The Green Ostrich

Today, November 1st, is World Vegan Day. As you may already know, switching to a vegan diet is one of the best (arguably the best) ways for people to reduce their environmental impact. In fact, a global shift to veganism could not only  reduce greenhouse gasses from food production by 70% but also results in 75 percent less land use, 54 percent less water use, and 66 percent less biodiversity loss. 

So what about vegan clothing? Can we assume that switching to vegan clothing has a similarly positive impact on the environment? Unfortunately, not always! 

First, let’s look at what clothing is not vegan. Any clothing from animal origins is not considered vegan. This includes leather, wool, silk, fur, and down. Vegan alternatives include cotton, linen, wood-based fabrics, and synthetics such as nylon, rayon, and polyester. Some of these fabrics are good options for the planet. Others not so much. 

Cotton

Cotton itself is a vegan product but not all cotton is the same when it comes to environmental impact. 

Conventional cotton is incredibly water intensive. Just one cotton t-shirt uses approximately 2,700 liters of water, which is enough for one person to drink for 900 days. Further, conventional cotton production leads to soil degradation, pollution from the fertilizers and pesticides used, and water contamination. Though vegan, this production process means that conventional cotton has an outsized impact on the environment and on animal life and biodiversity. 

Organic cotton on the other hand, is a more environmentally friendly option emitting up to 46% fewer greenhouse gasses, reducing water pollution up to 98% due to the lack of pesticides, and using up to 91% less water. 

While no product is perfect and there are other factors to consider (including end of life options), if you are opting for a cotton item, whether due to veganism or not, and secondhand is not an option, it is best to opt for a certified organic cotton item over a conventional one. 

Linen

I won’t spend a lot of time on linen other than to say that linen is one of the more sustainable fabrics on the market. One of the biggest concerns with linen production from an environmental standpoint is the potential for toxic dyes. Choosing natural hues and/or opting for organic linen is a good way to limit the potential for toxins. One of my favorite things about linen is that when it is undyed and not mixed with other fabrics, this flax based fabric is biodegradable. 

Wood-Based Fabrics

Wood-based fabrics are another interesting vegan option. When looking at wood-based fabrics there are a number of options. The key variables when looking at the environmental and biodiversity impacts are the chemical production process to turn the wood into fabric and the potential for deforestation of endangered and ancient forests. There are a few common wood fabrics I’ll address quickly. 

Viscose is a very common wood fabric, but unfortunately it is not the best. According to Good On You, Viscose is often treated with highly toxic chemicals and the production is contributing to the depletion of endangered and ancient forests.  

Bamboo is often considered a more sustainable wood product because it is fast growing, regenerative, and requires no fertilizers. The concern with bamboo is how it is produced. There are concerns about some bamboo production and whether the bamboo is being responsibly produced with respect to the use (or non-use) of pesticides and fertilizer and in land clearing. Unfortunately, there is not always transparency with bamboo production to ensure that best practices are used.  The manufacture of bamboo rayon (the most common bamboo fabric on the market) is also often very chemical and energy intensive. So while bamboo has the potential to be a low-impact fabric, that potential is often not met. 

TENCEL- lyocell. Of the wood products I touch on, this one is the most promising. Instead of a chemical intensive and potentially pollution production process, TENCEL has a closed-loop solvent system meaning that 99% of the solvents used are recovered and reused. Similarly, the water used in the process is recycled in this closed-loop system. Secondly, TENCEL production and sourcing does not have the same deforestation concerns as viscose. While Good On You suggests that organic cotton has a lower impact than TENCEL, TENCEL has the advantage of being more functional for uses such as activewear, where cotton may not be a good choice. 

Synthetics

I won’t spend much time on synthetics such as nylon and polyester other than to remind you that these products are plastic based. So while they are vegan, they are definitely not good for the environment and, with the concerns over shedding of microplastics, they are definitely not animal friendly. 

So where does that leave vegans? 

As with pretty much every article I write, there is not one clear-cut best product. The best options for vegans, however, seem to be organic cotton, linen, and TENCEL. Each of these fabrics has different functionality and may be more or less useful for different products. But I urge consumers who are trying to buy vegan to dig deeper than a label that says “vegan friendly” and see if the product truly is better for the planet and, in turn, better for animals on it.