I've been a vegetarian for nearly a year now, and making that commitment has been one of the things I'm most proud of doing. However, it's not just food that I've had to give up on. A lot of people ask me whether I still wear things like leather, suede or other animal skins. As I became a vegetarian because of my compassion towards animals, the answer to that question is 'no'. I do not buy or promote any slaughter by-product, which includes animal skins.
Because of this, shopping for clothing and accessories seemed slightly limiting at first. As we all know, a leather bag or shoes will last a lot longer than its synthetic counterpart, which is a downside; however, synthetic products are usually far cheaper (although this may cost the same or more in the long run due to the lifespan of the product). If you are committed to eliminating animal skins from your wardrobe, then a little research is all you need to look fabulous! And I've done the work for you, covering low, mid AND high end budgets for UK-based fashionistas.
GUIDE TO FABRICS
Common non-vegetarian fabrics:
- Fur
- Leather
- Sheepskin/lambskin
- Mohair
- Ponyskin/horsehair
- Shagreen
- Suede
- Snakeskin
- Crocodile skin
Vegetarian fabric alternatives:
- Acrylic
- Aertex
- Canvas
- Cotton
- Denim
- Elastic
- Flanelette
- Fleece
- Leatherette/Pleather
- Linen
- Muslin
- Nylon
- Polyester
- Rayon
- Sateen
- Spandex
- Velour
JEN'S GUIDE TO VEGGIE FASHION
KEY: JEN'S TOP PICK
LOW BUDGET VEGETARIAN FASHION
Black Score - Men's and women's t-shirts
Chiaralascura (Italy based) - Men's and women's t-shirts and accessories
Uncaptive - Men's, women's and children's t-shirts
MID-RANGE VEGETARIAN FASHION
Thought Clothing - Men's and women's clothing
Skunkfunk - Women's clothing
People Tree - Men's and women's clothing
Bourgeois Boheme - Footwear for men and women
Matt & Nat - Handbags and footwear
Free People (Vegan Section) - Women's clothing, shoes and accessories
The Third Estate - Men's and women's clothing, shoes and accessories
Wilby - Women's accessories (handbag heaven!)
Will's Vegan Shoes - Men's and women's shoes
Luva Huva - Women's lingerie
Beyond Skin - Men's and women's shoes
Nancy Dee - Women's clothing
Tragwert - Women's accessories
HIGH END VEGETARIAN FASHION
Stella McCartney - Men's, women's and children's clothing, shoes and accessories
Shrimps - Women's clothing and accessories
Vaute Couture (USA based) - Men's and women's clothing and accessories
Dr Martens (Vegan Section) - Men's and women's shoes
Noah (Italy based) - Men's and women's shoes and accessories
Helen Moore - Men's, women's and childrens clothing, shoes and accessories (AND HOMEWARE!!)
L&E London - Women's accessories
If you know of any more vegetarian, vegan and cruelty-free brands to add to this list, please let me know in the comments section!
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