It’s no secret that wearing fibers that come from animals is not considered to be vegan or cruelty free.

By supporting the use of animal fibers, you are taking what those animals need for themselves. Not to mention the terrible conditions and abuse that they are often put through.

So, if you are worried that you might be contributing to the use of animal fibers or don’t know what else to buy. Here is a list of what animal fibers you may be wearing and what to replace them with!

Animal Fibers that You Might be Wearing

Winter coats are sometimes trimmed with a variety of animal fur from fox to rabbit to seal fur. There are even cases where fur is labeled as faux fur when in reality it comes from an animal.

Your luxury cashmere sweater is made from sheering cashmere goats and your silk cloths are made from the fibers that silk worms spin.

Many winter items are made with some percentage of wool which comes from sheep. Shearling is a type of clothing that is the wool with the skin attached which is also usually sold as a luxury winter item.

You might even own clothing that contains more luxurious types of fibers such as angora which comes from rabbits.

Why You Should Avoid Them

There are several species of animals that are nearing extinction and yet they are still being used for their fur.

Many sheep and cashmere goats are left to the bare their harsh environment after being sheered of their protection. Having to bear through other inhumane practices along the way.

Shearling is extremely inhumane as the animal has to be killed in order to get the skin and wool. Oftentimes several animals will need to be killed just to make one item of shearling clothing!

Fur is often pulled from the rabbit’s coat as that is the only way to extract it. The process causing them pain and fear.

Silkworms are boiled alive in order to remove them from their silk cocoons. This process kills 3,000 silkworms per pound of silk!

The fur trade business is a horrific and terribly inhumane practice that we as consumers should not support. Especially when there are so many other better options.

Fibers to Wear Instead

Want to ditch the inhumane and cruel animal fibers that the fashion industry still supports? Here are a few good alternatives.

Organic cotton is just about the easiest fiber to find and is completely made by plants. It is light and breathable and only gets better as you wear it!

Soybean fiber and bamboo silk are wonderful alternatives to silkworm silk and cashmere. They are both warm and light and drape like silk.

As for an alternative to wool there are many fiber blends that are cruelty free and just as warm and cozy. If you’re really in a pinch you can also look for synthetic fibers as they are also cruelty free.

About Author:

Abigail Jane is a freelance writer who specializes in health and lifestyle. She has been vegan for about seven years and always jumps at the chance to spread awareness.
She loves to volunteer at animal shelters, eat plenty of good vegan food and cuddle her fur babies.