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Planting the Seed for a Vegan Home
The Vegan lifestyle has been growing in popularity over the last few years, as people have been making the swap to animal free products for health, moral and sustainability reasons. Something that many of us are still unaware of is that veganism isn’t just necessarily about your diet, it’s actually a total lifestyle change focused on living a life that does not rely on animal products, or products which cause impact to animals or the environments in which they live.
There are varying degrees of veganism which people choose to follow. Some will not use animal products, whereas others will not use any product which has a significant negative impact on animal and their natural habitats.
Many vegans, friends of vegans and family members are trying to make sure they are buying with veganism in mind. For those of us who are not vegan it can feel a bit confusing and we can find ourselves not knowing where to start. To help you out we have created some do’s and don’ts for veganism in the furniture world!
Do’s
√ Look for sustainably sourced cotton, velvet and linen
√ Opt for natural fibres such as hemp, jute and sisal products
√ Buy plant based ‘leather’ products
√ Choose non-toxic foam or fibre based fillings in mattresses, arm chairs and sofas
√ Check out tencel… a cellulosic fibre and bamboo silk
√ Ask about recycled or post-consumer waste fabrics
√ Buy responsibly sourced wood and metal products
Dont’s
X Choose leather
X Select products filled with feather, down or horse hair
X Pick wool furnishings, upholstery and carpeting
X Opt for Silk
X Select processed Synthetic and Petroleum Based Materials
X Buy products containing bees wax such as furniture polishes and some candles
X Forget to ask about non vegan glues used in construction of furniture pieces
X Sheep skin or any other animal hides should not be on your shopping list
Although it may sometimes be tricky to discern what actually is vegan there are in fact many vegan options and alternatives available on the market today. The best way to find these products is to work with a knowledgeable furniture retailer, who is aware of the materials which you are trying to avoid. They will be able to help point you in the direction of products that are vegan but not necessarily marketed as such. A reputable furniture shop will have close relationships with manufacturers and should be able to call up to gather more information about the materials used in the product you are interested in if they don’t already know something you feel is important to your purchase decision.
Becoming vegan is a major commitment, and often it will mean you may have to invest time and energy into sourcing the products which you feel comfortable using. Finding shops in your local community which are taking the time to learn about veganism and vegan products is definitely a great place to start!
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Posted by Wendy Martin
23rd October 2022
