why I have non-vegan clothes as a vegan

The whole world of fashion is fraught with issues from wage theft, to gender rights, to unethical production and material sourcing. And like any environmental issue, it’s important for us to understand this industry through an intersectional approach.

Before I get into it, I can assure you that I neither have nor intend to purchase any new non-vegan products ever. But when we look at the current state of alternative options, we see a lot of…plastic. While some strides are being made with regards to leather replacements made from things like mushrooms or apples, we still have a long way to go. And isn’t it better to opt for secondhand clothing as much as possible anyways?

In an effort to have the lowest impact, most ethical, longest-lasting purchase, I’ve decided that I’m okay purchasing secondhand leather, wool, or silk items. I’m also comfortable holding onto hand-me-down silk scarves from my mom, leather gloves from my grandpa, and wool sweaters from grandma.

If something was going to get thrown out anyways (as with secondhand options), our best bet is to use it up until it’s no longer useful, right? That feels like a sustainability approach we can all take.

Silk hair scarf + wool sweater are both from my mom’s closet