Vera Bradley embraces resale and recycled cotton

Vera Bradley, Inc. a leading American bag and luggage company and classic fashion brand, is launching its latest Recycled Cotton collection with actor and producer Lana Condor.

The collection, which is made up of 50% recycled and 50% traditional cotton and is available in solid colors for the first time. The collection has the same smooth hand-feel and real-world performance as Vera Bradley’s famous cotton that consumers have enjoyed for nearly 40 years.

Many of the brand’s key designs – crossbody bags, tote bags, duffels, accessories, and more – are included in the Recycled Cotton range, which features new Rain Forest Canopy and seven bright solid colors: Turquoise Sky, Climbing Ivy Green, Rich Orchid, Desert Flower Pink, Citronella Glow, Summer Rain, and Black.

Six new Utility silhouettes, including a Tote, Backpack, Sling Backpack, Crossbody, Small Crossbody, and Travel Bag (launching in July), add the versatility of Vera Bradley’s designs to the bags’ exteriors with plenty of pockets, convenient clips, and wear-it-your-way models.

The Lana Utility Backpack is part of the Utility series, and it features exclusive personalized details designed by Lana herself, such as soft blush trim, color block striping, and a bright Ballet Blooms patterned lining.

Lana Condor said she has always adored Vera Bradley, so she is excited to be doing her first-ever fashion project with her. This is such a full-circle moment for her because one of her very first bags was a Vera Bradley Petal Pink Duffel that her mom gave for ballet lessons. She adds she is obsessed with bags, but backpacks are her favorite. The Lana Utility Backpack has everything she wants: bags, a drawstring, chunky clasps, and thoughtful details. It’s really new and wearable, and it’s really her go-to purse.

Chief Creative Officer of Vera Bradley, Beatrice Mac Cabe, said their Recycled Cotton fabrication embodies their mission of making the planet a brighter, happier place, and Lana’s vibrant and colorful style, bubbly attitude, and enthusiasm for sustainable fashion make her the ideal partner to help them launch this new collection. Sustainability is very critical to them, and they are actively exploring and innovating to provide more environmentally friendly solutions to their consumers. They made sure this recycled cotton has the same softness, comfort, and vibrancy as Vera Bradley’s signature cotton, which has been cherished by fans since 1982.”

Vera Bradley is doubling down on its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, pledging to replace all of its fabrics with more sustainable alternatives by 2025. Vera Bradley gives discarded materials new life by consuming as little resources as possible by using Recycled Cotton. In reality, the company reports that using recycled cotton would reduce water shortages by 43% and reduce global warming by 13%.

Vera Bradley’s Recycled Cotton range is also available online, in Vera Bradley Full Line stores, and in departments and specialty stores around the country for $15 to $140.

Along with this, Vera Bradley has recently partnered with thredUP, an online consignment and thrift shop, to start a reuse scheme. thredUP Clean Out Kits will be available in shops and online to help shoppers give new life to their old Vera Bradley classics and other high-quality used goods from any brand. Customers who take part in the scheme can receive Vera Bradley gift cards that can be used to buy new environmental models such as Recycled Cotton and ReActive, which are constructed from recycled plastic bottles.