Non-Food
A booming industry for years to come, vegan and cruelty-free fashion is already considered cool and luxurious. The global vegan women’s fashion market was valued at 396.3 billion USD in 2019 and is expected to grow at a 13.6% rate by 2027, according to Statista.com. The vegan leather market is the industry’s driving force, mainly due to tech advancements that perfect new materials and increase vegan leather’s lifespan. Instead of plastic-based leather, we are increasingly seeing more sustainable, natural fabrics from sources as diverse as pineapple leaves, fermented yeast, wine industry by-products, and mushrooms. Alternatives to wool and silk, made from cellulose fibres, are also being developed, as well as various up-cycled materials being upgraded into increasingly popular vegan activewear.
Last but not least, it’s not just about clothing, handbags, and shoes. Other non-food industries are also challenged and inspired to come up with vegan, cruelty-free products (books, jewelry, or candles). Being labelled as vegan and vegetarian is considered an added selling point and a point of difference. It also helps consumers cut through the noise and find safe, sustainable clothing on e-commerce sites or in retail stores.