The Vegan Closet: You Won’t Believe What Vegans Wear!

Guest post by Krystal Camilleri, animal rights campaigner and owner of the vegan boutique Vegan Scout

Vegans believe that humans, as a species, do not have a right to exploit and kill animals for their own means. Vegans support this cause in a practical sense by consuming a plant-based diet to avoid the brutal killing and exploitation of animals for meat, eggs and dairy. They also avoid animal cruelty by wearing clothes made from organic fabrics that don’t involve the use of animal skin or products. 

So practicing veganism doesn’t only involve a temporary change in your diet. Instead, veganism is about adapting a lifestyle choice that is as morally ethical as is practically possible. 

So, what clothes find space inside the vegan closet?   

What do Vegans Wear?

How many times have you seen a person wear a vegan slogan t shirt and wondered what it’s made from? There are high chances that the vegan slogan t-shirt you saw was made from an environmentally friendly and cruelty free organic fabric. 

In general, vegan clothing includes garments which do not contain any animal products at all. Below is a list of the natural fabrics which are highly popular among vegans for good reason. 

Linen

Linen is a well-liked fabric. The best part about it is that it gets softer and stronger with more usage, so it is a long-lasting fabric. Linen can also absorb moisture levels up to 20% of its weight before it starts to feel damp. This makes linen a perfect choice for vegans who live in high humidity areas. 

Moreover, unlike fabrics like wool (which involve animal cruelty), linen dries much more quickly. If you wear clothes made from linen, they easily release moisture into the air and keep you dry and cool. This is why linen is a very popular fabric in countries with hotter weather conditions. Linen is also known to be a non-allergenic fabric so it’s ideal for people with sensitive skin. 

Another impressive fact about linen is that it is environmentally friendly to grow. Linen crops actually require fewer fertilizers and pesticides to grow. The fabric is also biodegradable and recyclable. All these qualities make linen a perfect vegan fabric.

Organic Cotton

The next type of fabric that finds its way inside the closet of a vegan is organic cotton. Organic cotton is cotton which is grown without the use of harmful chemicals. As a result, it does not have any damaging effects on the environment. 

Moreover, growing organic cotton is actually beneficial for the environment because it improves the soil quality and uses less water. Organic cotton is also known for being easier to clean than other fabrics. It dries faster and also feels lighter and softer against your skin. Many vegans prefer to invest in clothing made from organic cotton as this fabric is well worth the price. 

Lyocell

Lyocell is a type of material which is made from wood pulp. It is produced through an environmentally friendly manufacturing process which re-uses production chemicals. This fabric is also easily recyclable and biodegradable which add to the reason of its appeal to vegans. Its incredible wicking abilities also keep the skin dry.

The best part about the fabric lyocell is that it is naturally wrinkle-free. Lyocell is a great alternative to silk because it feels very soft and also drapes well. Furthermore, lyocell can be easily washed or dyed. Lyocell is a fabric that can be made available in any colour you like, plus can be woven to mimic the qualities of various fabrics like wool, leather, and suede. 

SeaCell

The next popular vegan fabric worth mentioning is SeaCell. SeaCell is manufactured by grounding dried seaweed and introducing it into cellulose fiber. This material has a very porous structure which makes it a great breathable fabric. It is also a perfect choice of fabric for keeping yourself cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

The brown algae that is a component of this material is very good for the skin. It has many important benefits like activating cell regeneration, re-mineralizing skin, reducing inflammation and soothing itchiness. These skin benefits are the reason why vegans like to make this innovative fabric a part of their wardrobe. 

Modal Made from Beech Tree Fibre

Modal is a type of rayon fabric which is made from renewable fibre of beech trees. As the base material in this fabric is obtained from a natural source, this fabric is considered to be a ‘natural synthetic’.

Another notable quality of this fabric is that it does not need to be ironed. Modal is a wrinkle-free fabric and it is often referred to as “artificial silk.” It is a very silky and smooth fabric and generally drapes and dyes well.

Unlike fabrics like wool, the structure of modal fabric does not get weakened by exposure to water. This means clothes made from modal fabric will retain their shape and strength long into the future. 

Last Few Words

Choosing environmentally friendly fabrics in clothing is not as easy as it seems. 

Certain well-known fabrics that contain animal products, like leather, fur and wool, are easy to avoid. However, other fabrics may contain animal components that are not very simple to identify. It’s important for clothing brands to responsibly include detailed labels on their garments. Labels detailing the fabric’s components will help consumers make wiser decisions that are aligned with their vegan ethics. 

We hope this article has helped to introduce you to some new and impressive vegan fabrics. The next time you head out to buy a team vegan shirt, remember to double check that the fabric it’s made from is also vegan. This way, you can proudly wear your vegan shirt knowing you played your part in a kinder world and a cleaner environment. 

Author Bio:

Like most vegans, Vegan Scout founder Krystal Camilleri has an intense desire to empower humans to embrace a vegan lifestyle and create a cruelty-free, sustainable future. While living in North Queensland, Australia (aka Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest territory), and operating a boutique marketing agency, Krystal set out to develop a brand with a purpose. Vegan Scout have a wide range of vegan women’s clothing as well as men clothing. It is a brand that is kind to the planet that supported her values and had the potential to accelerate one of the most important social justice and environmental movements of our time – veganism. From the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, to the products we buy and the businesses we support, every choice we make is a statement.

