A fashion-savvy guide to cruelty-free collections

March 26, 2009 by Clare Saxon

Just because we’re fans of Fairtrade and ogle over organic, it doesn’t mean we don’t give a damn about animal welfare, but that seems to be the message from many ethical stores which sell (ethical) vegetable dyed (but very un-ethical) leather goods. Aimee Marie takes a look at what stylish vegan goods are on offer.

Aimee writes: More and more of us are shopping ethically these days, but with the rise of fair trade and organic products, animal-friendly alternatives are largely being forgotten. There are very few labelling or accreditation schemes for shoppers to recognise, so it’s hard for designers who do have concerns about animal welfare to highlight their cruelty-free clothes to potential buyers.

Of course, some shops are leading by example and are already banishing leathers and other materials that have caused great suffering to animals. Marks & Spencer only stock clothes containing animal products if they’re by-products of another process, such as meat production, so while the animal may have been killed, at least you know it hasn’t been killed solely for your shiny new soles!

There’s a lot of stigma attached to fashion that’s friendly to the environment, people and animals, as people don’t believe that shoes and clothes can still look good, be affordable and be produced in this way. But Beyond Skin has a beautiful range of shoes that don’t contain a single animal product and are non-exploitative to humans and the rest of the environment too, while still managing to look amazing.

They’re handmade to order and come in a variety of styles; you can even have bespoke shoes made for your special wedding day! My favourite are the lovely Ivy, £55 down from £96 (pictured right) from the latest collection, which feature gorgeous clashing reds and pinks. If you’re ahead of the fash-pack, you’ll know mixing these rosy brights will really up your style ante this season. They might not be cheap, but these shoes are exquisitely made to last for years to come and you can’t put a price on saving an animal and that guilt-free pleasure you’ll get when you’re dancing in your glittery new shoes!