Challenging Yourself To Veganuary? Don’t Forget About Your Wardrobe

By the time January rolls around, lots of us have made never-ending lists of goals for the 12 months ahead. Some of these plans include undertaking a challenge – everything from giving up booze to giving up meat. In 2021 nearly half a million people embarked on Veganuary and that number is only set to grow in 2022.

People have many different reasons for trialling a plant-based diet but are often motivated by a desire to avoid animal cruelty or lead a more sustainable lifestyle. What we put on our plates may be the main focus of veganism but what we use on our faces and wear on our bodies are also integral to a vegan lifestyle. 

The vegan fashion space is rapidly expanding and leather, in particular, is a major focus. According to a representative from Wethrift: "Whilst the size of the global vegan fashion market is nearly at 337 billion US dollars, by 2027 experts are estimating it will have increased to 1,095 billion dollars, as fashion companies are increasingly looking for animal-free alternatives to leather and suede." 

Companies wanting to use vegan leather alternatives is good news of course but issues arise when those materials are plastic-based. With many brands marketing their planet-harming pleathers as vegan, the use of animal leather alternatives often gets a bad rap. Thankfully, there are plenty of designers innovating with sustainable vegan 'leathers', using the power of plants to create durable, biodegradable garments. 

According to a survey conducted by The Vegan Society, consumer demand for these types of materials is on the rise, with 73.5% of participants saying they would be willing to pay more for plant-based leather compared to animal leather. In light of this wonderful news, we’ve collated a guide to the best brands on the market proving that vegan leather is even better than the real thing.

From Pangaia to SAYE, click through to discover the best vegan leather brands for January and beyond.