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Whether you do not want to wear wool for ethical reasons, allergy reasons, or whatever reason you may choose – we got you covered!
Today we are educating our community all about Vegan-Friendly Wool Alternatives that are natural, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.
P.S. you may also love our roundup of the 50 best holiday gifts for your vegan friends!
Ethical Brands with Vegan-Friendly Wool Alternatives.
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Sure, we love snuggling up in utterly cozy sweaters and rocking weather-approved coats and thermoregulating leggings on a cold, winter morning as much as the next person. But not at the expense of animals!
Unfortunately, traditional wool might involve practices like sheep shearing, which, let’s be real, isn’t the most comfortable for our fluffy friends. On numerous occasions, sheep are, in fact, deprived of food and water before being shorn, in part so they’ll feel weak and put up minimal resistance.
Then, there’s mulesing – a practice where chunks of skin are removed from the sheep’s hindquarters to prevent flystrike, a pesky condition. This procedure is terribly painful and, even then, many sheep who have undergone the mulesing mutilation still suffer slow, agonizing deaths from flystrike.
So, why not choose one of the many fantastic vegan-friendly wool alternatives that keep us warm and our four-legged pals stress-free?
There is an array of options to choose from! From cozy sweaters made from recycled plastics to activewear crafted from cotton, bamboo, or even pineapple fibers (yes, you read that right!). No chemicals, no animal by-products –ever!
What are Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives?
- Organic Cotton: Grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, this vegan-friendly wool alternative is kinder to the earth and your skin.
- Tencel: Made from sustainably sourced wood pulp, it’s not just soft and breathable but also produced in a closed-loop process, minimizing environmental impact.
- Coconut Fibers: Extracted from coconut husks, it adds a tropical twist to your wardrobe while utilizing a byproduct that might otherwise go to waste.
- Bamboo: The green giant of fabrics, bamboo grows rapidly without the need for pesticides, making it an eco-friendly choice and a fantastic vegan-friendly alterative to wool.
- Deadstock Fabrics: Utilizing leftover fabrics from other production runs, reduces textile waste and adds uniqueness to each piece.
- Recycled Polyester: By transforming plastic bottles into fabric, it reduces plastic waste, gives new life to old materials, and also offers us a chance to keep ourselves warm.
This post is all about vegan friendly wool alternatives.
15 Brands With Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives
1. Will’s Vegan Store
For top-rated vegan-friendly wool alternatives, look no further than Will’s Vegan Store.
On their virtual shelves, you can find an array of certified carbon-neutral coats and jackets made in Italy from 100% recycled PET.
All Oeko Tex 100, Global Recycled Standard, Recycled Claim Standard, and Detox Commitment certified, of course. Heck, even the hangtags and WVS labeling are made in Italy from recycled polyester.
Price Range: From $78+
Size Range: XS-XXL
Materials: Vegan wool, recycled materials
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
Best Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives from Will’s Vegan Store:
2. Pact
From affordable sustainable basics to eco-friendly maternity clothing, Pact is one of the most amazing brands for vegan-friendly wool alternatives.
Their GOTS Certified clothes are ethically crafted in Fair Trade Certified factories using ethically sourced organic cotton.
And they’re not just environmentally conscious in their designs; even the packaging is on point. Pact ships your goodies in 100% post-consumer recycled paperboard.
And the cherry on top? They won’t break the bank.
Price Range: From $68+
Discount Code: SKL15
Size Range: XS-2XL
Materials: 100% organic cotton
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
Best Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives from Pact:
3. LA Relaxed
LA Relaxed is one of our favorite slow fashion brands in 2024.
The woman-owned brand is ready to hook you up with a diverse array of organic clothing and basics, all ethically crafted in the city of angels.
What’s in their wardrobe lineup? Small batch-made tops, bottoms, and sweaters crafted from organic cotton, tenel, and linen.
Plus, they partner with Bluesign® Certified local dye houses, waving goodbye to the chemical chaos of fast fashion dyes.
Best Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives from LA Relaxed:
Price Range: From $47+
Discount Code: SKL20 for 20% off
Size Range: XS-XL
Materials: 100% organic cotton, TENCEL™, lyocell, modal
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
4. Mate The Label
Whether you’re looking for non toxic leggings, sports bras, loungewear, or even ethical and organic kids basics, Mate The Label’s collection is chock full of vegan-friendly wool alternatives.
Think organic cotton jersey, tencel, and linen—the dream team of earth-loving fabrics.
