Vegan fashion: Certifications, market data, and guides to decluttering

The vegan fashion market is a niche but increasingly important sector, driven by the demand for cruelty-free products. According to data from the American research company Market.Us, the global vegan fashion market is projected to reach approximately 1,281.2 billion dollars by 2034. This is up from 556.3 billion dollars in 2024. This growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7 percent during the forecast period from 2025 to 2034.

Vegan fashion represents a sector that exclusively uses materials free of animal products

Vegan fashion is a sector within the broader apparel industry that exclusively uses materials free from animal products. This approach aligns with the values of consumers who are conscious of ethics, the environment, and health. It prioritises the use of alternatives to leather, wool, silk, and other animal-derived resources.

Design and production processes are guided by the principles of cruelty-free sourcing and sustainability. They cater to a growing demographic that prioritises animal welfare and environmental impact in their purchasing decisions.

The vegan fashion market includes the production, distribution, and sale of clothing, footwear, and accessories that strictly adhere to vegan principles. This market segment is expanding as more consumers choose sustainable and ethically sourced products.

Rise of ethical consumerism has propelled vegan fashion into the spotlight

The rise of ethical consumerism has pushed vegan fashion into the spotlight, making it a significant niche within the global fashion industry. Companies operating in this space are increasingly innovating with synthetic and plant-based materials. They aim to offer durable, stylish, and accessible alternatives to traditional animal-based products. According to the Eurispes 2025 Report, 9.5 percent of Italian adults identify as vegetarian or vegan, a figure that has remained stable compared to the previous year. Of these, 2.9 percent are vegan, a number that, according to the 2014-2025 historical series, has nearly quintupled since 2014.

Consequently, a growing number of companies are obtaining animal-free certifications and ratings. For example, Animal Free Fashion is a rating system by Lav (Lega Anti Vivisezione). It was created to promote ethical, sustainable fashion that respects both animals and the environment.

The animal rights organisation Peta, an acronym for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), recently announced that over one thousand companies are using the “Peta-Approved Vegan” logo. This is used to highlight “clothing, accessories, furniture, and home decor items made with vegan alternatives to animal-derived materials, such as leather, fur, silk, feathers, or bone”.

All companies using the logo must sign a PETA statement of assurance certifying that the product is vegan.

Bonprix, Ecoalf, H&M, Harvest & Mill, Hugo Boss, and Hunter are just some of the companies using the logo. Among the Italian firms are Gamberini Italia and Italian Converter, a producer of innovative and sustainable fabrics for footwear, leather goods, apparel, and furniture. The shoe brand Marzeri Milano and Save the Duck also feature on the list.

PETA has also developed a vegan clothing shopping guide. It helps consumers identify "cruel" materials in their wardrobes and purchase vegan and animal-free clothing and accessories when shopping.

Leather and exotic skins

What are they? Leather is the skin of animals such as cows, pigs, goats, kangaroos, ostriches, cats, and dogs. Leather items are often not accurately labelled, so you never really know where (or from whom) they come. Snakes, alligators, crocodiles, and other reptiles are considered "exotic" in the fashion industry. They are killed and their skins are turned into bags, shoes, and other items.

What is wrong with it, according to PETA? Most leather comes from cows killed for meat and milk, making it a by-product of the meat and dairy industries. Leather is also the worst material for the environment. It not only shares responsibility for the environmental destruction caused by the meat industry but also pollutes the Earth with toxins used in the tanning process. PETA emphasises: “Whether it comes from cows, cats, or snakes, no animal should have to die for humans to wear its skin.”

Brands and materials to wear. PETA assures: “Today, most major brands offer synthetic leather, from affordable options at shops like Topshop and Zara to high-fashion designers like Stella McCartney and Bebe. Look for ‘vegan leather’ on the labels of clothes, shoes, and accessories. High-quality synthetic leather is made from many different materials, including non-animal microfibres, recycled nylon, polyurethane (PU), and even plants, including mushrooms and fruit. And lab-grown, bio-fabricated leather will also be in stores soon.”

Wool, shearling, cashmere and angora

What are they? Wool is the hair of a lamb or sheep, while shearling is the skin of a lamb with the fleece still attached. Angora is the wool of a rabbit, and cashmere is the hair of the Cashmere goat.

What is wrong with it, according to PETA? The guide states: “Sheep produce only the wool they need to protect themselves from extreme temperatures and do not need humans to shear them. Yet, in the wool industry, their ears are pierced, their tails are docked, and the males are castrated, all without any painkillers. Wool also harms the environment by degrading the soil, polluting water, and contributing to climate change. Lambs, goats, and rabbits are also mistreated and killed for shearling, cashmere, and angora.”

Alternative brands and materials. Vegan shearling and warm, cruelty-free jumpers are easy to find today. The environmental association suggests that major brands like H&M, Nasty Gal, and Zara offer wool-free coats and other animal-friendly garments. High-fashion designers, including Joshua Katcher of Brave GentleMan and Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart of Vaute, collaborate with manufacturers to create innovative, high-quality materials. The guide specifies: “Look for vegan fabrics in twill, cotton, and recycled polyester: efficient materials that repel water, dry faster, and are better for the environment than wool.”

Fur

What is fur? Fur is literally the coat of an animal still attached to its skin. Animals killed for fur include bears, beavers, cats, chinchillas, dogs, foxes, minks, rabbits, raccoons, and seals.

PETA points out: “Whether it comes from an animal on a fur farm or one trapped in the wild, every fur coat or trim is the result of tremendous suffering and the sacrifice of a life. On fur farms, animals spend their entire existence confined to cramped, filthy wire cages before being suffocated, electrocuted, gassed, or poisoned.

Regardless of the species, these animals feel pain, fear, and loneliness: they do not deserve to be tortured and killed for a fur-trimmed jacket." Regarding alternatives, the association adds that Gap Inc., H&M, and Inditex are three of the biggest names on a long list of retailers that have completely abandoned fur. Gucci and Michael Kors have also recently banned it, and Norway has issued a total ban on fur farming, following the example of many other countries.

Silk and down

Silk is the fibre that silkworms weave to create their cocoons; it is sometimes used for shirts and dresses. Down is the soft layer of feathers closest to a bird's skin; down stolen from geese and ducks is found in puffer jackets, pillows, and bedding. Peta points out that other feathers are also used to decorate clothes and accessories.

What is wrong with it, according to the animal rights association? To obtain silk, distributors boil silkworms alive inside their cocoons. The guide states: “Anyone who has seen worms flinch when their home is uncovered must recognise that these animals are sentient. Silk is also considered the second-worst material for the environment in the fashion industry, just after leather. Down is often obtained by painfully plucking live birds and is also a by-product of the foie gras and meat industries. Silk and feathers belong to the animals that created them.”

Brands like Express, Gap Inc., and Nasty Gal offer satin and silky items not derived from animals, explain PETA's experts. Nylon, milkweed pod fibres, cotton-tree filaments (kapok), polyester, and rayon are vegan materials that are easy to find and usually less expensive than silk. For silk-free underwear, Wama Underwear uses hemp as an alternative. For down enthusiasts, PETA has compiled a list of cruelty-free garments.

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