When shopping for animal friendly garments, there are some obvious things to avoid - think fur, leather jackets, boots and bags, shearling (sheepskin), silk, cashmere and wool. However, some animal materials are less obvious, more easily forgotten, or even hidden from plain sight...
1. Wool blends
While knitwear made from 100% wool is generally advertised as such, making it easy to avoid, many knitted sweaters, scarves and beanies are made from a blend of materials. For example plant-based materials like cotton, or synthetic materials like acrylic may be blended with a small amount of sheep's wool.
Reading the composition label for all knitwear is a great way to ensure you're not paying for cruelty and the slaughter of sheep in the wool industry.
2. Leather patches on denim
An easy thing to miss! Many denim jeans, shorts and even some jackets have a leather or suede animal skin patch on them.
There are plenty of labels that either do not use patches, or which use vegan synthetic leather or jacron sturdy paper patches instead. Make sure to check!
3. Down filled jackets
Down can sometimes be left unconsidered, because it's not something visible from the outside of a garment. Lots of winter jackets and vests are filled with feathers that have been ripped out of birds alive, or after they have been slaughtered.
Vegan alternatives to down are just as warm, generally cheaper, more hygienic, and can even be made of recycled materials!
4. Mislabelled 'faux fur'
Unfortunately there are many cases in which real fur has been labelled as 'faux fur'. This sometimes occurs when slaughtering animals is actually cheaper than producing vegan synthetic fur - especially when a product only requires a small amount of 'fluff', like a bobble on a key chain, or a beanie.
To make sure your fluffy products are truly free from animal harm, opt to support PETA certified vegan brands.
5. Leather insoles
Some shoes may have a textile upper, yet still have a leather insole. For example, some summery sandals or high heels may be mostly made of animal-free materials, yet have a leather insole.
Make sure to check the composition labels, ask questions, and familiarise yourself with the meaning of the composition symbols often stuck to shoes - that might make it easier!
Our Obsidian Orchid Tweed Handbag, free from wool.
6. Wool tweed
Tweed is a classically elegant material, though because of its unique appearance, sometimes it can be easy to forget that the majority of tweed is made from wool.
Luckily, there are vegan tweeds too - we even have a collection of bags made with it!
7. Silk blends
Just like with wool, while 100% silk garments are normally advertised as such, silk blended with another material, such as satin or cotton, may not be.
Labels are your best friend!
8. Felted wool and fur
Felt products, for example felted wide brim or fedora hats, are often made of cruel wool and fur.
There are vegan alternatives to these cruel materials, make sure to check the label.
A look at our vegan silk lining on the Wild Comet Satchel
9. Silk lining
Some jackets and bags are lined with silk, even if the external material is vegan.
This is another thing to check for on the label, but luckily, there are plenty of vegan labels who never use silk lining - including Kinds of Grace, as we line our bags with a man-made silk-like material.
Ethically made vegan sneakers from By Blanch
10. Leather and suede sneakers
Sometimes people can forget that sneakers are often made of leather. Perhaps it's because they are often made of multiple smaller sections of material cut together, or because they are a sometimes made of a blend of materials. Regardless, many common brand sneakers are leather, or have a suede toe feature.
With a huge range of brilliant, certified vegan sneakers that are kind to animals, this is something easy to avoid.
As you keep these tips in mind, you're making sure no animal cruelty slips into your wardrobe, and that's something to be proud of!