We also love that all their pieces are made sustainably in Los Angeles to eliminate waste and natural resources.
Plus, they are a women-owned brand!
Best Sellers from Mate The Label:
Price Range: From $118+
Size Range: XS-3X
Materials: 100% organic cotton, TENCEL™ Lyocell, 100% natural linen, superfine alpaca, hemp BioFibre™
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
5. Boody
Touted as one of the most affordable sustainable fashion brands, Boody is the best place to shop for underwear, bras, loungewear, and even PFAS-free period panties!
Instead of wool and other animal-derived materials, they choose ECOCERT Certified organic and OEKO-TEX® and ISO 9001 Certified fibers such as organic cotton and bamboo!
The latter is known for its antibacterial, hypoallergenic, and thermo-regulating properties which makes it the ideal choice for folks with sensitive skin.
Best Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives from Boody:
Price Range: From $34.95+
Size Range: XS-4XL
Materials: Organically grown cotton, organically grown bamboo, LYOLYTETM
Location/Shipping: United States
6. Reformation
While there are many sustainable brands with vegan-friendly wool alternatives, most of them won’t cater to petite body types. Reformation is here to change that!
You can find everything from figure-hugging sustainable jeans and jaw-dropping special occasion dresses—all tailored for those under 5’3″.
The manufacturing process happens in their own factory in Los Angeles, so no shady business is involved.
Small batches, low-impact materials, rescued fabrics, vintage vibes, and even recycled plastic bottles make the cut.
Best Sellers from Reformation:
Price Range: From $78+
Size Range: XS-3X
Materials: Linen, TENCEL™ Modal, Viscose, ECONYL® regenerated nylon, Recycled cashmere
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
7. Tentree
Tentree is one of the best vegan-friendly brands that opt for top-notch, earth-loving materials such as organic cotton, wool, recycled polyester, and Tencel.
On their digital shelves, you can find everything from shirts and hoodies to joggers, dresses, jackets, and even underwear!
They not only produce everything locally, but they also rock a Certified B Corporation.
The best part? As the name suggests, Tentree plants 10 trees for every sale.
Best Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives from Tentree:
Price Range: From $68+
Size Range: XS-XL
Materials: Organic cotton, TENCEL™, hemp, recycled polyester
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
8. Groceries Apparel
Groceries Apparel is on a mission to veganize our wardrobe with stellar eco materials such as organic and recycled fabrics, including food waste like discarded corn husks, coffee grounds, and coconut fibers. Yep, you heard it right.
Your next favorite tee might just be made from recycled polyester and corn husks.
What’s more, Groceries Apparel uses closed-loop production – aka minimum waste and maximum impact on reducing the environmental fashion footprint.
Best Sellers from Groceries Apparel:
Price Range: From $78+
Size Range: XS-L
Materials: 100% organic cotton, eucalyptus, hemp, recycled plastic
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
9. Harvest & Mill
Harvest & Mill is a sustainable vegan-friendly brand that should definitely be on your radar.
Their organic cotton clothing are born and raised in the United States. There are no single-season pieces here!
The brand ethically crafts durable, with classic styles that can be worn for years to come, supporting local farmers and artisans in the process.
Best Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives from Harvest & Mill:
Price Range: From $58+
Size Range: XS-XL
Materials: 100% organic cotton
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
10. Vegan Outfitters UK
As the name suggests, Vegan Outfitters is a UK clothing brand that solely chooses vegan-friendly wool alternatives.
Eco-friendly, ethically made, and delivered to your door in plastic-free packaging, each piece is made to order to eliminate waste as much as possible.
What’s more, the brand is WRAP Certified, PETA Approved and vetted by the FairWear Foundation – a non-profit organization that works to improve conditions for workers in garment factories.
Plus, 10% of their profits to amazing UK sanctuaries that are dedicated to rescuing farm animals from abuse and slaughter.
Best Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives from Vegan Outfitters:
Price Range: From $47+
Size Range: XS-2XL
Materials: Cotton
Location/Shipping: UK, ships worldwide
11. Wuxly
Outdoors lovers, rejoice! Wuxly aims to help us stay warm and comfortable with sustainable innovative, high-performance fabrics that are completely wool-free.
The collection includes Parkas, filled with plant-based down alternative, Sorona, as well as bombers, rainwear, and accessories made of recycled nylon and poly.
What’s more, the brand is committed to manufacturing locally in Canada and sourcing from only Bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® approved suppliers.
