The only thing sexier than an edgy leather jacket is an edgy “leather” jacket made from vegan materials—by an ethically minded company in a cruelty-free production process.
That might sound like a mouthful, but the point is this: Fashion brands are beginning to favor sustainability, cleaner materials and more ethical production processes, so it’s becoming easier than ever to find stylish vegan clothing. (Yup, you can have your on-trend wardrobe and feel ethical, too.)
MORE: Your Spring Wardrobe Isn’t Complete Without a Faux Leather Jacket
So what’s the deal with vegan clothing, anyway? Let’s use that edgy leather jacket we mentioned earlier as an example. Whereas a normal leather jacket is made from animal skin or hides, a vegan leather jacket is made from faux leather—usually some combination of cork, waxed cotton and a plastic polymer called polyurethane.
MORE: ASOS Bans Clothes Made from Animal-Sourced Materials
But won’t my faux leather jacket look, well, fake? Not if you’re looking in the right places. Now that sustainable fashion is becoming increasingly popular, more and more vegan clothing brands are emerging. These brands specialize in creating stylish vegan apparel that looks like the real deal, and plenty of them offer clothing for affordable prices.
While these vegan clothing companies aren’t super hard to find, we understand how frustrating it can be to spend hours searching online—just to come upon yet another cheap-looking pleather jacket. So we went ahead and did the heavy lifting for you.
Flip through the slideshow to see 16 of our favorite vegan apparel brands, plus as selection of some of their cutest products.
