Mainstream Shoe Brand Launches “Non-animal Collection”

Sweden-based footwear company Vagabond recently debuted the “Non-animal Collection” shoe line for spring 2016. The collection features five women’s shoe styles that do not use animal products and are instead made from PVC-free, fabric-backed polyurethane, malleable cork, and a proprietary animal byproduct-free glue—and are polished using plant-based waxes in lieu of beeswax and lanolin. According to brand manager Anna Fahle Björcke, “Non Animal is a result of an increased demand from customers across our markets. Some of our target audience is actively seeking an alternative to leather, which we want to embrace. We believe in awareness of consumption behavior and an openness to alternative materials in the future.” Innovation in cruelty-free materials—such as leather harvested from pineapples—combined with companies opting for vegan products to meet customer demand ensures that animals can be phased out of the fashion industry.