People ask me often if being a vegan fashion blogger is difficult. For me, the initial transition away from things I was used to wearing did involve a bit of work and research, just like any other shift in life. But in general I have to say no, it isn’t hard at all. In fact, I LOVE it. I will admit, though, that there is one animal-derived material used in fashion which gives me a harder time than the others, AND is more frustrating to me than the others.
This material, my friends, is wool. Wool frustrates me deeply, for the simple reason that it is SNEAKY. People simply don’t realize how bad it is. Fur, for example, is an obvious no-no; fur is basically the poster child for animal cruelty in fashion. And while leather may not be as “in your face” as fur, a person requires only minimal common sense or access to Google to make the connection that “leather” is actually an animal’s skin. But wool… What’s the deal with wool? I, for one, grew up assuming that sheep were peacefully given haircuts somewhere off in a meadow, and that somewhere along the way that wool became my sweater.
The truth about wool. This is sucky to hear, but: shearers are usually paid by the volume, not by the hour, which encourages fast work without any regard for the welfare of the sheep. This leads to frequent injuries, and the workers often use a needle and thread to sew the worst wounds shut without any pain relief. Strips of skin and even body parts are often cut or ripped off during shearing. And thats’s not even the worst of it. Recently released videos of over 30 of the main shearing sheds have shown HORRIBLE violence towards baby lambs… I won’t discuss it further right now, because I don’t feel like sobbing into my vegan Ben & Jerry’s.
Finding sweaters without wool is a piece of cake. Slightly more difficult: for the ladies– wide brimmed and floppy hats, and for men– nice suits. According to my stats, I don’t have many men following me, so I will keep my focus on hats.
TIME-SAVING TIP: Google “polyester floppy hat” and see what comes up. Oftentimes this is the fastest way to find vegan floppy hats. In the meantime, feel free to shop my top recommendations below… And share this page with your friends to make their animal-friendly shopping a little easier this winter!
Vaute hats, which come in lots of different styles and colors, are handmade in one of NYC’s last remaining hat making factories, so they take 3 weeks from the time you order to arrive on your doorstep! If you have some extra cash, I would say to definitely consider investing in one of these eco-friendly beauties (they are priced at $160)… They are the highest quality out there. 100% vegan brand Vaute (also carrying jackets/sweaters/coats for both women and men!) is an ethical company in how they treat both humans AND animals, which is always the type of company you want to support.
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Wool-free hats on a budget!
(available in several colors!)
(available in 5 colors!)