Is Vegan Fashion Sustainable? Answer To Environmental Crisis

Is vegan fashion sustainable? If so, could vegan fashion be the answer to the existing environmental disaster caused by the fashion industry?

We realised these are the most asked questions amongst those who care about the environment as well as animal welfare.

So, we decided to have a closer look at them.

With daily topics covering habitat destruction, animal species extinction, pollution, climate change, and deforestation, we can’t help but grow increasingly concerned.

But, being concerned is one thing, finding solutions is another.

We fall in the second category and so far, the best solution we have is to adopt a vegan lifestyle.

The number of people going vegan, with the hope it could help in protecting and conserving the planet’s natural resources, is on the rise.

At the same time, the number of companies starting to offer vegan products, such as vegan leather tote bags and vegan shoes, is also on the rise.

Yes, vegan shoes and bags because veganism is more than just about one’s diet.

In fashion, veganism is your commitment to avoid any animal-based products.

That includes clothes, shoes, and other accessories that use animal parts, such as fur and skin.

The more people support vegan companies, the better it will be for the environment.

Why Do Our Buying Choices Matter?

In this day and age, where climate change is a real threat, we need to be more conscious of the products we purchase and use.

However, this may be a bit challenging since we also live in a world where branding and labelling matters.

Big brands have the budget and resources for expensive ads, which is why they are well known.

Over the years, these brands have managed to equate leather and fur with luxury and opulence, so much so that people have started seeing them as a social status.

There has also been a lot of prejudice against faux leather and faux fur because people think they are not up to par with the ‘real’ thing.

But advancements in technology have enabled many manufacturers to create high-quality vegan leather.

For example, vegan leather tote bags are just as good as the ones made from animal skin.

And if you only knew how leather is made, you probably wouldn’t want to buy it anymore.

Leather is made by killing innocent animals for their skins.

It is made by using toxic chemicals for tanning the skin and to turn it into the material you call leather.

As a consumer, you have a responsibility to choose wisely, for you and for your children.

If you stop buying unsustainable products, manufacturers will also stop making them.

You, the consumer, have the power to make a change in the cruel industry called fashion.

Animal Leather Is Not Sustainable

I bet you didn’t know that the leather industry has one of the worst environmental impacts on the planet.

Apart from cow skin, many other animal skins are used to make leather.

Rare animals such as kangaroo, snakes and crocodiles are killed for their skin every day.

Technically speaking, when you wear leather, you are wearing somebody else’s skin.

Aside from the ethical considerations, we also can’t ignore the environmental damage caused by tanning animal skins.

Especially alarming is to know that approximately 80 per cent of conventional leather around the globe is tanned using highly toxic chemicals.

These chemicals are severely harming the industrial tannery workers.

Moreover, when released into waterways, these chemicals pollute our potable water sources.

What’s A Sustainable Option To Animal Leather?

Vegan leather. More precisely, sustainable vegan leather.

These leather alternatives are just as durable and beautiful as conventional leather.

There are many fashion brands that offer amazing vegan leather products made from plant-based materials, such as cork, pineapple leaves, apple peels, and even fruit waste.

Animal rights movements, vegan companies, and animal sanctuaries are urging consumers of fashion to support vegan organisations and cruelty-free beauty products.

Take the time to visit an animal sanctuary.

See how you can help them and figure out why it’s worth making more compassionate buying decisions.

See how your shopping actions impact the world, no matter how insignificant you may see them.

Your purchasing choices can either help or worsen climate change and animal cruelty.

The more you buy products that use single-use plastics for their packaging, the more you are hurting the environment.

Likewise, supporting animal-based products like meat, fur, and leather will only make cruelty and pollution flourish.

As such, more animals will be killed to satisfy your taste buds and your outdated sense of fashion.

In contrast, the more of us start supporting eco-friendly and sustainably sourced products, the less demand there will be for products that negatively impact the environment.

We need to be more vocal about our advocacy.

We must convince more people to join our ethical cause.

Yes, you may feel disheartened that your voice is not loud enough.

Yes, you may feel that you do not have enough influence.

Or, you may feel alone on this conscious fight.

After all, you might be asking yourself, what can one person do to change the world?

You can do anything you want. Just remember, it all starts with one.

Be the inspiration your friends and family need so that they, too, can start inspiring others.

WTVOX – ‘Voicing the Future of Fashion’

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