Living a vegan lifestyle protects our planet and protects animals from unnecessary suffering. More and more people are choosing a vegan lifestyle, especially when it comes to nutrition. Loud The report of Statista Around 1,52 million citizens in Germany now eat no animal products. But the vegan lifestyle doesn't stop with what comes on our plate. Also vegan clothing has become increasingly important in recent years. Animal materials such as leather or wool are increasingly being replaced by plant fibers. Little by little, ethical awareness is now reaching our four walls. But how can you live vegan and what exactly should you consider to make your home cruelty-free? We set out to find answers...
Living vegan – what does that mean?
Vegan living means avoiding animal products or by-products in every aspect of interior design - from wallpaper paste to sofas. After all, animal products are not only used in visible elements such as leather sofas or wool carpets, but they are also often hidden in the glue of furniture or in the dyes of furnishing textiles. If you really want to live vegan, you have to look very carefully when choosing your interior design.
Why should you live vegan?
There are many reasons why you should live vegan. Of course, the most important thing is that furnishing your own home does not cause animal suffering. Environmental protection goes hand in hand with this, as the production of animal products often involves high levels of CO2-Emissions and water consumption are linked. Finally, vegan living can also have health benefits, as furnishings with animal components often contain allergens or are treated with chemicals that can be harmful to your health. Therefore, it makes sense to consider vegan and vegan options when setting up sustainably produced products to put.
Source & Copyright by ekomia
Which furniture contains animal parts?
Whether it's a leather couch or a down comforter, some furnishings are obviously made from animal materials. But ingredients whose production is linked to animal suffering can also hide in completely unexpected places in our homes. Identifying them is often not that easy.
- Upholstered furniture: Upholstery made from animal materials such as horsehair or down is rarely used in seating furniture these days. However, some high-priced companies still offer them, although there are now many high-quality and long-lasting alternatives made of foam, for example. If you want to live vegan, you can also opt for a cover made of plant-based or synthetic textiles such as linen, cotton or similar instead of the classic leather sofa artificial leather.
- Carpets: Even today, expensive carpets often use sheep's wool. When buying a carpet, if you want to live vegan, you should pay close attention to the material composition. Cruelty-free and easy-care alternatives are made from cotton, jute, sisal or synthetic materials.
- Blankets: Down comforters filled with duck or goose feathers are popular for their insulating properties. However, there are many vegan alternatives to down that are just as cozy and do not require animal suffering, such as fillings made from the natural fiber kapok.
- wooden furniture: Animal additives can also be hidden in wooden cupboards, chairs or tables. Some wood glues and other adhesives contain components from the skin and bones of animals. The situation is similar with paintwork and surface treatments. Solid wood, for example, is often treated with beeswax or shellac, which is obtained from the excrement of the lac insect. If you want to be absolutely sure that a piece of furniture made of wood is completely gone, you should make sure that it is untreated and that the individual components were not glued together during production, but screwed together.
- decoration: Decorative flowers made from silk petals, small boxes with leather covers, small shell bowls or candles made from beeswax – animal components are hidden in many interior accessories. Even porcelain, more precisely the so-called bone china porcelain, can contain bone ash, which is obtained from cattle bones. This addition ensures the bright white color and translucent appearance of the porcelain. We should therefore always take a close look at the material composition of interior accessories and use vegan alternatives such as candles made from soy wax.
Source & Copyright by Varaluz
Which materials are suitable as vegan alternatives?
When choosing vegan alternatives for our home, we should always consider the aspect of Sustainability to have an eye on. Although plastic as a substitute is a cruelty-free option, it harms the environment due to the use of petroleum and the associated negative CO22-balance sheet. The following materials are not only cruelty-free, but also sustainable:
- Natural latex: The environmentally friendly material, obtained from the sap of the rubber tree, can be used to upholster mattresses, pillows and seating, providing a comfortable and durable option.
- Kapok: The vegan down alternative, which consists of the seed fibers of the kapok tree, is light, breathable and hypoallergenic and is therefore perfect as a filling material for pillows and blankets.
- Vegetable leather: Whether made from pineapple, apples, eucalyptus, cork or mushrooms – there are now numerous vegan leather alternatives on the market. Because it is particularly robust and easy to care for, cork leather is often used in interiors.
- Organic cotton: Instead of wool and silk, organic cotton is suitable for a variety of home accessories such as pillowcases, blankets or curtains.
- Linen: The durable and breathable fiber obtained from flax is ideal for bed linen, curtains or tablecloths.
- Jute: As a particularly robust natural fiber, jute is a vegan and durable choice especially for carpets.
- Soy wax: A vegan alternative to traditional wax is soy wax, which is made from soybean oil. It can be used for candles and other decorative accessories, is biodegradable and non-toxic.
Living vegan: Top 5 interior brands
There are many brands that offer vegan furniture and decorative items. Here are five of our favorites:
- mypureliving
- ekomia
- allnatura
- