Contents
Why is being vegan more than not eating meat and eggs?
Sustainability
The vegan philosophy goes beyond diet: choosing sustainable clothing is another way to take care of the planet
When we talk about being VeganWe almost always do it referring to the vegan diet: that which rejects any product that has an animal origin. But, beyond not eating meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, the concept of vegan is broader. Not only does it talk about food, but veganism encompasses the rest of consumer products used on a daily basis: clothing, or cosmetics, for example.
“Veganism is not a diet, but a philosophy of life that seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation and cruelty towards animals», Explains Salma, from @fashionbycompassion, specialist in vegan and sustainable fashion and lifestyle. «Vegans do not use any product of animal origin:
not in cosmetics, not in fashion, not in entertainment ”, he adds.
The relationship of veganism with sustainability is direct. Cristina Rodrigo, director of ProVeg Spain, comments that adopting a vegan diet «is one of the more powerful individual acts we can do against climate change. It refers to the latest report of the United Nations Environment Program, which indicates that a change in eating habits, especially in developed countries, where the consumption of meat and dairy products, with high energy and water consumption, is high, it would reduce the pressure on biodiversity and climate. Salma adds that, not only is the process of raising animals polluting, since “it is one of the major causes of greenhouse gas emissions”, but also with the land and water that is needed to raise the livestock, could be used to produce other crops.
Vegan garments
Beyond diet, one of the fields in which veganism places the greatest emphasis is that of fashion. To begin with, it is essential to know how to discern between which garments are of animal origin and which are not. «If we talk about vegan fashionIt is simply opting for clothes, shoes, bags and other accessories made without using and harming the animals ”, says the expert. List the materials to avoid: leather, suede, wool, felt, silk, feathers and some dyes and glues.
To avoid the use of these materials, Salma explains that there are more and more vegan options, if we talk about fabrics. Not only fabrics that are created from natural materials, but rather those that are created from the recycling of existing materials, which were initially not so sustainable. The expert explains what type of materials are sustainable and considered vegan. On the one hand, those of plant origin, such as: lyocell / tencel, bamboo, monocel, pineapple, apple or cactus skin. In addition, there are those recycled, such as biodegradable bioplastic, recycled polyester and nylon or organic and recycled cotton.
How to recognize vegan fashion
To recognize a vegan garment, Salma comments that, as with food products, the first step to identify if the garments are suitable for vegans is to read the label. “It is true that there are some materials such as dyes and glues that are difficult to recognize since, as a general rule, there is no obligation to inform them on the labels. Therefore, we may be buying a pair of shoes that a priori do not have any type of skin but, instead, that the glue with which it has been glued is made of the collagen of the skin of a mammal “, he warns.
In these cases, the expert says that the only way we have to know that this garment is vegan is:
1. Contacting the manufacturer to inquire.
2. Check if the product has the PETA certification– The PETA approved vegan logo, which is a guarantee that what you buy is 100% vegan.
Beyond choosing a press made with vegan materials, another way to dress sustainably is to opt for give clothes a second life. Therefore, Salma encourages promoting sustainable consumption by following some basic guidelines:
1. Use what we already have.
2. Fix what can still serve us.
3. Trade or borrow.
4. Buy second hand.
5. Buy from vegan and sustainable brands.
6. Prioritize quality over quantity.