Vegan fashion continues to gain momentum

As the vegan trend continues to grow both inside and outside of the
fashion industry, an increasing number of brands and retailers are jumping
aboard the movement and cutting down on the use of animals in their
products to meet ever-growing consumer demand.

Following Veganuary in January – a month promoting the use of
animal-free products – retail analyst firm Edited has published a report on
the rise of vegan fashion, called ‘Veganuary: strategies for success’,
exploring the growth of the trend and the ways in which retailers are
capitalising on it.

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Countries embracing vegan fashion

Long-time fashion epicentre France, whose capital Paris is expected to
become the sustainable capital of fashion by 2024, saw a 132 percent
year-on-year increase in products described as ‘vegan’ by the end of
January, according to Edited. In the US, that number was 63 percent and in
the UK, 43 percent. Denmark, which is home to leading sustainabile fashion event the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, is also expected to
become a vegan fashion trailblazer, with a 42 percent year-on-year increase
in products described as ‘vegan’ in the market.

Vegan beauty still dominates, but footwear and accessories growing

Beauty is still the leading fashion category when it comes to
cruelty-free products, with the sector making up 69 percent of vegan
products available online in the UK at the end of January, and 66 percent
in the US.

Vegan footwear and accessories are also fast-growing sectors, as fashion
companies increasingly look to animal-free alternatives to leather and
suede. The number of shoes available described as ‘vegan’ increased by 27
percent in the US year-on-year and 36 percent in the UK. The UK’s
accessories sector also saw a 56 percent increase in ‘vegan’ items stocked
year-on-year.

“Outside of these areas, incorporation of vegan materials into
categories is minimal, showing an apparent gap in the market for retailers
to test the water with alternative fabrications,” Edited said in its
report. “Animal-friendly outerwear is starting to gain momentum in the mass
market. Vegan leather jackets are a no-brainer, but also consider
alternatives to wool and down.”

Edited added that despite growth in certain sectors, “overall
merchandise promotions were minimal, with the majority of mentions relating
to food. This opens an opportunity for retailers to push
communications.”

Luxury goes vegan

Luxury fashion brands are also getting in on the vegan trend. In the
last few years, big-name brands such as Gucci, Chanel, Burberry, Versace
and Victoria Beckham have all pledged to go fur-free in their catwalks. In
the past three months, there has been a 36 percent year-on-year decline in
women’s fur arrivals in the US. Leather and skins have been less targeted
when it comes to vegan alternatives, with many luxury brands such as Hermes
and Louis Vuitton relying on the animal products for their collections.

Analysing womenswear luxury products currently in stock in the US and UK
market described as ‘vegan’, ’non-leather’ and ’faux leather’, Edited found
that these alternatives only made up around 2.3 percent of women’s leather
goods for luxury brands, driven largely by sustainable and vegan label
Stella McCartney.

Edited also noted that while skins, wool and fur are most commonly
associated with animal products in fashion, consumers are less aware of the
human and animal welfare issues involved in the silk trade. Animal welfare
organisation Peta is working on educating the public about the conditions
of workers in the silk trade and the controversial process in which the
silk fibre is collected from the cocoon by boiling the pupal alive.
Cruelty-free alternatives to conventional silk include peace silk, which is
woven from cocoons of the already hatched moth, though no certification to
guarantee the standard of this alternative currently exists.

Vegan alternatives offering competitive price tags

While 100 percent leather products have long been known for their high
price points, animal-free alternatives come with considerably more
competitive price tags. Edited compared the full price of leather versus
non-leather products stocked in the US mass market at the end of January.
In every category, vegan leather was the cheaper alternative, while
interestingly, on average vegan leather outerwear, trousers and skirts come
in more than three times cheaper.