What is vegan fashion?
What does the word veganism mean?
Between vegetarianism, veganism, and veganism, it is not always easy to find your way around.
To put it simply , let's say that unlike a vegetarian, who does not eat meat or animal flesh, a person who adopts a vegan diet does not eat products from animal farming, such as milk or eggs. A vegan, by extension to the concept of vegetarianism, beyond their diet, also does not consume accessories and articles of animal origin, such as animal leather or wool.
A philosophy that excludes any form of cruelty towards animals, the vegan lifestyle is also opposed to animal exploitation, whether for food, clothing or any other use.
What characterizes a vegan fashion item?
Similar to other industries offering vegan items, vegan fashion items are distinguished by the total absence of materials of animal origin in their composition, and by the fact that their production does not cause animal suffering. They therefore exclude the use of leather, wool, silk or fur, preferring materials of plant or synthetic origin.
These items are thus considered cruelty free. This applies to vegan clothing, vegan city shoes and vegan sneakers , vegan accessories, as well as vegan beauty products.
What are the benefits of vegan fashion?
Vegan fashion is above all positive for animal ethics , since it avoids the exploitation of animals by preferring to use synthetic materials such as faux leather made from recycled plastic (sometimes fished out of the sea ) or plant-based alternatives such as organic cotton, hemp, cork, etc.
In addition, vegan materials tend to be more sustainable and eco-friendly than animal-based materials, including leathers used in fast fashion . This is all the more so thanks to the technical innovations brought by vegan materials , which today are often made from recycled materials.
Beyond recycled materials, the environmental impact of vegan fashion is also lower than that of traditional fashion items. This is due to reduced water consumption thanks to the circular economy principle, and lower greenhouse gas emissions and pollution than fashion using materials from animal farming, such as cow leather, whose herds are often raised outside of Europe.
Vegan materials, especially those labeled OEKO TEX 100, are also less harmful than traditional leathers, whose mineral tanning is often toxic, which has the positive consequence of preventing the people in charge of tanning from developing health problems. Indirectly, vegan fashion therefore has a positive resonance on human health.
Finally, who says vegan fashion, says in the majority of cases, ethical fashion associated with moral values.
Encouraging vegan fashion helps raise awareness among consumers and citizens about the ethical and environmental issues related to fashion. This has the effect of encouraging the search for innovations and ecological materials.
What types of fashion items can be vegan?
Vegan fashion encompasses a wide range of products of all types.
This ranges from vegan clothing (vegan jackets, shirts, pants, t-shirts, dresses, vegan shoes and other vegan sneakers ) to vegan accessories such as vegan handbags, cruelty-free belts, faux leather wallets, not to mention jewelry without animal-derived materials.
Vegan beauty products are also offered today by many vegan brands. They come in the form of cosmetics, such as moisturizers, hair and skin care, toothpastes, or even makeup made without using ingredients of animal origin or without being tested on animals in laboratories.
Find our article on eco-friendly gifts for Valentine’s Day here .
Are all clothes vegan?
For a garment to be considered vegan, just like a vegan shoe or any other vegan product, it must exclude the use of material of animal origin. It is therefore important to distinguish between items made from whole plant fibers (or partial plant fibers added to synthetic materials) and products of animal origin, such as leather, wool, silk, down, fur, or fish skin.
Plant fibers
Some of the plant fibers commonly used in the vegan textile industry include:
Cotton:
Although it is subject to some criticism because it uses a lot of water and is sometimes chemically treated, cotton is nonetheless one of the most widely used natural fibres in the textile industry.
From an eco-responsible perspective, organic cotton, grown without pesticides, or better, recycled cotton, are sustainable options, perfectly compatible with the production of vegan textiles, ecological clothing and summer shoes in vegan fabric.
Flax:
Linen is a high-quality plant fiber, with the advantage of being grown in France, without requiring artificial watering. It is known for its durability and breathability, making it a popular choice for summer clothing.
Hemp:
Hemp is a plant that produces strong and eco-friendly fibers. Its cultivation requires little water and no pesticides, making it a sustainable option for eco-friendly clothing and other textile products.
Is vegan fashion always eco-responsible?
Vegan fashion respects animal life, so it is easy to define it as eco-responsible fashion for its virtues on biodiversity and the fact that it reduces pressure on ecosystems and natural habitats. But defining it as such is a clumsy shortcut, because it mixes various ethical issues and solutions.
While it is true that not using animal-based materials relieves the environment of carbon emissions, methane, and other pollution caused by livestock farming, this does not mean that all vegan materials are equally ecological and qualitative. Indeed, some vegan materials are produced far from Europe, and can be a source of pollution if they are chemically treated, in addition to the emissions linked to their transport.
Also, to ensure that you consume items that are both vegan and eco-responsible, it is important to ensure that vegan brands use ecological materials , if possible labeled, and produced by European suppliers , in order to minimize the ecological footprint of their production. The fact that the materials are recycled and plant-based, like those used to produce COG shoes, is an additional eco-responsible argument.
Examples of vegan leathers such as the faux grape leather we use for our Topsyplant-based sneakers , our Wallace high-top sneakers or our Laïka and Olympe ankle boots are not only cruelty-free alternatives, but also renewable materials that demonstrate why vegan fashion contributes positively to environmental sustainability. The same goes for our synthetic materials made from cereals, or Piñatex (pineapple leather), apple leather, mycelium leather (mushroom leather) or cactus leather.
Vegan materials woven and used in vegan fashion, such as organic cotton, recycled cotton, linen, and hemp also have a lower environmental impact than animal-based materials like wool, which require considerable water resources, in addition to potentially contributing to deforestation.
Why is COG a committed vegan shoe brand?
Our brand's primary aspiration is to offer vegan shoes , made from materials that respect the planet , manufactured by people working in an environment that is conducive to their well-being , and to market our shoes at affordable prices , reflecting the real value of a shoe produced in Europe .
Also, the defense of animal welfare is one, if not the major cause that motivated the creation of COG . As a result, all our models ofsneakers , tennis shoes , ankle boots , Richelieu , or Chelsea boots , are exclusively vegan, for collections that are 100% cruelty-free towards animals.
In addition to participating in the dissemination of vegan shoes, the greatest wish of the people in our small team through COG is to awaken our community and the public to the reflection around the place of the living , and the fundamental need to put the protection of biodiversity back at the center of essential considerations.
Promoting conscious and sustainable consumption and seeing positive change in the fashion industry are all objectives that motivate our ethical approach.
For all these reasons, as a committed and supportive brand , we regularly partner with non-profit associations, such as Elephant Haven , the Futur association, the Noah's Ark refuge , etc., which work for animal welfare.
The annual profits made from the sale of our vegan shoes allow us to make spontaneous donations to them, in order to support their efforts, and those of the volunteers involved.
Thank you for being with us and taking the time to read and share our articles . Thank you also for the consideration offered to animal life and for participating in the promotion of vegan fashion through the purchase of our products , or those of other committed brands.
You can also find more details about our brand on the FAQ page of our ethical store.
