When it comes to vegan clothing and cruelty-free beauty products, the fashion industry is taking notice. How do we know it? Because the competition in vegan products is increasing.
When we started the Vegan Zen podcast in 2013, there weren’t a ton of brands or products to talk about in the vegan lifestyle space. Sure, there were some cruelty-free fashion brands, but compared to today’s offerings, it wasn’t even close.
Even those who are not living a vegan lifestyle are showing greater concern about the environmental impact of their daily choices. Along with product sustainability, concerns about fair trade and how workers are treated around the world have sparked a lot of concern, especially among the younger generation.
In episode 416 of The Vegetarian Jane Podcast, we interview actor Tory DeVito, who talks about some of his favorite fashion and beauty brands. There were so many good ones that we decided to dive deeper into some of those companies and add a few of our own.
We like to update this post with new companies as we become aware of them, so if you find one you like, please contact us and let us know!
You can listen to us discuss these vegan fashion and beauty brands or read on for a summary of everything we discussed.
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Vegan clothing brand
These vegan clothing brands prove that we don’t need animal-based clothing to look our best. Check out these amazing vegan brands.
wow
Wawwa’s mission is to create clothing that represents functionality and sustainability while being climate neutral. Being climate neutral means they only use energy from renewable sources. They use 100% organic cotton in their products.
The company is certified vegan by PETA and a certified social enterprise.
save the duck
Save the Ducks has roots that go back to 1914, when Foresto founded the Bergey Foresto Clothing Company. Nicolas Bergi, a third-generation family member, founded his own clothing company Save the Duck in 2012. Their main focus is:
- Outerwear
- Puffer jacket
- the vest
- rain clothes
They also have a small line of athletic wear.
As a certified B Corp, Save the Duck meets high standards of verified performance, accountability and transparency on employee benefits and chain practices and charitable giving issues for supply of input materials.
Christy Don
Christy Don’s current farm-to-closet collection was regenerated on 25 acres of land in India. Additionally, the company works directly with local farmers and artisans to grow materials and create their clothing line.
When you purchase from these collections, proceeds go directly to supporting local growers and makers.
Christy Don also has a Deadstock collection, which consists of garments made from excess fabric discarded by other fashion companies.
Their organic cotton collection dresses are made from organic cotton that has been dyed with natural or organic dyes.
brave man
Founded in 2010 by Joshua Catcher, Bold Gentleman has been featured in Vogue, GQ, Forbes and the Financial Times.
The company was also voted “Most Influential Brand” by PETA, with celebrities such as Liam Hemsworth and Joaquin Phoenix donating some of its products.
“The beauty of an object should match the beauty of how it’s made,” says founder Joshua Catcher.
In addition to their amazing products, their mission, described below, is something we can definitely embrace!
You are a citizen
We don’t like to call you “consumer”. Disable that title. You are more than a receptacle, and where you put your money actually matters. We like to think of our customers as citizen-investors whose purchases actually fund the systems they want to see improve. Thank you for investing in Brave Gentleman.
Vegan shoes
No vegan shoes
Nae means “no animal exploitation.” How cool is that? Their products are manufactured in certified and ethical factories in Portugal.
Some of the recycled materials that go into making Nae shoes are:
- Piñatex – Fabric made from pineapple leaf fibers
- Apple Leather — Vegan leather made from apple skin (waste from the apple juice industry).
- organic cotton
- cork
- Recycled plastic bottles
The heel measures about 3 inches
Oeko-Tex certified
The lining is microfiber and breathable, allergenic/environmental, CO2 emission free
Insole: Paperboard agglomerate / Sole: Polystyrene / Outsole: Rubber
Buy on Amazon!
Bhava
Bhava emphasizes that these are not just substitutes for leather; They transcend and consider the planet (sustainability) as well as the workers (fair trade) when sourcing raw materials for their shoes.
Their slogan is, “Thinking by design.” How’s that for an ethical fashion mantra?
They specialize in:
- dressy boots
- Hiking boots
- clogs
- flat
- Hill
- sandals
Cecilu
“Ccilu” (pronounced CHEE-loo) is a Japanese word meaning release. Their homepage says they “challenge you to think differently about concepts of waste, recycling and consumerism.”
They say, “At our core, we want to invent technology to recycle commonly discarded materials such as eco-friendly shoes, coffee grounds and plastic bottles. We strive to create shoes that are stylish, yet functional and comfortable. Our sustainable shoes allow customers to increase their walking footprint while reducing their carbon footprint!”
Waterproof ankle rubber bootie with advanced technology sole for ultimate support and flexibility. Lace-up short boots with weatherproof liner for winter and monsoon weather. PETA approved.
Buy on Amazon!
Vegan handbags
Angela Ray
Angela Roy’s mission is to “change the way we think about fashion with ethical goods that are good for all creatures.”
Most of their bags are made from “traditional” vegan leather with synthetic alternatives such as polyurethane or similar products.
If you’re not a fan of synthetic materials, their Cacti collection is made from the leaves of the Nopales cactus. The leaves are harvested by hand and dried in the sun (no chemicals required).
Plants are grown on an organic farm in Zacatecas, Mexico with no irrigation or fertilizers. After harvesting, it takes 6-8 months for each plant to regrow its leaves, which means they can be cut again and again.
Be sure to check out the series of videos on their site that show their entire hand-crafting process.
Matt and Nat
Matt & Nat was founded in Montreal in 1995. Contrary to what we assumed, their name stands for material and nature (we thought it was Matthew and Natalie!) They offer shoes, outerwear, knitwear and accessories for women and men.
The materials they use are vegan, cruelty-free and recyclable, and include:
- Nylon
- cardboard
- rubber
- cork
- Windshield resin
Karkar
Corker has been around for a while now, and they are Larissa’s go-to brand when she needs a new wallet.
As their names suggest,
Cork products include:
- handbag
- Briefcase
- Messenger bag
- the wallet
- belt
- keychain
- the coaster
- Mousepad and desk pad
Health and beauty
The beauty industry is also targeting the trend towards vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable products.
Since none of us are into beauty products much, we thought we’d direct you to an even better resource: The Ethical Elephant. If you’re looking for cruelty-free, sustainable, vegan health and beauty products, their site has an amazing and updated brand directory to help you out.
Elina Organics
We do have one brand worth mentioning, however, that was recommended by our guest, Tory DeVito. Elina Organics was founded in 1998 by esthetician and holistic skin care educator Elina Fedotova.
Elina Organic products are:
- organic
- overall
- small batch
- durable
- cruelty free
They carry different types:
- Bath, body, and hair products
- Scrubs and masks
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Eye and lip care
- Moisturizer
- Natural makeup
- men’s line
If you live in the Kalamazoo, Michigan or Pompano Beach, Florida area, Elina Organics also has a spa in each of those two cities. You can check out their services and book an appointment on their website.
We hope we’ve given you some inspiration to do a little vegan shopping with these vegetarian options. Of course, these aren’t the only vegan fashion companies. We’ll be adding to this guide so be sure to check back periodically. The future of fashion looks very good to these companies!