Vegan commitment is not to be taken lightly and requires radical changes, not only in terms of diet. Fashion too. Provided that veganism does not obscure environmental requirements…
Vegan clothing is clothing without animal materials. The materials to avoid are therefore leather, wool, cashmere, silk, feathers and fur. You can therefore look for the PETA-approved vegan logo to ensure that the products purchased do not actually contain any components of animal origin. But it is not enough to find alternatives to these materials, they must also not pollute the planet (too much). Indeed, avoiding products of animal origin does not automatically make a garment without effect on the environment. Many products labeled vegan are made from synthetics derived from fossil fuels that decompose with difficulty and can pollute the oceans. So, what wardrobe should you choose when you are a true vegan?
A jacket or coat made from hemp and recycled PET
It's not easy to find an alternative to a wool coat or a duck down parka that isn't a down jacket made entirely of polyester, and therefore a petroleum derivative. Some brands, like Hoodlamb, have created parkas with a hemp cellulose coating, a highly ecological natural material because it consumes little water and pesticides and grows endemically in France. The interior is a fake fur made from recycled PET from water bottles. Some brands are starting to offer down jackets made of recycled polyester, but be careful to make sure it is 100% recycled, because the ad often only mentions a percentage of recycled material. This is often the case when the padding is not just down.
A fleece vest
This garment needs no introduction, as it was one of the pioneers of sustainable clothing, made from recycled plastic bottles. Long relegated to country walks or mountain getaways, we now find slightly less casual models.
A lenpur sweater
This new fiber is from the same family as lyocel and tencel. It is a type of viscose , with a much less polluting manufacturing process, designed in Canadian white pine fibers, which have the property of being very absorbent and anti-odor. Owned by an Italian manufacturer, it is also called "vegetable cashmere"
A cotton t-shirt, but organic
Cotton being one of the most polluting and water-consuming materials, we choose at least an Oeko-Tex cotton or even better, an organic cotton labeled GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards), guaranteeing cotton without GMOs, without pesticides and not bleached with chlorine!
A linen shirt
It has it all. In addition to the fact that the linen shirt is super fashionable and super comfortable to wear, it is made of a highly eco-responsible material. France is the world's leading producer of linen! What's more, it is a plant whose cultivation requires little irrigation and fertilizer, and consumes little CO2. In addition, this material is thermoregulating, absorbent, resistant and softens with washing. In short, the linen shirt is sustainable and almost indestructible.
A lyocell dress,
To avoid silk, polyester and viscose, we think of lyocell or tencel. This fiber, softer than linen, is produced from eucalyptus, oak or birch with non-toxic solvents and 97% recyclable. They are called "vegetable silk" because they are so soft, fluid and pleasant.
Tencel pants or organic cotton jeans
As with the T-shirt, choose your jeans in organic cotton (or recycled polyester), making sure that the tags are not made of leather. For example, Nudie Jeans are now vegan because the patches on the waistband are no longer made of real leather.
Underwear made from organic or recycled materials
Especially for these clothes in direct contact with the skin, we want clean: GOTS organic cotton, tencel and lace woven from recycled fiber certified GRS (global recycled standard). You can find them for example on Olly Lingerie or Fairytale .
A pair of “vegan leather” sneakers
One of the biggest challenges is finding an eco-friendly alternative to leather , because a lot of vegan leather is actually made from non-eco-friendly virgin PVC, aka plastic! So you need to find at least some recycled plastic. But the best is the increasingly popular plant-based leathers, such as Pinatex (pineapple leaf leather) or Muskin (mushroom leather). Many brands now offer entire ranges of vegan shoes , and some major brands have created at least one model.
For vegan heels, we are currently forced to turn to luxury brands like Stella McCartney, or the Spanish brand Beyond Skin worn by Natalie Portman.
As proof that vegan fashion is taking off, there is now a vegan fashion show in London, Bare Fashion. And there are websites to help you find the right wardrobe, such as WedressFair or alternative-vegan , which present examples of vegan and sustainable products.
