertising, combined with years of PVC use without clear product-level disclosure, remains a concern. Critical analyses from My Green Closet, Curiously Conscious, and The Ecologist document these issues in detail.
- Labour transparency is inadequate, manufacturing in high-risk countries with only one SA8000-certified factory, no published Code of Conduct, no living-wage evidence, and historically unresponsive to transparency inquiries from journalists and bloggers.
About Matt & Nat
Matt & Nat (short for MAT(T)ERIAL and NATURE) was founded in 1995 in Montreal by Inder Bedi, making it one of the oldest dedicated vegan fashion brands in the world. Manny Kohli joined in 2001 as CEO, expanding the brand from handbags into footwear (2016), outerwear, eyewear, and clothing. Celebrity fans include Natalie Portman, Olivia Wilde, and Ellen DeGeneres.
The brand's core material is PU (polyurethane) vegan leather, with all bag linings made from 100% recycled plastic bottles since 2007 (roughly 21 bottles per bag. In recent years, Matt & Nat has introduced PVB (made from recycled windshield glass resin) and UPPEAL/AppleSkin (apple waste-based leather from Italian partner Frumat) as part of a gradual shift toward bio-based materials. The brand previously used significant amounts of PVC) one of the most environmentally damaging plastics, in several collections, a fact it did not clearly disclose on product pages.
Manufacturing has historically taken place in small factories in China, with more recent reports mentioning Italy and Romania. Only one factory holds SA8000 certification; the brand has claimed for years to be expanding this to other facilities—in 2019, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority warned Matt & Nat for a flyer that used the tagline "Vegan. Cruelty Free. Recycled" on a PVC backpack, ruling that it exaggerated the product's recycled content.
Pricing is accessible (wallets from ~$35, bags from ~$80–$200, shoes from ~$60–$165) making it one of the most affordable vegan brands on the market. Returns require customers to pay return shipping, and the warranty is limited to 1 year for bags and 3 months for shoes.
Product highlights
MAIA Satchel (UPPEAL Collection)
Premium satchel in apple waste-based UPPEAL vegan leather with recycled bottle lining
~$269
Showcases the brand's most sustainable material innovation, bio-based leather from apple industry waste
DEAN Backpack (Vintage)
Everyday backpack with padded laptop sleeve, multiple compartments, and adjustable straps
~$165–$200
Consistent best-seller that defines the brand's clean, minimalist aesthetic
LEEF Large Tote (Vintage)
Spacious everyday tote with magnetic closure and interior organisation
~$145
Versatile work-to-weekend bag at an accessible price point for the category
DREW Mini Crossbody (Vintage)
Compact crossbody with removable strap, available in seasonal colours
~$105–$130
Popular grab-and-go style with recycled nylon lining; a strong entry-point product
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