When I started to create this blog, my friends asked me whether I would write about veganism being in fashion. The reason is that veganism still seems to be mainly associated with vegan diet. And yet fashion can be vegan, that is, devoid of animal derived products.

The easiest way to explain this is by using the example of shoes or handbags – their vegan version is not made of natural leather. It is replaced by other materials, such as Piñatex (pineapple leather) or textile and synthetic materials. As for clothing – it can not be made, for example, from
wool, cashmere, mohair, or silk.

I admit that when I switched to vegetarianism and then veganism, I started by changing my diet. However, it quickly became clear that this change also affected other aspects of life. Like many others who have gone down this path, I have begun to question what I wore and what type of products I used. I sold or gave away many bags, shoes and clothes. I slowly began to look for their vegan counterparts. Although there are more and more options, I noticed that until a few years ago, it was not so simple to find such products.

I live in Poland and I have to reckon with the fact that I need to use certain type of clothes, especially in winter. Finding warm and comfortable shoes, not made of leather (which many people still consider to be the best quality material) was a challenge. There was a similar issue with sweaters and coats (mostly made of wool), or winter jackets (filled with down).

Obviously, I’m not saying that there are no products made of materials suitable for vegans. It is simply not easy to find the ones that are also well made, pretty, minimalist, and at the same time affordable.

Another thing that may be important when choosing a product is the ethical aspect of a brand. We take into account, among other things, the conditions under which the thing was made and where the materials came from. It is based on fair treatment of the company’s employees and the suppliers of materials. I mention this aspect here, however, I must admit that I still have in my closet a few things from some retail chains from previous collections (some of them were bought in second-hand shops). However, at this point, I am looking for products that are offered by ethical and sustainable brands. I try to chose Polish brands (not only) that are vegan, or have vegan
products on offer.

In my opinion, it is important to find a golden mean. Vegan fashion, after all, is supposed to appeal to us (and it is a subjective feeling), be well made, fit well and be useful. It is good to take into account ethics and sustainability of the brand as well.

I would like my blog to be an inspiration for those who want to get to know vegan fashion and find interesting vegan products in the thicket of non-vegan ones.