Lights, camera and canine action

It’s that time again when I turn my house into a photographic studio and every corner becomes a possible fashion set!

So I thought I’d treat you to some behind-the-scenes moments from the weekend’s shoot and an exclusive peek at my new eco T-shirt collection.

as usual no fashion shoot at mine is complete without the help/hinder of my four legged assistants but With Clothes and dogs everywhere, I’m in my absolute element!

Massive thanks to Hannah (@hannahlittler1) for working her magic in front of the camera and being my muse for the day.

‘Blame it on the Moon’ collection of ethical and sustainable fashion slogan t-shirts and sweatshirts will be in store later this week

… just a few thousand pics to go through first!

Shop the collection here

customise your jacket

 

 

Got a favourite jacket that could use a make over or just a tired piece of clothing that needs a new lease of life?
Send it my way, I’ll show it some love and give it a revamp!

 

Yes my lovelies, you can now get your fave design or slogan hand painted onto your chosen glad rags

Here’s how to go about it…

  • decide on the garment you want to spruce up
  • choose your fave design from our pre-made jackets and tees or simply tell us your own ideas
  • maybe your name, a message to the world or your favourite song lyrics? It’s up to you!
  • I’ll have a chat with you to make sure you’re super excited about the proposed design
  • I’ll work out the price depending on the time and cost of materials involved
  • prices start from £10
  • once everyone is happy, make your payment via paypal and send us your garment of choice
  • I’ll get to work and have your awesome new item back to you within 1-2 weeks
  • You put it on, fall in love and go strut your stuff babe!

Drop me an email at info@thestellarboutique.com to tell me what you’d like.

I can’t wait to hear from you! xx

Follow the link to find out more…
Customise my jacket

Tales from the shoot

Photo shoots are one of my fave parts of the job, a little chaotic maybe, but always lots of fun!

For the recent Heroes + Villains shoot I hijacked my friend’s camper van which came with a dog included…. winning!

Dogs and Camper vans make the best props.

In the gorgeous sunshine we eagerly snapped away taking over 1000 pics (whaaaat?!) so now is the laborious task of scrolling through to pick out the best, editing them and sharing them with the world.

New fashion shots of the reworked vintage, custom jackets and customised t-shirts on their way…

Shop the collection here

Gone Wild For A While

We’ve always loved a strident, wittily droll slogan and a vintage band t-shirt here at The Stellar Boutique and it looks as though we are not alone! Whether it be vintage, comprehensively notorious quotations or up and coming graphic printers the world has gone crazy for the latest in vogue obsession and we are no different! From our “Your Eyes Lie circle vest” to our “like a flash” t-shirt to our most favourite of all, the “gone wild fringed t-shirt,” at The Stellar Boutique we love to mix it up with diverse refrains and mantras printed on the highest quality materials whilst maintaining our fashion forward edge for our fashion conscious customers!

Your Eyes Lie Circle Vest
Like a Flash Tee
Gone Wild Fringed Tee

With specialist illustrative and watchword independents growing and the likes of Hype, The Ragged Priest and Catchpenny attracting us minions and celebrities alike, the trend that was once associated with grunge looks set to linger for a while. We’ve beheld in reverence at Fearne’s Siouxsie and the Banshees, Alexa’s Arctic Monkeys and Agyness’ The Clash. We’ve witnessed the humorous witticisms and quips of Praduh, Chanel’s Chicken Cottage and Yves vacant Laurent. Alas, who could forget the famous “We Love You Kate” tee Alexander McQueen wore during his catwalk bow in 2005 after Kate Moss’ “cocaine Kate” scandal resulting in the likes of H&M dropping her as the new face for their future campaigns and Chanel declaring that they will not be renewing their contract with her that was to be terminated in October, yet reassuring that it was nothing to do with recent drug claims.

Fearne Cotton's Siouxsie and the Banshees Tee
Homies Tee
Praduh Tee
Agyness Deyn's The Clash Tee

If there is one person alone we can rely on to catapult this trend into stellar space and beyond it is the deity Delevingne, with her “WTF,” “Ain’t No Wifey,” and “Last Clean T-Shirt,” tees spiraling this crazed inclination into oblivion. It’s not just us here at The Stellar Boutique who saw this one coming and branded Miss Delevingne as a fashion presumptuous, a known trend facilitator to fashion insiders back in February this year, Grazia created the in-house Black Score t-shirt with top illustrator Simeon Farrar nipping in to design a selection of tees exclusively for London Fashion Week.

Cara Delevingne at Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2012
Cara Delevingne Ain't No Wifey Tee
Cara Delevingne by Terry Richardson for Boy London
Black Score Tee

Where did it start? You can thank the tourist souvenir industry for this one! T-shirt decoration was propelled into our existence in the early segment of the fifties with branded resort tees and Disney screen prints with the sixties seeing the emergence of tie-dyeing and screen printing countenancing the establishment wearable art we are still irksome today.

80s Vintage Mickey Mouse Tee
Vintage I Heart NY Tee
Ramones Tee
Vintage Led Zeppelin Tee