6 Vegan Fashion Brands You Need To Know About This World Vegan Day
For nearly 30 years, animal lovers have gathered together on November 1 for World Vegan Day – a celebration of cruelty-free living, from the food you eat to the clothes you wear. It's also a day of action to raise awareness about this philosophy of compassion that, according to The Vegan Society, "promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans, and the environment." There's no better time than now to get to know six vegan fashion brands from all corners of Mother Earth whose designs meet animal-friendly vegan standards and whose business models help ensure all animals — including humans — can thrive during the age of climate disruption.
These brands forego non-vegan materials like wool, leather, and silk, and instead opt for animal-free fabrics like organic cotton, linen, and hemp as well as plant-based leathers and other recycled materials. This adds a dimension of sustainability to their cruelty-free clothes, shoes, and bags. When you shop from these animal- and planet-friendly companies, every day is World Vegan Day.
Nikki Green
Throw away all your notions that vegan fashion means Birkenstocks with socks and long broomstick skirts. Nikki Green's 100% vegan luxury line proves that you can love animals and help save the planet — all while looking runway ready. Founded just over six months ago, this Houston-based company offers gorgeous ready-to-wear gowns, tops, pants, and denim cut to fit a woman's curves. In fact, everything in the collection has been designed with founder Dominique Side's hourglass figure in mind.
Detail is everything at Nikki Green. From hand-sewn seams to custom hardware, the company brings chic to a new generation of environmentally conscious shoppers. Choose from emerald green military-inspired satin jackets, bodices, and skorts, or embrace your inner JLo with a flowing black lace jumpsuit or a rhinestone-dotted nude mesh hoodie. This debut collection spans a gamut of styles, textures, and shapes.
What's more, Nikki Green is the first Black woman-owned vegan fashion brand combining veganism, sustainability, and haute couture. In an exclusive interview with The List at Vegan Fashion Week in Los Angeles, Side's long-term stylist and the brand's designer Christian Allen said Nikki Green will continue to build on this regenerative ethos, sourcing plant-based synthetic fabrics and using cactus leather for shoes and other accessories. Side added, "Every step of the process, from design to production to packaging, is responsibly sourced and centered on compassion." Doing good never looked so fine.
BOHEMA
If you think going vegan means you have to give up your shoe habit, BOHEMA's plant avant-garde line will make you think again. This groundbreaking company introduced pineapple leather shoes to its native Poland in 2018, and a year later, released the world's first cactus leather shoes. Made from the Desserto cactus, the cultivation of the plant improves biodiversity in the surrounding area, saves water, and requires no pesticides — a win for animals and the planet.
BOHEMA's incredibly durable collection is handmade by craftspeople in Poland under sustainable practices. Not only are all their materials vegan, but they're also guaranteed to last. Along with Desserto, BOHEMA's other plant leathers — grape, apple, pineapple, and nopal — feel and wear like their non-vegan counterpart, without harming any animals or the environment. With a bit of TLC, these naturally water-repellent shoes can last season after season. Other materials include breathable fabrics as well as recycled and recyclable materials in everything from tags to packaging. In putting their values first, BOHEMA is also a plastic-free company.
Sneakerheads will love BOHEMA's nerdcore dad kicks and C-suite execs can rule the boardroom in three-and-a-half-inch stilettos. Hit the beach in a pair of platform sandals or get your two-step on in a pair of paprika-colored cowboy boots. No matter what you do or where you are, there's a BOHEMA shoe for you.
Soorty
In October 2022, Pakistan's largest vertically integrated denim manufacturer Soorty began its Design for Longevity practice — creating durable, responsible, and long-lasting denim made from carefully selected materials and constructed with care to ensure a long life of wear. Soorty's soon-to-debut line, Philosophy of Denim, features timeless, exceptionally well-made, and gender-neutral recycled cotton denim designed to outlive any trend (RIP skinny jeans).
