World Vegan Month; Your Questions About Vegan Fashion Answered
Happy World Vegan Month!! Whether you’re already vegan, considering making the switch, or just curious about the lifestyle, I hope you can enjoy this month and take part in the celebrations! Lockdown in England will affect the number of restaurants you can go to but hopefully you can get a chance to try them after lockdown is lifted!
I recently ran a few polls on my Instagram stories and asked you guys what questions you had about vegan fashion. It’s important to me that my blog helps answer your questions and serves as a useful resource. I wanted to write a short opinion blog answering the questions you guys gave me, as well as some common questions I found on Google.
So, here are the most common questions people have about vegan fashion and my answers!
What is vegan fashion?
Vegan fashion is defined as clothing and accessories that is free from any animal derived materials or products.
What can I not wear as a vegan?
Here is a list of all the materials to avoid wearing as a vegan:
Fur
Leather (mostly from cows but can be from sheep, pig, horse, etc)
Wool (including merino, vicuña, angora, cashmere, mohair, alpaca, llama)
Silk (made from boiling silkworms alive in their cocoon)
Down/feathers
Horn (often used for buttons)
Pearls
Exotic animal skins (crocodile, alligator, ostrich, snake, etc)
Sometimes even the glue holding a shoe together for example can include animal products, this is harder to check for so to be on the safe side always check with a brand what kind of glue they use and if they are certified vegan by PETA.
Is vegan fashion sustainable?
Vegan fashion can be found in both fast fashion brands, and ethical/sustainable brands, so it really depends on where you buy it. If you buy from a fast fashion brand, the product may be vegan, but it could be made from unsustainable materials like polyester or PVC ‘faux leather’. While these are technically not as damaging to the environment as leather, wool or silk, they should still be avoided if possible.
If you buy vegan fashion from a brand that takes responsibility for sourcing sustainable materials, (meaning they can be produced forever without causing harm to the planet) then it will likely be a very sustainable item as it’s not causing harm to either animals or the planet.
Does buying vegan fashion cost more?
Again, it depends on if you are buying fast fashion or ethical fashion. If you buy cheap, fast fashion you can save money, but the products won’t last and they’ll have a negative impact on the environment. If you go for ethical and sustainable brands you may have to spend more money than you’re used to, but the stuff you buy will be more of an investment and you’ll treasure it for much longer!
Of course you can shop vegan clothing secondhand and save money at the same time! Check out my blog post about how to shop vegan fashion on a budget!
Which brands offer vegan fashion?
If you’re wondering which brands offer vegan clothing and accessories, you’re in luck! I’ve created a whole page on my website listing an A-Z of vegan brands with info on what they offer and links to their websites, check it out here!
To get you inspired here are my top vegan fashion brands for each type of clothing:
Shoes: Collection & Co
Coats: Save The Duck
Jeans: MUD Jeans
Tops: Jakelle Studios / Rapanui
Bags: Charlie Feist
Underwear: ColieCo Lingerie
I hope this has answered some of the questions you might have had about vegan fashion, if you want to ask me anything at all just fill in the contact form or message me on Instagram – I’d be happy to help!
I’d also recommend following Sascha Camilli on Instagram and checking out her book “Vegan Style”, it’s a fantastic guide to vegan fashion, beauty, home and travel!