Asos, Burberry and Dr. Martens are among the brands and retailers making “big statements” for cruelty-free fashion, according to the British arm of People for the Ethical Treatment for Animal (PETA), which announced the recipients of its annual Fashion Awards this week.
The animal-rights group, whose motto reads in part, “animals are not ours to wear,” paid tribute to Burberry, Gucci and Michael Kors for joining the growing phalanx of luxury houses that have sworn off the use of genuine fur. Likewise, PETA dubbed the wave of retailer bans over mohair from Angora goats—300 and counting—high-street fashion’s “biggest moment.”
Asos, Britain’s No. 1 fashion e-tailer, received the plaudit of “most progressive online platform” for pledging to nix all items containing mohair, cashmere, feathers and silk from its marketplace by January 2019. “This compassionate move by such a high-profile name sets a new standard for animal-friendly retailers everywhere,” PETA wrote on its U.K. website.
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PETA’s innovation prize went to Ecopel, a Shanghai, China-based firm that turns castoff plastic bottles into faux fur. Poland’s Alexandra K, which crafts accessories using plastic-free silicone and “leather” made from apples, was named “best vegan bags.” The “best wool-free collection” of the year was Jakke, a London brand that offers a range of colorful knits proudly emblazoned with slogans like “Free from Wool” and “Vegan Vibes.”
Spain’s Ecoalf and London’s Felder/Felder scored the honor of “best collaboration” for their joint capsule collection of ultra-light, waterproof coats derived from recycled nylon. “We love this high-tech and high-fashion collection that shows that the fashion of the future is kind to animals,” PETA said.
The “best vegan shoe” of 2018 was Veja, whose sneakers newly minted British royal Meghan Markle donned on her whirlwind tour of Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji with her husband, Prince Harry, last month. The French brand also happens to be the top “Insta Brand We Want to Wear,” per Lyst’s “2018 Year in Fashion” report.
Dr. Martens held the distinction of “best vegan boot collection” for broadening its assortment of leather-free kickers in its iconic silhouettes. These, PETA added, were showcased this year in “eye-catching vegan-themed shop windows, proving the growing popularity of animal-friendly fashion.”
A company true to its name, Italy’s Save the Duck deserved the accolade of “best down-free brand” because it has rejected feathers in favor of synthetic Plumtech insulation, PETA said. Not to mention, it recently bowed a capsule of recycled jackets, composed entirely of respun post-consumer plastic bottles, making Save the Duck at once “eco-friendly and kind to animals.”
As for the most progressive fashion event? That title went to Helsinki Fashion Week, which is making animal leather completely verboten from its runways beginning 2019. The show’s organizers came to the decision after PETA approached them with studies identifying leather as the worst material for the environment, the group said. And as it turned out, the gambit worked.
“We hope this compassionate move will inspire other events to choose vegan-friendly designs over animal-derived materials and pave the way towards a kinder fashion industry,” it said.
It’s thanks to these companies that the fashion industry is headed toward a more compassionate and sustainable future, PETA asserted.
“Vegan living is now the across all developed economies, and consumers are looking to purchase clothes and accessories that are consistent with their values for both animals and the planet,” it added. “As the public continues to demand ethical garments for which animals weren’t beaten, slaughtered, or skinned, the fashion industry is taking note.”