To find the key to sustainable fashion, Soorty looked to research from the EU Science Hub which discovered that the design phase of any product determines 80% of all the environmental impacts related to it. That's why this design-forward company went back to the drawing board to re-invent denim — one the most iconic materials in all of fashion and, according to Treehugger, one of the most problematic. It takes nearly 3000 gallons of water to make a single pair of jeans, and because natural dyes are costly and labor-intensive, most brands use synthetics that release toxic chemicals like formaldehyde into the environment.
With its expertise in engineering, the available infrastructure, and a dedication to sustainability production, Soorty now offers a whole family of zero virgin cotton denim. The company believes that designers, manufacturers, and consumers all play a role in sustainability and recently launched Future Possibilities – a portal to communicate with and educate consumers about the importance protecting natural resources and investing in more planet-friendly apparel. What's more World Vegan Day than that?
Happy Earth
Happy, healthy wildlife get top billing in Happy Earth's sustainable vegan athleisure line. Humans too will be happy and healthy in this premium yet affordable everyday wear made from pillowy yet durable organic cotton, cork bark, reclaimed fibers, and non-toxic dyes. You can relax knowing that your clothes aren't riddled with pesticides: A 2020 study published in Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems revealed that American conventional cotton used over $4 billion of pesticides in 2017 alone. Removing those chemicals from the ecosystem helps both people and animals who live near cotton fields. The study concluded that "organic cotton will continue to raise the environmental bar for all cotton production." The moment you slip into Happy Earth's sustainable staples like shirts, joggers, leggings, and dresses, you'll agree.
Happy Earth was founded by a team of nature-loving scientists who, as the company declares, "give a damn" about the health of people and the planet. That's why their adventure-ready clothes also feature beautiful graphics of the natural world so you can share your love for the planet with everyone you see. And since everything at Happy Earth is cruelty-free, you're truly living your values.
These super comfy clothes are made by Fair Trade artisans in WRAP certified facilities with sustainability guiding the way. The company is now net negative on its greenhouse gas emissions and offers eco-friendly shipping. As a leader in organic cotton casual wear, Happy Earth will continue to set the standard for vegan and sustainable lifestyle apparel.
Vivobarefoot
Where do shoes go when you're finished with them? Mostly into landfills. And the scale of that problem is enormous: The Guardian reports that in 2018 an estimated 24 billion pairs of shoes were manufactured, 90% of which end up in the trash where they will remain for up to 1,000 years. Vivobarefoot's vegan collection aims to disrupt this unsustainable cycle. The UK-based company's cruelty-free shoes are made from recycled plastic waste with an algae biomass insole — the first sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuel-derived foam. Each pair of wide, thin, flexible minimal sole shoes saves 57 gallons of water and removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere all while giving your feet incredible protection, natural grip, and unmatched comfort.
Once your shoes have reached the end of the trail, send them back to Vivobarefoot so they can become part of Revivo – the industry's first e-commerce solution for end-of-life footwear. Your shoes can either be repaired and returned to you, or they can be refurbished and resold through the same platform in a virtuous secondhand cycle that ensures perfectly wearable shoes remain in circulation and out of the bin.
Select from a variety of low and high top sneakers that look fabulous and feel great whether you're trekking through the mountains or strolling down a city street. When you buy from this certified B Corporation, you know your shoes are helping make a better place for animals, people, and the planet.
Chala Handbags
Made in the heart of Los Angeles, Chala Handbags feature whimsical bags, wallets, and accessories made from long-lasting cotton and high-end, PETA-approved vegan leather. These fun and functional bags are certain to start a conversation wherever you go with their darling, unique creations. And that's by design — Chala Handbags was created to celebrate animals and centers everything it does around a love for our fellow creatures.
The woman-owned small business donates 5% of its annual net profits to Heart and Home Animal Rescue Foundation, a California-based non-profit helping dogs and cats (via The Handbag Store). During the pandemic, Chala Handbags also donated fobs for ID badges to frontline workers as a token of appreciation, further extending their circle of concern for all creatures.
Show your love for animals with a corgi coin purse, catch lunch with a friend with a hummingbird satchel, or hit the stage with your rockabilly band while sporting bowling bag decorated with a guitar — all of which share your love for cruelty-free living, just as World Vegan Day intended.