Being vegan is what everybody is talking about. Omitting animal products from one's diet is certainly no longer about keeping up with the latest trend or new hype. It is a recognized diet and a way of life. More and more people are consciously opting for a vegan lifestyle. After the food industry has responded to increasing demands, fashion labels are following suit, adhering more and more to vegan principles. The range of vegan fashion is indeed growing day by day. But what does that actually mean - vegan fashion? Using the example of vegan jeans, I will address the principles behind the vegan lifestyle.
Let's start with the material: The cotton. Cotton is an ancient cultivated plant, whose main cultivation areas today are in China, India and the United States. It is of course a plant and thus by nature, free of animal products. As the cultivation of the cotton is very pesticide and water-intensive, sustainable labels produce their clothing with organic cotton, as this not only saves the resources mentioned, but is also by far more environmentally friendly than its conventional relatives. In addition to this being the largest component, there are numerous small details that are required to make pair of jeans what thy are. These details include buttons, which are usually made of mother of pearl from the shells of clams or horn, such as that of buffaloes. All too often these are unfortunately taken directly from live animals. Vegan jeans have buttons and rivets from non organic materials and are made instead of metal or plastic.