What Clothing Materials are Vegan?

As a vegan, it’s important to be aware of the types of vegan and cruelty-free materials that are available out there. This makes it easier for you to make informed purchasing choices that are kind to the environment and to the animals.

Here are some of the many vegan and cruelty-free materials that you can choose from. 

 

1. Linen:

Linen is quite a unique material that’s known for getting softer the more you wash and wear it. It’s also non-allergenic which makes it ideal for people with sensitive skin. Linen is most often utilized to make summer clothing because it’s light and breathable.

Overall linen is a high-quality fabric that’s biodegradable, recyclable and requires very little fertilization during the growing stage. This Boho Linen Vintage Backpack is a good example of the linen material’s durability and comfortability.

 

2. Organic Cotton:

Organic cotton is a cruelty-free material that’s actually beneficial to the soil. It promotes healthy ecosystems and it doesn’t need a lot of water to thrive.

When you put on a clothing item that’s made from organic cotton, one of the things you’ll notice is the velvety soft feel of this fabric against the skin. It also dries very quickly after washing, making it very low maintenance and easy to clean.

This trendy graphic tee is made from organic cotton and is perfect for any occasion.

 

3. Wood:

Lyocell is a type of material that doesn’t wrinkle and is made of wood using sustainable methods. Lyocell is also biodegradable, it drapes well and feels soft to the touch.

This Ava Clutch is made from vegan leather that’s derived from lyocell.

Fun Fact! Manufacturers also use lyocell to make vegan clothes that mimic the look, feel and quality of fabrics like leather, suede, wool, and moleskin.

 

4. Seaweed:

Yep, you saw right. You can actually turn seaweed into a clothing material and it's quite beneficial for the skin. Evidence suggests that wearing clothes made from seaweed material can re-mineralize skin, detoxify the body and even regenerate the cells.

We don’t know if any of that is true but we can tell you that it’s a very comfortable material to wear. You see, seaweed adapts to the temperature to keep you cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold.

The manufacturing process starts with drying the seaweed so that it can be coarsely ground and combined with plant-based cellulose fiber.  Afterward ,manufacturers use it to create a wide variety of different usable materials.

 

5. Pineapple and other types of vegan leather:

Pineapple leather is a recent introduction to the textile manufacturing industry. Manufacturers introduced it into the market after seeing the toxic effects of PVC.

Unlike PVC, pineapple leather is biodegradable, 'green' and constructed from leftover pineapple leaves.

Other interesting leather alternatives to look out for include kombucha leather and cork leather. Both of these options are growing in popularity and are primarily utilized to make high-quality vegan fashion handbags and shoes.

A few examples of accessories that are made from this type of leather include this lovely Classic Clutch, this designer belt (which comes in a variety of colors) and this high-quality vintage-style bomber jacket.

 

6. Hemp

Hemp is an organic plant that's easy to cultivate. Farmers don't have to use chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Growing it is also beneficial to the soil because its roots grow deep, thus preventing runoff and preserving topsoil structure.

Hemp clothing has a very similar look and feel to linen because it’s breathable, hypoallergenic and wearing it won’t irritate your skin at all.

 The insole of these gorgeous vegan canvas shoes for men is made from hemp.

 

7. Corduroy

Corduroy is a ridged velvety fabric that has distinct parallel "cords" made by weaving cotton with fibers to form vertical ridges (aka wales). Corduroy is soft and durable, and usually consists of a mixture of cotton and rayon or polyester. If you are looking for a durable, yet fashionable vegan-friendly material, you can't go wrong with choosing corduroy.

 

8. Cork

Cork is a 100% natural vegan material. It is low maintenance and has leather-like properties in that is is stain resistant, water repellent and scratch-proof. Cork is made from cork oak bark that is harvested, but the fascinating thing about this process is that it doesn't hurt the tree! Cork contains a naturally occurring waxy substance (suberin) which gives the material longevity. We love how sustainable this option is over other faux leathers and recommend it whole-heartedly as a vegan material option.

 

9. rPET

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest challenges facing modern humanity today. As such, it’s very important that we as consumers try to eliminate its use and recycle whenever possible.

Recycled polyethylene terephthalate or rPET for short, refers to the polyester material that’s made from recycled water bottles.

This material can be utilized to make all types of clothing apparel like these Greek-style sandals, as well as this fashionable leather bracelet that says “vegan”.

 

The vegan materials on this list are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what’s available out there. The best part is that they’re good for the environment and usually cost less than cruel materials like leather and wool.

Now that you know which materials to look out for,  go out and get yourself some stylish fashion that’s cruelty-free and vegan.