Sustainable Fashion & Makeup
A collaborative multimedia article by fashion and journalism students of Delhi West (Riya Gupta, Anya Jha and Archita Ratusaria) Mumbai (Dia Mittal and Vedika Bahety)
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK &Pearl Academy, India
Brand name:- Shibui Outfit details:- vegan sustainable look in linen dress with a pop of color - eco cruelty free summer look. Model:- Shruti Jain Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand name:- Shibui Outfit details:- vegan sustainable look in linen dress with a pop of color - eco cruelty free summer look. Model:- Shruti Jain Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand’s name:- Ora Outfit details:- Styled this oversized shirt with favourite Vegan leather belt. Model:- Shruti Jain Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand’s name:- Ora Outfit details:- Styled this oversized shirt with favourite Vegan leather belt. Model:- Shruti Jain Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand name:- Earth Republic Ethical Outfit details - Wearing ecofriendly sunglasses made from bio-material, crop top from ethical fashion brand, and polka dot bag from sustainable brand that crafts handbags from vintage and waste fabrics. Model:- Shruti Jain Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand name:- Earth Republic Ethical Outfit details - Wearing ecofriendly sunglasses made from bio-material, crop top from ethical fashion brand, and polka dot bag from sustainable brand that crafts handbags from vintage and waste fabrics. Model:- Shruti Jain Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand’s name:- Vuri Model Shruti Jain is seen wearing vegan & sustainable outfit - including local brands. Linen dress made ethically, sunglasses made from recycled plastic, vegan handbags , no sleek heels from luxury. Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand’s name:- Vuri Model Shruti Jain is seen wearing vegan & sustainable outfit - including local brands. Linen dress made ethically, sunglasses made from recycled plastic, vegan handbags , no sleek heels from luxury. Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand name:- Punah Outfit details:- Recycled plastic sustainable sunglasses Old recycled plastic blazer Model:- Shruti Jain Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
Brand name:- Punah Outfit details:- Recycled plastic sustainable sunglasses Old recycled plastic blazer Model:- Shruti Jain Photo Credits:- Archita Rastusaria
VEGAN FASHION
The dynamic industry of fashion and beauty has witnessed a notable shift towards ethical and sustainable practices, with a rise in the demand for vegan alternatives. Veganism, once considered a niche lifestyle choice, has now become a global phenomenon, influencing trends, innovations, and consumer preferences in every realm of life.
By Anya, Dia and Vedika
Vegan fashion represents a paradigm shift in the way we perceive luxury, style, and ethical values in clothing and accessories. Traditionally, fashion has been synonymous with opulence, exclusivity, and the use of animal-derived materials such as leather, fur, wool, and silk. However, the emergence of vegan fashion challenges these conventions by offering cruelty-free alternatives that are both fashionable and sustainable. This movement reflects a growing awareness and consciousness among consumers who prioritise environmental responsibility.
The core ethos of vegan fashion lies in its commitment to animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and ethical production practices. Unlike conventional fashion, which often involves the exploitation of animals for their skins, fur, or fibres, vegan fashion utilises plant-based materials, synthetic alternatives, and innovative textiles to create garments and accessories that are free from animal cruelty.
"The core ethos of vegan fashion lies in its commitment to animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and ethical production practices."
One of the primary materials used in vegan fashion is faux leather, a synthetic alternative to traditional leather derived from animal hides. Faux leather, made from polyurethane or PVC, closely resembles the look and feel of genuine leather while eliminating the ethical concerns associated with animal skins. Additionally, vegan fashion incorporates organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and other sustainable fabrics that minimize environmental impact and promote eco-conscious consumption.
The concept of luxury in vegan fashion transcends mere aesthetics; it embodies values of compassion, integrity, and social responsibility. Luxury vegan brands prioritize transparency, traceability, and ethical sourcing throughout their supply chains, ensuring that their products meet stringent quality standards while upholding sustainable principles.
"Veganism is closely associated with the concept 'less is more' which has been a part of India’s roots since the beginning. "
While the term ‘veganism’ might have made a slow arrival into the Indian dictionary, mindsets that are closely associated with this concept such as ‘less is more’ and ‘minimalism’ have been a part of India’s roots since the beginning. In fact, between the US, Germany, UK, China and India, statistics show that it is Indians who have the highest penchant for sustainable fashion and ethical practices.
Some of the most influential and popular vegan brands in India are Moonray, Thaely, Moborr and Maati. Each of them offer a unique approach to fabrics and materials and their products act as a lens into the minds of the visionary geniuses behind these eco-friendly fashion houses.
In parallel with the rise of vegan fashion, vegan makeup has emerged as a transformative force in the beauty industry, redefining beauty standards and promoting cruelty-free beauty practices. Vegan makeup refers to cosmetics, skincare, and beauty products that are free from animal-derived ingredients, animal testing, and harmful chemicals.
The allure of vegan makeup lies in its ethical foundation and commitment to animal welfare. Unlike conventional beauty products that may contain animal-derived ingredients such as lanolin, beeswax, carmine, and collagen, vegan makeup utilizes plant-based extracts, minerals, and synthetic alternatives to achieve vibrant colours, long-lasting formulas, and skin-friendly textures.
Mineral makeup, a prominent category within vegan cosmetics, harnesses the power of natural minerals like mica, titanium dioxide, and iron oxides to create pigments that are free from animal products and chemical additives. These mineral pigments not only deliver stunning colour payoff but also offer skincare benefits such as sun protection, anti-inflammatory properties, and gentle coverage for sensitive skin.
