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Elizabeth Turnbull 8/15/17 Elizabeth Turnbull 8/15/17

Spotlight on Slow Fashion Brands: My Sustainable Wishlist

It's almost my birthday, and that means lusting after the slow fashion picks on my Sustainable Wardrobe Pinterest board!These are a few of my favourite things...

It's almost my birthday, and that means lusting after the slow fashion picks on my Sustainable Wardrobe Pinterest board!

Spotlight on Slow Fashion Brands: My Sustainable Wishlist // Plant Based Bride

Watch the video here or on YouTube!

What do you think, should I treat myself to any of these ethical pieces?

This mini spotlight on slow fashion brands includes ethical lingerie, sustainable swimwear, fair trade leggings, slow fashion socks, and a bamboo bralette or two.

I think that finding sustainable underwear can be one of the hardest parts of revamping your wardrobe, and 3 of these 5 ethical fashion brands can help with that!

My slow fashion favourites include pieces from...
Outdoor Voices - https://www.outdoorvoices.com/
Vitamin A Swimwear - https://www.vitaminaswim.com/
Nico Underwear - https://nicounderwear.com/
Anek. - https://anekdotboutique.com/
Mary Young - https://maryyoung.ca/

What are your favourite fair trade fashion brands? Please let me know in the comments!

You can also see more of my sustainable favourites on my Sustainable Wardrobe Board on Pinterest!

Until next time,

Should Vegans Wear Faux Fur?

Most vegans feel certain that they don't want to wear real fur. Even if they love the look, over time it becomes apparent that skin is not fabric. With fur, this feeling of repulsion happens much more easily than with leather, even though there's not really much difference between the two. Even non-vegans may be uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a real fur coat.

But what about faux fur?

Is it ok for vegans to wear it? What kind of message does it send? Let's take a look.

But what about faux fur?

Is it ok for vegans to wear it? What kind of message does it send? Let's take a look.

Should Vegans Wear Faux Fur? // Plant Based Bride

First, let's start with the possible negative impacts of wearing faux fur:

ONE Wearing faux fur promotes all fur.

You may not be supporting the fur industry directly, but when you wear faux fur (especially faux fur that looks real) you are advertising for the fur industry.

This is the number one reason I hear from vegans that claim wearing faux fur is wrong. The idea is that someone will see you wearing a faux fur coat, think it looks great, and go buy themselves a real one. In this way, you are indirectly causing suffering to animals.

To play devil's advocate for a second, I don't think vegans (or anyone) should be responsible for the actions of others. We all make our own choices. If I wear my vegan winter boots and that influences someone to go buy boots that are similar but contain wool, leather, shearling, or fur - is that really my fault? I don't think so.

However, I can understand why wearing realistic faux fur is different. Someone who sees it and likes it is having the idea that fur is fashionable reinforced in their head, faux or otherwise. And that's not something we want.

TWO People will judge you for it.

When you wear faux fur, there's always the possibility that someone will think it's real, and judge you for it. You might not care, but people who know you're vegan may get mixed messages. About what veganism means, about what it represents, and about what vegans believe.

As possibly the only vegan someone knows, it's up to you to represent the movement as well as you can. Someone who sees you wearing what they believe to be real fur may lose respect for vegans and not give the vegan movement the consideration and respect it deserves.

Once again, to play devil's advocate, you are not solely responsible for someone's impression of veganism. You don't need to be the poster child for veganism for all of your family and friends, 24/7. You're human. You still have to live your life. I don't mean that you should be buying burgers for all of your friends and get decked out in animal products head to toe, but be a perfect vegan? Not only is that not a requirement, but it's not even possible.

So I guess what I'm saying is, do your best. Whenever you can, aim to be a positive representation of veganism. But if you just want to eat vegan grilled gary in your pj's and faux fur jacket from time to time, you do you.

THREE It represents a horrific industry.

Wearing faux fur is glamourizing wearing the skin and hair of another animal, and that's pretty opposite to the whole core belief behind veganism. Even if it's faux fur, it represents a garment and an industry based on the skinning of animals.

Maybe, just maybe, not something you want wrapped around you.

Ok, so negatives aside, let's talk about the possible positive impacts of wearing faux fur. (Yes, there are some.)

ONE It proves that vegan fashion can still be badass.

If fur fits into your style, rocking it ethically may just be the best way to show others that cruelty-free fashion is just as awesome as the cruelty-filled kind. (Just so long as they know it's faux. More on that in a minute.)

TWO It shows others how far vegan materials have come.

I can't count the number of times I've had people tell me they can't believe my Matt & Nat bags are vegan. The leather looks so REAL, they say. Yeah, because vegan materials are sexy AF. And don't hurt anybody. So basically win-win.

THREE You're voting with your dollar.

It's a cliche, but it's a valid point. When you buy faux fur, especially from a company that also sells real fur, you're showing them that faux fur is more profitable. When you buy faux fur from a vegan company, you're helping to support an ethical brand. In both cases, you're helping sway the tide toward more compassionate fashion.

So, should vegans wear faux fur?

It's really up to you.

If you want to wear it, I suggest investing in a pin or patch to add to it that makes it clear that the fur is faux. These are a couple of the many options out there (click on the image to buy):

So how do you feel about vegans wearing faux fur? Would you ever do it? Let me know in the comments below.

