This month we are exploring vegan fashion options here at Beyond the Fried. Today we’re featuring a guest post from Sica Schmitz, founder of vegan, fair-fashion boutique Bead and Reel. Sica shares her thoughts on easy ways to create a vegan wardrobe. P.S. – Read to the end to find a special discount code for Beyond the Fried readers!
So you’re ready to move towards a vegan wardrobe, but don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, a compassionate closet is so much easier than you think, and we’re here to help!
KEEP WHAT YOU LOVE
Rest assured: you don’t have to ditch your old purchases as you move towards a vegan wardrobe, in fact, the most sustainable thing you can do is to keep the things you’ve already bought and already love. Wear out your leather bags and alpaca sweaters, but when it comes time to buy something new, that’s when you should start investing in quality vegan pieces.
PASS ALONG WHAT YOU DON’T LOVE
There are lots of responsible ways to dispose of the things that no longer fit your body, closet, or life. You can sell your gently-used fashion on PoshMark, ThredUp, or TheRealReal, find a local consignment shop, or donate to a reputable charity shop. You can even donate your furs to PETA to help the homeless.
And once you start collecting vegan fashion, when you’re ready to pass it along we’ll buy it from you for our Rescued Collection.
GET VEGAN SMART
The main thing to know when building a vegan wardrobe is to try to avoid leather, suede, wool, silk, and other animal products. Fortunately, this is super simple with classic natural fibers like cotton, hemp, and linen and innovative synthetic textiles like modal, lyocell, and bamboo. Check out our vegan textile guides for more information on the wide variety of options and choose the ones that work best for you.
SHOP VEGAN
We’re not the only vegan shopping resource; these days you can find so many great brands with PETA Mall and Farm Sanctuary’s Vegan Shopping Fashion List, or find vegan style inspiration and meet new designers with Ethical Style Journal or Vilda Magazine.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ALONE
If vegan shopping still seems a bit overwhelming, hire an expert! Our founder, Sica Schmitz, is a professional sustainable stylist with a focus on compassionate closets and she can help you create your dream vegan wardrobe.
This article originally appeared on Bead and Reel’s blog. From now through March 1, 2017, Beyond the Fried readers can get 20% off their purchase from Bead and Reel with code “BEYONDTHEFRIED.”
