What is vegan fashion?
What does the word veganism mean?
Between vegetarianism, plant-based diets, and veganism, it is not always easy to find your way around.
To put it simply, Let's say that unlike a vegetarian, who doesn't eat meat or animal flesh, a vegan doesn't eat products derived from animal farming, such as milk or eggs. A vegan, by extension of the concept of plant-based diet, also avoids consuming accessories and articles of animal origin, such as animal leather or wool, in addition to their diet.
The vegan lifestyle, which excludes all forms of cruelty towards animals, also opposes animal exploitation, whether for food, clothing or any other use.
What characterizes a vegan fashion item?
Similar to other industries offering vegan products, vegan fashion items are distinguished by...total absence of animal-derived materials 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 therefore considered cruelty-free. This applies to vegan clothing, to vegan city shoes And vegan sneakers, to vegan accessories, as well as vegan beauty products.
QWhat are the advantages of vegan fashion?
Vegan fashion is first and foremost positive for animal ethics, since it avoids animal exploitation by preferring the use of synthetic materials such as leather faux leather made from recycled plastic (sometimes fished out at sea), or plant-based alternatives such as organic cotton, hemp, cork, etc.
Moreover, the vegan materials tend to be more sustainable and eco-friendly that materials of animal origin, particularly leathers used in the fast fashion. This is all the more true thanks to the technical innovations brought about by the vegan materials which today often consist of recycled materials.
Beyond the use of 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 principles of a circular economy, and lower greenhouse gas emissions and pollution compared to fashion using materials derived from animal farming, such as cow leather, whose herds are often raised outside of Europe.
Vegan materials, particularly those with the OEKO-TEX 100 label, are also less harmful than traditional leathers, whose mineral tanning process is often toxic. This has the positive consequence of preventing health problems for those involved in the tanning process. Indirectly, therefore, vegan fashion has a positive impact on human health.
Finally, vegan fashion, in most cases, means ethical fashion associated with moral values.
Encouraging vegan fashion It helps raise awareness among consumers and citizens about the ethical and environmental issues related to fashion. This, in turn, encourages the search for innovations and eco-friendly materials.
What types of fashion items can be vegan?
Vegan fashion encompasses a wide range of products of all types.
This includes vegan clothing (jackets, shirts, pants, t-shirts, dresses, vegan shoes and others vegan sneakers) to vegan accessories such as vegan handbags, cruelty-free belts, wallets in faux leather, not forgetting jewelry made 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 products, toothpastes, or even makeup made without using ingredients of animal origin, nor being tested on animals in a laboratory.
Find here our article on eco-friendly gifts for Valentine's Day.
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 materials of animal origin. It is therefore important to distinguish between items made from whole plant fibers (or partial plant fibers combined with synthetic materials) and products of animal origin, such as leather, wool, silk, down, fur, or fish skin.
Plant fibers
Among the plant fibers commonly used in the vegan textile industry are:
Cotton:
While subject to some criticism because it is water-intensive and sometimes chemically treated, cotton remains one of the most widely used natural fibers in the textile industry.
From an eco-responsible perspective, organic cotton, grown without pesticides, or better yet, recycled cotton, are sustainable options, perfectly compatible with the production of vegan textiles, ecological clothing and summer shoes made of vegan fabric.
Flax:
Linen is a high-quality plant fiber, with the advantage of being grown in France without requiring artificial irrigation. 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 clothing and other eco-responsible textile products.
Is vegan fashion always eco-friendly?
Vegan fashion, respecting animal life, is quickly labeled as eco-responsible due to its benefits for biodiversity and the fact that it reduces pressure on ecosystems and natural habitats. However, defining it as such is a clumsy oversimplification, as it conflates various ethical issues and solutions.
While it's true that avoiding animal-derived materials reduces carbon, methane, and other pollutants associated with livestock farming, this doesn't mean that all vegan materials are equally ecological and of high quality. Indeed, some vegan materials are produced far from Europe and can be a source of pollution if they are chemically processed, in addition to the emissions associated with their transportation.
Also, to ensure that you are consuming products that are both vegan and eco-responsible, it is important to make sure 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 grape imitation leather that we use for making our plant-based sneakers Topsy, of our high-top sneakers
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-derived materials like wool, which require considerable water resources, in addition to potentially contributing to deforestation.
Why is COG a committed vegan shoe brand?
The primary aspiration of our brand is to offer vegan shoes, composed of materials that respect the planet, manufactured by people working in an environment conducive to their well-being, and to market our shoes to affordable prices, reflecting the true value of a shoes produced in Europe.
Therefore, the defense of animal welfare is one of, if not the major, reasons that motivated the creation of COG. Therefore, all our models of sneakers, tennis, ankle boots, Richelieu, Or Chelsea boots, are exclusively vegan, for 100% cruelty-free collections.
In addition to participating in the distribution of vegan-made shoes, the greatest wish of the people on our small team through COG is to raise awareness within our community and among the public. reflection on the place of living things, and the fundamental need to put the protection of biodiversity back at the center of essential considerations.
Promoting a conscious and sustainable consumption, Seeing a positive change in the fashion industry are all objectives that motivate our ethical approach.
For all these reasons, as A socially responsible and committed brand, We regularly partner with non-profit organizations, such as Elephant Haven, the Futur association, the refuge of Noah's Ark…who work for animal welfare.
The annual profits made on the sale of our vegan shoes, allows 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 for taking the time to read and share. our articles. Thank you also for your consideration of 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 page FAQ from our ethical shop.
