Some products look good on paper – and then don't work in reality. Too stiff. Too big. The handles wrong. The material not quite what was imagined.
The Plant Inside Shopper Bag has been through all of that. Three months. Four prototypes. Countless decisions between Gdańsk and Malbork.
This is the story behind it.
Malbork, a workshop, a connection
Anna has been working as a master leatherworker in Malbork for over twenty years. The same city where Plant Inside was founded. The same workshop my wife has known for years – not as a business contact, but as a customer.
The bags she bought there over fifteen years ago, she still carries today. Not because she doesn't have others. But because Anna's work simply holds.
When we started Plant Inside, it was my wife who said: "Talk to Anna."
Today, Anna's workshop in Malbork is where every Plant Inside Shopper Bag is made. And the story of that collaboration is also the story of the bag itself.
More about all the people behind Plant Inside bags in our article Inside Craft – The People Behind Your Vegan Bag.
Kinga: the woman who knew what she wanted – and how it should feel
Kinga is from Gdańsk. She's a sports psychologist, plays beach volleyball – and has a very clear sense of what a product needs to do, and what it must not. As a close friend of the brand from the very beginning, it was only a matter of time before she took on a project of her own. The Shopper Bag was that project.
And she knew from the start: this bag should not be for one season. It should be for years.
The brief was clear: large enough for a laptop, water bottle and everything a long day demands. Two separate compartments – one with a zip, one open. Long handles that sit comfortably on both the arm and the shoulder. And a material that feels natural – not stiff, not artificial.
Easy to say. Harder to make.
Three prototypes. Four attempts. One result.
Kinga and Anna worked together – over several months, through several iterations.
The first prototype was too stiff. The second had proportions that didn't work. The third came close – but the handles sat wrong, and the material didn't fall the way Kinga had imagined.
Three months of intensive work. Visits to Malbork, fittings, corrections, new patterns. Anna with her experience and Kinga with her precision – two women who both knew exactly what they wanted.
On the fourth prototype, everything worked.
The material: Anna's recommendation
One of the most important decisions in the whole process was the choice of material for the black model.
Plant Inside works primarily with Viridis® – a structured plant-based leather made from European corn and wheat. Firm, shape-retaining, durable. Ideal for crossbody bags, laptop bags, weekend bags.
But for the Shopper Bag in Black Matt, Kinga wanted something different. Something that drapes. Something that adapts to the contents rather than resisting them.
It was Anna who said: "For this model, use Vegea®. It drapes better."
Vegea® is a material made from wine production waste – grape skins, seeds and marc, combined with vegetable oils and natural fibres. Softer, more supple, more fluid than Viridis®. And exactly right for a bag that should adapt to life – not the other way around.
A leatherworker with twenty years of experience knows these things. More about the material in our article What Is Vegea® – Vegan Leather from Grape Waste.
The Klimaty Market: the first real test
The first finished Shopper Bags made their debut at the Klimaty Design Market in Gdańsk.
Before the day was over, one visitor had picked one up – and hadn't let go.
"I've found it."
That was the moment we knew it had worked.
What the bag is today
The Plant Inside Shopper Bag comes in two versions:
Black Matt from Vegea® – soft, fluid, made from wine production waste. For everyone who wants a bag that adapts to life.
Dark Brown Nubuck from Viridis® – structured, warm, shape-retaining. For everyone who prefers clarity and form.
Both versions have two large zip compartments – one dedicated to a laptop or tablet up to 15", one for everything else. Lining in 100% organic cotton. Long handles made from the same material as the bag.
Which one is right for you is explained in our article Which Vegan Shopper Bag Is Right for You? Vegea® or Viridis®.
And if you want to know which other brands make vegan shopper bags, our guide Best Vegan Shopper Bags in Europe 2026 gives you an honest comparison of 8 brands.
What stays
Behind every Plant Inside bag there is a story. Sometimes it's months of work, three prototypes that don't quite work and a fourth that does. Sometimes it's the advice of a leatherworker who has spent her whole life working with materials.
And sometimes it's the look of a woman at a market in Gdańsk, who picks up a bag and simply knows.
Explore the Plant Inside vegan shopper bag collection – handcrafted in Malbork, using materials from Italy.
FAQ
Who designed the Plant Inside Shopper Bag?
The Shopper Bag was designed by Kinga – in close collaboration with Anna, our master leatherworker in Malbork. The design process lasted several months and involved four prototypes.
Why does the Shopper Bag come in two different materials?
Vegea® and Viridis® are two different characters. Vegea® is softer and more fluid – ideal for a bag that adapts to its contents. Viridis® is more structured and shape-retaining – ideal for those who prefer clarity and form. The material choice was deliberate and emerged directly from the design process.
Where is the Plant Inside Shopper Bag made?
All Plant Inside Shopper Bags are hand-sewn in Anna's workshop in Malbork – the hometown of Plant Inside.
What is Vegea® and why was it chosen for the black Shopper Bag?
Vegea® is a vegan material made from wine production waste – softer and more fluid than classic plant-based leather. The recommendation came from Anna herself, our leatherworker with over twenty years of experience.
Does a laptop fit in the Shopper Bag?
Yes. Both models have a dedicated zip laptop compartment for devices up to 15".