Best Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives from Wuxly:
Price Range: From $150+
Size Range: XS-XL
Materials: Sorona®, recycled nylon, recycled polyester
Location/Shipping: Canada, ships worldwide
12. Plant Faced
For ethical, eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and GOTS Certified clothes, look no further than Plant Faced.
The conscious company uses organic cotton and non-toxic dyes to create their leisurewear responsibly in Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) or the Fair Wear Foundation-certified factories.
They are also a PETA vegan brand that ditches plastic! Instead, they choose 100% compostable and biodegradable paper mailers.
Price Range: From $50+
Size Range: XS-XXL
Materials: Organic cotton, recycled PET
Location/Shipping: United States, ships worldwide
13. Matt & Nat
Since 1995, Matt & Nat has been creating vegan accessories ethically and responsibly.
The sustainable company uses recycled nylon, cork, rubber, and even recycled bicycle tires to create shoes, and bags in factories that operate by the SA8000 standard.
You can also find an array of knitwear pieces– all crafted with organic cotton, bamboo, linen, and TENCEL™. Cozy, chic, and cruelty-free, exactly as we like them!
Price Range: From $110+
Size Range: XS-XL
Materials: Recyclable fabrics like plastic bottles, rubber or environmentally fabrics like polyurethane & polyvinylchloride
Location/Shipping: Canada, ships worldwide
14. Reer3
REER3 is a modern streetwear label based in Germany.
Their lineup includes all the basics you need to create a gazillion lewks for every month of the year. Hoodies, sweatshirts, t-shirts, tank tops, sweatpants – you name it, they have it.
Their materials of choice? Organic cotton and recycled poly.
Plus, all garments are manufactured under the conditions of the Fairwear Foundation.
Price Range: From $98+
Size Range: XS-XL
Materials: 100% organic cotton
Location/Shipping: Germany, ships worldwide
15. Noize
Noize is here to offer cruelty-free, sustainable outerwear and apparel for women, men, kids & dogs.
The PETA approved brand uses stellar eco materials such as ECONYL, organic cotton, recycled plastic, vegan leather, vegan fur, and vegan wool as well as algae-based materials and Lenzing Ecovero.
But their sustainability efforts don’t end there. Noize is dedicated to keeping us warm with down alternatives, recycled fill, and organic cotton designed to last several winters while keeping us warm in temperatures as low as -30 degrees.
This makes them a fantastic alternative to Patagonia!
Price Range: From $58+
Size Range: XXS-XXL
Materials: Recycled cotton, recycled wool, recycled nylon, recycled polyester, RePET™& REPREVE, polyurethane
Location/Shipping: Canada, ships to United States
Vegan Wool Alternatives FAQs
Why is wool not “vegan-friendly”?
While some vegans do choose to wear secondhand or recycled wool, there are many in the community who consider the wearing of any animal products to be a big no-no for ethical reasons.
On top of this, many vegans believe that wearing wool encourages others to wear wool as well – which can have a negative effect on their mission to end animal-cruelty. Vegans strongly believe that animals need to stop being seen as “products” and to be seen as living, breathing beings.
Can vegans wear second hand wool?
It really depends on which vegan you are asking! We conducted our own research and asked over 150 vegans if they believe wearing secondhand wool is ok or not, and here is what we found: 42 folks voted for yes to secondhand wool products and 108 voted for no to secondhand wool. Those who voted for yes primarily lived in much colder places vs those who said no!
Are there any true alternatives to wool?
Wool is such a special material because of where it comes from – Sheep. Sheep stay cozy and cool in all sorts of weather because of their amazing wool. Wool garments are naturally breathable down to the fiber level – The fibers wick moisture away from your skin and can absorb around 30% of their weight before you feel wet. The closest vegan-friendly and sustainable fabric to wool would be Modal or Cotton.
What is the warmest vegan-friendly & sustainable material out there?
From our own experience, the warmest of the bunch would be modal or organic cotton. Modal or organic cotton thermals and then paired with thick organic cotton sweaters/hoodies/etc.
Bamboo and hemp are also great for sweaters and hoodies too! We are also featuring heavy linen as a fantastic layering piece – that our team has truly fallen in love with.
This post was all about vegan friendly wool alternatives.
Ultimately, choosing vegan fibers means saying goodbye to practices like shearing and embracing a compassionate approach to fashion. From the classic comfort of organic cotton to the futuristic charm of recycled plastics and recycled Merino Wool or the breezy charm of Tencel, each of these vegan-friendly wool alternatives has its own, unique characteristics.
Did you enjoy this list of Vegan Friendly Wool Alternatives? Check out more below!
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