A Guide to the Best of Southern California : BROWSING : A Place to Case

“Nothing dies to get in our store,” says Dyan Ullman, co-owner of Santa Monica’s Just In Case luggage and handbag emporium. “We specialize in items that are not made from animal products,” she says.

The shop stocks carry-on luggage, briefcases and other types of totes in vinyl, rubber, canvas and nylon. The same material used to make PVC plumbing pipe goes into purses ($22 to $165) and wallets ($10 to $42), providing what Ullman calls a “soft, rubber feel.” And there is a line of merchandise, including a shoulder bag, made from recycled inner tubes. “It feels like a recycled inner tube,” says Ullman’s partner, Terri Levine. “It’s a trip.”

Briefcase styles range from slightly funky to elegant; prices run from $28 to $200. Fanny packs, some hand-painted, others constructed of sequins, silk or old Cadillac upholstery, go for $11 and up. Cosmetic cases, fashioned from vinyl or rich, tapestry-like fabrics, start at $6.

Just In Case, 2718 Main St., Santa Monica; (213) 399-3096.