If you find this topic interesting check out the post I wrote on wearing leather as a vegan here and about the fur industry here.

Until next time,

Ethical & Sustainable Fashion Brands

Ethically made clothing doesn't have to be unfashionable. It's time to spotlight some of the best ethical and sustainable fashion brands around!

BRAINTREE

"At Braintree, we thoughtfully design women’s organic clothing that fits perfectly and feels great. Discover our contemporary collection of organic clothing from sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics, including bamboo, hemp, organic cotton." - braintreeclothing.com

Vegan - No, not entirely. Be aware that they use wool and leather in some of their pieces. They do have a Vegan Clothing section, however, which makes it easier to avoid these materials. Vegans may be concerned by this section of their Environmental Policy: "Animal and animal derived materials used in our products are only sourced from purpose-bred animals and never from wild-caught or endangered (CITES) species. " - a policy that shows their lack of understanding that breeding animals for their bodies or by-products is wrong - as well as their Animal Welfare Policy: "Freedom from pain, injury and disease. Appropriate prevention and/ or rapid treatment methods are employed to ensure animals are kept comfortable and free from ailments. " which ignores the necessary pain involved in killing an animal for its skin. Whether you, as an ethical vegan, choose to support their vegan products is entirely up to you. As sustainable clothing is still difficult to find, I am open to the possibility of supporting their vegan items (which have been certified by PETA) and have therefore included them in this list.
Fair Trade - Yes. See their Code of Conduct for more information.
Sustainable Materials - Bamboo, Hemp, Organic Cotton, Tencel, Modal.
Transparency - Very transparent. They have a wealth of information about their manufacturing and supply chain available on their website.
Selection - Women's clothing, Men's clothing, socks, and accessories.
Good For - Fans of colour and pattern, and a looser more relaxed fit. Also great for finding sustainable socks and underwear!

Vegan, Sustainable & Eco-Friendly picks from BrainTree // Plant Based Bride

ETHLETIC

"Exploiting nature is wrong. And unnecessary." - e thletic.com

Vegan - Yes! From their website: "Our respect toward life includes animals. Our sneakers make do easily without animal based ingredients and are 100% vegan. In addition, we only use raw materials from farming areas that don't compromise the animal habitat through monocultures and overexploitation."
Fair Trade - Yes! From their website: "Ethletic sneakers don't just feel good - they make others feel good. The people wearing them. And the people making them. We see to this with fair pay, good working conditions, and voluntary premiums for social projects. Trade, as we understand it, is based on trust and appreciation. Our employees in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Germany share a common goal: to make shoes that are bought because they are attractive, hip, modern, and comfortable. And because they were produced under humane conditions. Ethletic isn't a compromise. It's a real alternative."
Sustainable Materials - Organic Cotton and Natural Rubber from sustainable plantations. No pesticides or toxic chemicals.
Transparency - Very transparent. They have a wealth of information about their manufacturing and supply chain available on their website.
Selection - Sneakers, loafers, ballet flats, flip flops, and slippers.
Good For - Anyone who needs warmer weather shoes. Meaning everyone.

Vegan, Sustainable, and Eco-Friendly picks from Ethletic // Plant Based Bride

KOWTOW

"For a long time, many of our consumer habits have appeared to have no consequence. It is now quite apparent that there is an imbalance in standards of living throughout the world which is fuelled by the Wests' continuing short changing and exploitation of labour markets in the so called third world.

We don't believe anyone who is truly aware of what is going on in the world would want to turn their backs and support a slave trade economy.

Being into clothes we decided to do something about it. Certified organic, fair trade clothing that is ethically and sustainably made from seed to garment.

Thank you for believing in what we do."

- kowtowclothing.com

Vegan - Yes, from what I can tell they don't use any animal products.
Fair Trade - Yes! From their website: "
“The World Health Organisation estimates that 20,000 people a year die in developing countries from pesticide poisoning, and a further 3 million people suffer chronic health problems”
Kowtow only uses 100% fair trade certified cotton, as certified by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLOI) and the benefits are:
- The Fairtrade guaranteed minimum price covers the costs of production and provides a sustainable livelihood for Kowtow cotton producers.
- The Fairtrade premium enables co-operatives to fund projects that benefit the organisation and wider community: business and agricultural training; drilling bore holes for clean water; building schools and clinics.
- Kowtow fair trade producers benefit from advance payment and long-term relationships with buyers.
- Kowtow fair trade producer groups are democratically run and respect the rights of farmers and farm workers.
- Fair trade production standards encourage sustainable agriculture and protection of the environment."
Sustainable Materials - Organic Cotton.
Transparency - Very transparent. They have a wealth of information about their manufacturing and supply chain available on their website.
Selection - Women's clothing.
Good For - Anyone who loves minimal or androgynous style.

Vegan, Sustainable and Fair Trade picks from KowTow // Plant Based Bride

Did you find this post helpful? I'm always doing research into sustainable brands and would be happy to do more posts like this in the future!

Until next time,

Thinx, House of Lashes, Vegan Cuts, Spring Collective Haul + My Wedding Shoes!! // Vegan & Cruelty-Free

I'm so excited to show you all my wedding shoes! I won't be able to share much of my wedding look ahead of time, but Jason helped me pick these out so all bets are off!