The vegan fashion guide

The non-vegan materials to learn

Material	Source	Common in
Leather	Cow, buffalo, goat skin	Bags, shoes, belts, jackets
Suede	Underside of leather	Same
Silk	Silkworm cocoons	Sarees, scarves, blouses
Wool	Sheep	Sweaters, coats, suits
Cashmere	Goat undercoat	Premium sweaters, shawls
Pashmina	Cashmere goat	Shawls
Mohair	Angora goat	Sweaters
Angora	Rabbit	Fluffy knits
Down / feathers	Geese, ducks	Jackets, pillows, duvets
Fur	Various	Coats, trims
Shearling	Lamb with wool still on	Coats, boots
Exotic skins	Snake, croc, ostrich	Luxury accessories

Vegan alternatives that don't look like plastic

Leather: cactus leather (Desserto), apple leather, mushroom leather (Mylo), cork, washable kraft paper, recycled rubber, Piñatex (pineapple leaf).
Silk: cupro (regenerated cotton), Tencel/lyocell, modal, peace silk is not vegan (it's still silkworm).
Wool: organic cotton knits, hemp, Tencel, recycled poly fleece, bamboo.
Cashmere: Tencel-cotton blends, modal blends, recycled cashmere is still wool.
Down: PrimaLoft (synthetic), recycled polyester insulation, kapok.

How to read a label

Indian apparel labels list fibre content by percentage. Look for the small composition tag - usually on the inner seam.

100% Cotton ✓
100% Linen ✓
100% Hemp ✓
100% Viscose / Lyocell / Modal / Tencel ✓
100% Polyester / Nylon / Acrylic ✓ (synthetic - vegan, less sustainable)
Cotton 95% / Elastane 5% ✓
Wool / Cashmere / Pashmina / Silk / Leather ✗

Indian vegan brands

Everyday

No Nasties - organic cotton basics, 100% vegan.
Tee-Owls - vegan, slow fashion.
The Souled Store - mostly vegan (check the rare wool items).
Doodlage - premium upcycled fashion, vegan.

Footwear & bags

Paaduks - handcrafted vegan footwear.
Zouk - PETA-approved vegan bags and footwear.
Studio Beej - vegan bags and accessories.
Arture - cork-based vegan bags and accessories.
Miri - vegan handbags.
Pine & Drew - vegan handbags.
Sarjaa - vegan bags and accessories.
The Gusto - vegan handbags.
Aulive - vegan handbags.
Malai Eco - coconut leather accessories.
The Alternate - vegan footwear.
FAAE - vegan footwear.

Occasion wear

Stella McCartney - luxury vegan fashion.
Matt & Nat - premium vegan bags and accessories.
Bourgeois Boheme - premium vegan footwear.
Wills Vegan Shoes - premium vegan footwear, bags and outerwear.

The wardrobe rule

I personally do not feel comfortable carrying around any non-vegan material on me, even if it is from a time I was not yet vegan. I usually just give it away to someone. But it is also true that if you are okay with it, you can definitely carry it around.

The wardrobe rule: don't bin it, reuse or give away to someone who will. The most ethical garment is the one already in your closet. From today, simply: don't buy new leather, silk, wool, cashmere, or down.

Pashmina, in a sentence

Pashmina is cashmere with extra steps. It's the undercoat of a Himalayan goat, often combed (sometimes shorn) - and the goats face significant stress, harsh climate, and often slaughter at end of life. Modern wool-free shawls in Tencel-modal blends are softer, warmer per gram, and washable.