Lies Mertens Vegan

Lies Mertens’ bags are designed in Antwerp. Moreover, the material of the vegan bags, MycaNova® is produced in Tienen, Belgium by Citribel. The grape leather, VEGEA, is made in Italy.

The brand works with production partners in Italy and Tunisia for the vegan collection. Lies Mertens works closely with these producers and visits them regularly to ensure fair and safe working conditions.

Lies Mertens works with two different types of vegan materials. The wine bag is made of VEGEA. This material consists of grape waste mixed with polyurethane (PU). This innovative material thus combines natural waste material with the strong, synthetic, polyurethane. The result is a flexible and strong material with similar properties to leather. 

Moreover, VEGEA holds the Global Recycling Standard (GRS) certificate, which shows that the textile is partly made of recycled materials. The Italian producer also complies with REACH regulations on the use of chemicals. 

The second vegan material in the collection is MycaNova®. Lies Mertens is the first fashion brand to use this material. For this first, the brand works directly with the Belgian producer. 

MycaNova® is made from mycelium. This is a fungus that is a waste product of the fermentation process that converts sugar molasses into citric acid. The mycelium comes from the Belgian manufacturer Citribel, which collaborated to market a sustainable and vegan alternative to leather with MycaNova®.

When leather is vegetally tanned, without the use of chemicals, it is biodegradable. However, this is only the case when no chemicals are used in dyeing and post-treatment of the leather either. So Lies Mertens’ products are not all biodegradable, but in principle they are recyclable.

Moreover, the idea is that you cherish your Lies Mertens bag for years and have it repaired when needed. This way, the product stays in the circular cycle longer.

Lies Mertens has a fairly short supply chain. The design team works from Belgium; the bags are made in and close to Europe. The brand works with German, Italian and Tunisian tanneries and producers. The Tunisian producer has a Belgian owner, which facilitates communication. Depending on the model of the bag, either the Italian or Tunisian manufacturer is chosen. Currently, only the unisex collection is produced in Tunisia.

Lies Mertens launched a vegan collection as an alternative to their leather bags. This collection is made of innovative materials such as VEGEA and MycaNova®. No animal materials are used in the collection, thus the brand is committed to bringing animal-friendly handbags to the market.

Lies Mertens’ handbags are highly functional. This is because the brand adds several compartments to its designs. This way, you can fit almost everything in your bag, even your partner’s wallet! 

Lies Mertens always opts for high-quality materials. So you can be sure that your bag will shine for a long time. The designs are stylish, timeless and versatile. Each design is produced in small quantities to avoid overstock. The brand also adheres to slow fashion principles by not following seasonal or sales periods.

To make sure your new purchase stays beautiful for longer, Lies Mertens gives tips and tricks on how to care for the fake leather. And when necessary, you can drop by to have your favourite companion repaired. You can also visit Lies Mertens for complete care of your bag. If you really don’t use your bag anymore, you can hand it in at the shop in exchange for 15% discount on your next purchase, the handbag will then be recycled.

Lies Mertens operates quite transparently. The brand provides information about their production partners and the origin of the materials.