Any item of clothing which is made without using any animal products is technically suitable for vegans, and therefore could be classed as vegan fashion. This encompasses a huge market, leading to
totaling hundreds of billions of dollars. However, most of these products are not made with the vegan market in mind, they just happen to be made from synthetics or cotton. A more specific definition of vegan fashion is apparel that would usually be made of animal products, such as leather, wool, and fur but is instead made from an alternative material that resembles the appearance and texture of the animal product, without actually harming any animals. Leather is most commonly replaced by plastics, such as PU or PVC, whilst faux fur is generally made of a mixture of acrylics. Many companies are also working on
, which are a lot more environmentally friendly than the synthetic alternatives currently used.
Non-animal leather
The
estimated revenue of the non-animal leather clothing and accessories market worldwide in 2022 was approximately 41 billion U.S. dollars, with the United States by far the
largest non-animal leather market. One significant segment using non-animal leather is the footwear industry. Leather is often seen as a mark of quality footwear, for sneakers and formal shoes alike. However, as people look for animal-friendly alternatives, brands strive to meet those demands. In 2021,
Adidas announced a concept shoe in its famous Stan Smith product line which is made of a mushroom-based leather alternative. Adidas has also partnered with Stella McCartney, one of the leading vegan fashion brands, to create vegan shoes in the past.
Faux fur
The
revenue of the faux fur apparel and footwear market worldwide was estimated to total roughly 25 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, with an estimated
per-capita purchase of 0.06 items per year. Fur farming has been banned in many countries, such as the United Kingdom, Austria, and the Netherlands. Major fashion houses, such as Prada, Chanel, and Versace, among many others, have also stopped using real fur due to ethical considerations. However, for consumers, it is not just ethics that may influence their purchasing decision, but also the monumental
price difference between faux fur and real fur.
Consumer attitudes
Despite many
consumers around the world being aware of cruelty to animals in the fashion industry, this rarely translates into
consumers deciding to buy exclusively non-animal-based apparel. In the United States, the concern over animal welfare was considerably lower than in other countries, according to a 2021 survey, with fewer consumers aware of animal cruelty or
choosing brands that prioritize animal welfare. In fact, consumers in the U.S. seem reluctant to even use the word vegan. In both a survey on
footwear and on
next-generation materials, when asked for the preferred names of products not made from animals, “vegan” scored very lowly; much lower than synonymous phrases such as “animal-free materials” or “no animals were harmed”.
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