Is velvet vegan and sustainable? These are questions every ethical consumer asks. Here is how buying velvet will impact you, the environment, animals and laborers.
Fabric, materials and textiles are things we consume often. If you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on velvet.
You are going to learn all about velvet’s vegan and sustainability status. Additionally, the following info will include velvet advantages and disadvantages for your home, whether velvet is a natural fiber, biodegradable…or perhaps even destructive!
After learning if velvet is vegan and sustainable you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you shop.
This post is all about learning if velvet is vegan and sustainable.
Is Velvet Vegan And Sustainable?
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]Versatility: pros velvet is smooth and soft, medium-weight tufted fabric, a rich, plush texture that stands straight up, high sheen, drapes loosely, used in clothing including pants and shirts, used for bed sheets, covers, curtains
Affordability: cons velvet is typically expensive, prices may vary
Velvet is…
- Versatile
- Expensive
ENVIRONMENT
Fiber source: natural, synthetic or semi-synthetic fibers, velvet is typically a natural fiber made of silk but can also be made from other natural fibers like linen, wool, mohair, etc. or may be made from a synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, viscose, acetate or be semi-synthetic if viscose mixed with silk to produce velvet
Biodegradable: yes or no, length of biodegradation depends on materials used, silk starts to show signs of biodegradation after about 4 years, when biodegradable fibers, such as cotton, silk and wool, are mixed with non-biodegradable fibers the resulting yarn of such a mix is no longer biodegradable and is unsuitable for value retention in biological cycles, it may take up to 200 years for synthetic textiles such as polyester to decompose
Destruction: high, silk processing and transportation cause high pollution, as most silk comes from China and India, cleaning silk requires harsh, intensive treatments and chemicals, which pollute ground water, for silk to be produced locally, in the USA for example, the non-native Mulberry tree for silkworms was introduced to American soil, which quickly disrupted native habitats, the tree is a highly invasive species and upset natural ecosystems, similar occurrences in Latin America and South Asia, Mulberry trees overtake native flora due to their extreme consumption of water, leaving less water to sustain native flora
Velvet is…
ANIMALS
Kills: silkworms if silk is used, silk is a fiber that silkworms weave to make their cocoons, silk producers boil silkworms alive while inside their cocoons, silkworms do have a physical response to pain
Harms: silkworms, angora goats if mohair is used, woolen animals such as sheep if wool is used, severe animal abuse, strips of skin, teats, tails, ears are often cut off or ripped during shearing, sheep shearer workers often punch, kick, hit and stomp on sheep, stand on their heads, necks and limbs for faster wool shearing
Indirectly kills or harms: lambs, mature sheep, wildlife and ecosystems, lambs may die before 8 weeks old from exposure or starvation, mature sheep die from disease, lack of shelter, neglect, wildlife considered to be “threats” to sheep leads to landowners killing kangaroos and coyotes, permitted by law, resulting in millions slaughtered every year by ranchers and the federal government
Velvet is…
- Not Vegan unless specified otherwise
LABORERS
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Velvet…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
velvet is…
For every 5 garments produced, the equivalent of 3 end up in a landfill or incinerated each year!
One reason for such wastefulness society’s ever growing desire to acquire. Fast fashion (creating low-priced items at high volumes) is problematic for a number of reasons and promotes the attitude that clothing is nearly disposable.
But another component of such a quick turnaround on clothing is because it’s just not lasting long enough. Snags, stains, warping and shrinkage render items unusable and unacceptable for the donation pile. Avoid such problems by buying better quality, more durable, long lasting materials. Timeless wardrobe favorites that last for years and years are more sustainable and reduce the need for replacements.
Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of textiles burns or goes to landfills…
Keep minimalism in mind and buy less, borrow and buy items second hand. Thrift shops offer many inexpensive, unique finds that have already proven to stand the test of time!
velvet is unsustainable.
Materials from animals are natural fibers and biodegradable unless heavily treated with chemicals. However, they are not at all eco-friendly or sustainable due to the overwhelming strain on natural resources; the water needed, food needed and land usage that must happen for such abundant amounts of animals to live.
With the high number of animals unnaturally bred onto the planet in the name of human utilization, specifically ruminants (cows, sheep, goats, deer, camels, etc.), they emit high volumes of carbon emissions and contaminate air, soil and water with their waste (excrement). This is also toxic to ecosystems and wildlife.
Animal agriculture is not good for the environment, human health and of course, the animals themselves. Thus, animal derived, non-vegan materials are not only cruel and inhumane but environmentally unsustainable.
That’s not to say that all vegan materials are sustainable. There are many vegan yet unsustainable fabrics, materials and textiles. Most of us don’t realize that washing one synthetic garment releases about 2,000 plastic microfibers which then enter the ocean and food chain…or that 30% of rayon and viscose used in fashion comes from endangered and ancient forests. So because a fabric is vegan it does not necessarily mean that it is sustainable, eco-friendly and so on.
Natural fibers like cotton are actually really harmful IF they are not organic. How? Cotton seeds are often GMOs that require pesticides, which are extremely toxic! In fact, up to 16% of the world’s pesticides go to non-organic, GMO cotton farming every year. The chemicals degrade soil and pollute water as well as poison cotton pickers.
Wow! …So it’s time to start using sustainable fabrics, materials and textiles.
Read more about ‘What Makes Fabric Sustainable Or Unsustainable?’
velvet is not vegan.
Cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, ducks and foxes are animals commonly subject to exploitation for their skins, hair or feathers. In fact, BILLIONS of them die every single year simply in the name of fashion.
Before buying a pair of shoes, a sweater, a purse, check the materials. Common and unfortunately popular animal-derived materials include leather, suede, fur, feathers, mohair and wool -which often come from places like India and China where there can be NO animal welfare laws or enforcement. If the item does come from a more developed area of the world, such as the United States or Europe, that animal was likely a victim of factory farming. In such overcrowded farms they are confined, diseased and must sometimes live their entire lives indoors, never seeing the light of day.
Material from animals may involve slaughtering like leather and fur production, for instance. But in regards to wool or feathers, animals struggle as they are held down and beaten by workers while sheared or as feathers are ripped from their skin. This leaves them bloody and wounded in pain.
Buying vegan clothing, accessories and household fabrics, materials and textiles ensures that no living being had to suffer or die needlessly. Vegan fashion is trending like never before! According to Grand View Research, “The global synthetic leather market size is expected to reach $40.0 billion dollars (USD) by the year 2027”!
Dressing and decorating vegan is easier than ever with this: Vegan Fabrics, Materials and Textiles List
velvet is a product that may or may not have laborer issues.
Did you know that the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? Whether agriculture involves crops or animals, the labor behind each and every product made from cotton, leather, wool, etc. cannot go unrecognized.
Sadly, many labor concerns exist around the world in both developed and developing countries. We must be vigilant to ensure what we buy is not contributing to industries that are unfair to their valuable workers.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, sweatshops and child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence. Unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives simply by being mindful to buy items that are certified fair trade.
This post was all about whether velvet is vegan and sustainable.
Sources:
PETA: The Wool Industry
Sew Guide: Fabric glossary
PETA: What’s wrong with silk?
Textile School: Textile fabric types
PETA: Environmental Hazards of Wool
Global Commodities: Environmental impact of silk
The Spruce: Types of fabric A to Z: What are you wearing?
Velour vs Velvet – What is Velour and What is the Difference to Velvet?
EDGE Fast Fact | Non-Biodegradable Clothes Take 20 to 200 Years to Biodegrade
