Please find below a selection of statistics about fashion and textiles, both in the UK and around the world.
Disclaimer: This is a collation of third-party sources about topics connected to veganism. Some of the links are not to the original sources; we are sharing them to help journalists or researchers with their research and because they may form a helpful starting point.
General fashion statistics
Behavioural changes
- A 2021 report by The Vegan Society – The Rise of Vegan Fashion – found 48% of British shoppers want more vegan items across all fashion categories and 74% would be willing to pay more for plant-based leathers. There are many more statistics available within the report. Source
- In The Vegan Society's 2021 report - The rise of Vegan Fashion - we found that 61.4% of British shoppers thought fur was cruel, and 32.5% said it is outdated. Source
- In 2020, a YouGov opinion poll revealed 93% of Brits reject wearing animal fur and the majority (72%) support a complete ban on the sale of fur in the UK. The words that people most closely associate with a fashion brand selling fur are "unethical", "outdated", "cruel" and "out of touch". Source
- In 2020, Mintel reported that 57% of British shoppers are trying to make more ethical fashion choices, rising to 68% for 16–24-year-olds. Source
Vegan products and business
- According to Data Bridge Market Research, the Global Bio-Based Leather Market was valued at $1,6530,000 million in 2021. This is now expected to reach $3,5952,210 million by 2029. Source
- The global vegan footwear market is expected to surpass $24.8 billion by the end of 2020. Between 2020 and 2030, the market is expected to grow with an annual growth rate of 7.2%, year on year. Source
- Vogue reported that in 2019, the stock of vegan fashion products increased by 258% across the UK and US. Source
- In March 2021, an Oxford University graduate student created vegan leather from succulents. The material is meant to biodegrade in 100 days when buried, which is supposedly unmatched compared to competitors. Source
- The first vegan fashion items registered with the Vegan Trademark were by Freerangers in 1999, who registered 12 footwear and accessory items between 1999 and 2002. In January 2022, the Vegan Trademark has over 6,500 fashion items certified, including accessories, bags, footwear, clothing and sportswear from all-vegan, high street and luxury brands. Source
- In 2019, New Look became the first high street retailer in the UK to register with the Vegan Trademark, with a collection of 436 products. This makes up 60% of their available footwear and bags, with plans to increase the proportion of vegan products in the coming years. Source
- In 2021, Eurofins Chem-MAP registered with the Vegan Trademark – this is the first testing and auditing service specifically developed for testing apparel and footwear as vegan. Source
Designer, luxury, and high-end brands
- In March 2021, the first-ever clothing item made from mushroom leather was released by Stella McCartney. Source
- In April 2021, fashion house Karl Lagerfeld announced it is launching its first vegan cactus leather bag. Source
- In April 2021, Fossil announced they are launching a range of vegan bags made from cacti. Source
- In June 2021, Hermès announced that they are creating a bag with a fabric made from fungus. Source
- In June 2021, Gucci launched a range of vegan shoes made from wood pulp. Source
Popular and high street brands
- Popular fashion brands with the Vegan Trademark include Superdry, Gola, New Look, George at Asda, Kurt Geiger, Accessorize and Grenson Shoes. Sources [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
- Many of Accessorize’s best-selling bags and accessories are now registered as vegan under the Vegan Trademark. Source
- In March 2021, fashion giant H&M announced they are launching a collection using cactus leather. Source
- In April 2021, Reebok announced the launch of their vegan running shoes. Source
- In April 2021, Adidas announced they are launching a new range of their iconic Stan Smith sneakers made from vegan mushroom leather. Source
- Kurt Geiger’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection launched with 55 styles of vegan footwear for men and women, including vegan leather and vegan suede, all registered with the Vegan Trademark. Source
- As of July 2020, all of George at Asda’s ladies’ bags were registered as vegan under the Vegan Trademark standards. Source
- In 2020, Tommy Hilfiger launched two sneakers made from recycled apple peel fibres. The fabric was developed by Frumat, which reinvents apple waste from the Italian food industry. In 2019, the label also teamed up with Lewis Hamilton for a vegan streetwear collection. Source
- In 2019, Hugo Boss launched a line of men’s trainers using pineapple plant fibres. Source
