Activists are striving to eliminate animal use in fashion to promote eco-friendliness and sustainability. Brands like Balenciaga and Canada Goose have banned fur, showcasing a shift towards next-gen materials such as plant-derived alternatives. Events like The Vegan Fashion Show highlight these innovations and support for ethical fashion choices, driving change within the industry.
Ending animal use in fashion has been a long-standing goal for activists. This would end animal cruelty and create a more eco-friendly and sustainable future. I’ve witnessed numerous victories for animal rights, such as major brands banning fur. Thanks to activists and groups like PETA: Balenciaga, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Winners, and even recently Canada Goose have all banned the use of fur. Vegan materials are poised to dominate the future of fashion due to several key factors, including animal rights concerns, growing sustainability considerations, increasing consumer demand, and the emergence of innovative next-gen materials. Interested in the future of vegan, sustainable, and cruelty-free fashion? This article highlights some of the exciting developments happening now
The Vegan Fashion Show
In 2022 our city experienced The Vegan Fashion Show for the first time led by producer & director Vikki Lenola in Toronto, Canada. This non-profit iconic event was able to fundraise thousands of dollars for the animal rights organization Animal Justice and showcase next-gen materials, vegan designers, and much more that support ground-breaking efforts in the fashion industry.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve on the board of this powerful show, alongside a team and community dedicated to fostering ethical and positive change within the fashion industry. View them directly or in one of their many features: Global Vegan Magazine, Fashion Week Online, Imprint, and Animal Justice for more information about the show. Factors like exclusive fashion shows, designer standards, and consumer/investor demands drive the demand for fashion evolution and support for next-gen materials.
Next-Gen Materials
Next-Generation or “Next-Gen” materials are animal-free and environmentally conscious alternatives for traditional animal-based leather, silk, fur, down, and wool. “These innovations are high-performance, animal-free, and more sustainable.
This is the next generation of our material economy” states Material Innovation in their report: The 2022 State of the Industry Report: Next-Gen Materials. Plant-derived, mycelium, cultivated animal cells, and microbe-derived are just some of the next-gen materials that are the future of material in fashion. Additionally, the report further states the investment trends that have transpired and that we can anticipate in the future. To learn more about the future of fashion, subscribe or download their free research and updates.
Scientific Studies for Sustainable Material Alternatives Growing
A sustainable and green economy demands materials that are not only non-animal but also non-petroleum-based, such as those derived from synthetic or wood sources. Many current vegan types of leather are composites of waste materials like cactus and pineapples. A 2023 study explored using apples and polyurethane to create a biodegradable cardholder material. Using apples is something very new to me and it is exciting to see their potential in material resources. This study found the characteristics of the material to be durable and functional.
Social Media Movements & Pledges
Amy Powney, creative director of Mother of Pearl, launched #FashionOurFuture, a pledge campaign within the fashion community. Her campaign pledges include renting, buying secondhand, and only purchasing sustainable new clothing. Her documentary, Fashion Reimagined, gives consumers an inside look at how the fashion industry works. It demonstrates her focus on sustainable materials, transparent supply chains, and a low carbon footprint. The documentary highlighted the challenges of ensuring material traceability and minimizing transport.
Support From Top Designers
Stella McCartney, a favorite vegan designer, exemplifies creativity and sustainability. For example, as featured in, Vogue’s April 2023 issue, they released a BioSequin® jumpsuit. Their social media page states: “It was crafted in our London atelier from plastic-free, non-toxic, biodegradable and plant-derived BioSequins® — an exclusive innovation by Radiant Matter. BioSequins® are the first lab-made sequins, engineered from renewable cellulose and innovated by a female founder. In addition, they assert that they utilize exclusively recycled, recyclable, and biobased alternatives.
Individual Support
Clothing from The Honest Whisper shop was featured not only in The Honest Whisper’s Lookbook but also in The Vegan Fashion Show. In just a couple of years, we adopted better practices like using recycled clothing in our Etsy shop. You can see some of these pieces featured in The Honest Whisper’s Lookbook. May this article inspire us to improve our fashion choices and maintain hope for the future. We can support this movement by making conscious purchasing choices, encouraging sustainable practices, and carefully vetting our partners. We can all support this fashion evolution and work towards a better future for the industry. The future holds exciting possibilities for new materials in fashion.
Featured Blog Image
Photographed by: Laura Warner
Contents:
- Janika photographed by Majid Mehrabran
- Modeling upcycled clothing from The Honest Whisper in Global Vegan Magazine. Hi-vis pants read: “Stop Killing Animals”.
- A cactus leather purse by Cacto.
- Sneakers by Organic Garments made from pineapple and hemp.
- Vegan banana silk yarn from Unfettered Co.
– Emma Watson
“It’s amazing, people get so detached from what they eat and what they wear. No one has any contact with how things are made that are put in their body and put in their mouths and I just find it alarming that no one questions it.”
Environment lover? Check out A Guide to Going Vegan For the Environment for more ways to show your love for the planet. Brought to you by The Vegan Experience.
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