Can veganism save the planet? Is it going to help climate change or maybe even solve world hunger? For a little while now, veganism isn’t just a diet anymore. It’s a philosophy which assumptions affect more and more aspects of life. Being a vegan became something more than eliminating animal products from your plate and taking a step further, from your fridge to your closet. Have you ever wondered if your clothes are vegan? Not everybody knows that even the fashion industry can (and should be) VEGAN!
In most cases, going vegan starts with changing the diet. Usually, pretty much that’s all. Most people are not aware that animal products’ presence is almost everywhere. Even in our clothes. What should you do to make sure that the clothes you get remain in harmony with vegan ideology? We’re here to help!
Vegan clothes. What does it even mean?
You feel lost? To responsibly buy clothes, you need to get some knowledge. What kinds of animal products are being used in the textile industry? Unfortunately, there’s a lot. Fibres, glues, colour dyes - once you think about the whole process of the production you realize that the jacket you wear has gone a long way until it ended up in your closet. Oh, and I have to mention the most controversial ones - furs and leathers. Recently, many popular brands have eliminated these two from their offer. It’s a step towards a good change. However, besides leathers and furs, there’s still a bunch of other non-vegan materials and some animals suffered to get them ready. It’s good to know that production of sheep’s and angora wool, cashmere, mohair, feathers, silk or nacre also affects animals’ lives. That’s why not only vegans but everyone should look for an alternative.
How to be sure that the product is vegan?
And here the trouble begins. Although you can always check the label and verify whether the product is vegan or not, there are a bunch of other materials than the fabric itself that can be non-vegan. For example, textile dyes might contain carmine that is made of insects. During the footwear and purses production, manufacturers use glues that have animal products in them, like bones, leathers or hooves. Producers don’t have to put this information on the label.
So how should you know that the product you chose is 100% vegan? There are two ways: you can always either ask a direct question to the producer or buy products at the stores that deeply care about vegan and environmentally friendly values. Fortunately, more and more vegan brands are available in Poland as Ananas or KABAK - specialized in vegan accessories like socks, belts, beanies, lingerie or even candles.
What else can I do to dress up responsibly?
Most certainly, shop consciously. Every season, the textile industry and dynamically evolving fashion make you feel like you should go and buy a new thing. It doesn’t have to be like that. Get durable, high-quality products: they’re going to last longer.
If you want to know more about sustainable fashion and need hints about wise shopping, read more articles on the KABAK blog.