While household names like MAC and Benefit continue to test their products on animal and continue to pollute the environment with plastic packaging, there are a few knights in shining armour that are saving the beauty industry with their clean and safe products which can be used absolutely guilt-free.
O&O Beauty, founded by Pallavi Sharaff, Sumedha Sharaff and Mansi Agrawal is a homegrown luxury vegan cosmetics brand with its roots embedded in minimalism, consciousness and a sense of effortlessness. These powerful women have come together from diverse backgrounds to create something great out of their shared passion for beauty.
O&O, which stands for One and Only is on a mission to help women around the world celebrate their rarity. There is only one of each of us, and our uniqueness is what makes us who we are. This ethos sings through their products as they don’t aim to change you, they strive to elevate you. Founded less than a year ago on 23rd July 2023, in a short span the brand has built a reputation for its high-quality and cruelty-free products. Moreover, they have made a commendable effort to give back to the female community through their ‘Shades of Love’ program. For every order placed, they send a pack of biodegradable sanitary napkins to a girl’s school in Haryana.
THRIFTING & CIRCULARITY
While slow fashion is a tremendous practice to follow, it often has its drawbacks. People, especially youngsters and students find it difficult to cope with the high price points of vegan and sustainable brands which pushes them to continue shopping from fast fashion brands due to affordability and a larger availability of trends. However, there is too a solution for such a problem. The rise of thrift stores on social media platforms like Instagram has provided an opportunity for Gen-z to be eco-conscious with their fashion choices. The price range of these stores is extremely low keeping in mind their target audience, and also provides a larger variety of trends
“Sustainable fashion is not a trend, it’s a responsibility.” – Livia Firth
Adding to the array of opportunities for youngsters to be conscious consumers is a jewellery store called Aulerth. Based in GK 1, New Delhi, they have collaborated with big designers such as Suneet Verma and Shivan & Narresh for their exquisite collection of jewels. While their range of accessories is definitely expensive, they have found a way to make it sustainable and accessible by introducing a system called ‘loop’.
Loop was designed keeping in mind that people often buy new neck pieces and earrings for big occasions such as weddings, but they often remain unworn after the event. For students, it does not make sense to splurge thousands of rupees on accessories that they might never wear again. Therefore, through their loop system, people can rent their jewellery for a cost as low as Rs.1,500 for a duration of two weeks and return it to the store after. This system is pivotal in reducing over-consumption and over-production in the fashion industry, and instead introducing a circular system of fashion.
INTERVIEW
Nandini Agarwal( designer)
Label: Nandini Agarwal
1) Tell us about your brand
Ans: We as a label specialise in making unique, colourful prints which bring joy to our customers. Our design philosophy revolves around comfort as well as their emotional state. We want our customers to feel comfort and joy in their own skin making each and everyone proud of themselves. We follow sustainable and ethical practices when it comes to the functioning of our label.
2) How familiar are you with the concept of vegan fashion?
Ans: I am aware of what vegan fashion is and how it is important for our future generations.
3) Do you believe vegan fashion is more sustainable than traditional fashion? Why or why not?
Ans: Vegan fashion and sustainability goes in hand but traditional fashion can also be made sustainable by making the right choice of fabrics and conscious thinking.
4) What factors do you consider when determining the sustainability of fashion choices?
Ans: For me sustainable fashion choices can be as little as - wearing a single piece of garment till its worn out and as big as making fabric from renewable resources. Everyone’s idea of sustainability varies because each and every one thinks differently. Sustainable fashion is a very vast topic and vegan fashion comes under the idea of sustainability.
5) Do you think the production processes of vegan fashion have a lower environmental impact compared to traditional fashion?
Ans: In some ways yes, but I think we are not producing vegan fashion in bulk or for say in Yards of fabric. The only benefit i see of vegan fashion is that it’s somewhere biodegradable which is beneficial and better than that of regular fashion. When it comes to traditional fashion we have in-depth knowledge of how much water, transportation, chemicals etc is used. But when it comes to vegan fashion it's a different perspective all together because there is not enough knowledge about it within the masses.
6) Are you aware of any specific environmental or ethical concerns associated with either vegan or traditional fashion?
Ans: I am not sure about vegan fashion but traditional fashion cons are in plenty. People of our age and above know what conscious thinking is when it comes to fashion. But people still tend to shop from fast fashion brands. People will wear high end bags and footwear and what not to show how much money they have, but would still shop from h&m and zara when it comes to their clothes.
7) How important is it for fashion brands to prioritize sustainability in their practices?
Ans: I think its high time brands start paying attention to their production methods and start making sustainable choices step by step. Just putting a tag of conscious fashion doesn’t make them into a sustainable brand but actually making sustainable choices makes the difference even it’s small
8) How do you think your brand is contributing towards this?
Ans: Well we follow slow fashion, we put up a series of 15-20 garments twice a year. And not just that we follow a strict practice of getting fabric printed in terms of digital print which is a much more sustainable way as compared to other printing techniques. We use pure fabrics to maintain their authenticity as well as their longitivtiy.
9) In your opinion, what role can consumers play in promoting sustainability within the fashion industry?
Ans: I would like to reply to this in just few words that boycott fast fashion brands.
10) Are there any specific changes you would like to see in the fashion industry to make it more sustainable?
Ans: I think the biggest mistake we as designers are making is that all of us are looking at the fact of earning money but not what our practices are doing to the environment. We are looking at making trendy clothes which will set a trend. Rather than that we should focus on making clothes which are timeless piece of garment, which can be styles in various ways. Also I don’t understand fashion shows, the products that they show on the ramp are hardly available to wear making them absolute dead stoock.
Mix Media- Riya Gupta
Mix Media- Riya Gupta
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