Veganism extends beyond avoiding meat to include clothing and accessories made without any animal products. Natural plant products, recycled plastic, and petroleum-based synthetics are among the materials used in vegan fashion. Consumers should research companies and check for vegan manufacturing processes. Large retailers and niche boutiques offer vegan options at all price points.
A lifestyle that avoids meat consumption is vegetarianism. Vegans take this philosophy further, refusing to eat or use anything made from any part of an animal. While vegans have numerous food options, the vegan craze requires foresight, planning, and diligent attention to detail. The clothing worn by a vegan—shoes, gloves, hats, even accessories like jewelry and luggage—must meet the specifications of the vegan lifestyle.
Vegans try to avoid participating in what they consider to be cruelty to animals for the benefit of man. Leather, fur, wool, and lambskin are examples of clothing materials vegans choose not to wear. Below, the product used as insulation in cold-weather clothing and bedding comes from geese and other birds and is also against the rules of vegan fashion. Even silk, produced by silkworms, is unacceptable as a clothing material for vegans. This philosophy means vegans must look to other materials to find suitable options for shoes, clothing and accessories, as well as home furnishings.
Despite its restrictions, vegan fashion offers numerous material options. Natural plant products (cotton, hemp, flax and bamboo) are suitable for clothing, home furnishings, footwear and accessories. Items made from these materials replace leather, fur, down, and silk. Vegan clothing produced from soy plant fibers round out the top natural plant fashion options.
The rubber, although produced by a manufacturing process that some might consider less environmentally friendly, is still a cruelty-free, plant-based product. Recycled plastic occupies an important place in vegan fashion. Repurposing it for vegan shoes, accessories, and other couture options extends the life of this non-biodegradable petroleum product. Other petroleum-based synthetics that have found a place in vegan fashion include nylon, new and recycled polyester, rayon, and lyocell.
Manufacturing processes that use animal products are not vegan. Consumers should research new companies and brands before purchasing products that appear to be vegan. Industrial processes use hundreds of chemicals to create finished products. Some of these, like mink oil, come from animals. One can ask the producer, if necessary, to check vegan manufacturing processes or check unknown products or the manufacturer against lists maintained by vegan fashion organizations and groups.
When looking for vegan fashion sources, you may want to consider large retailers that cater to consumers around the world. Some clothing boutiques also specialize in the vegan niche. Clothing, housewares, and accessory options cover all price points. Inexpensive bags and shoes can share the same spaces as vegan designer fashions seen on the runways of fashion shows.
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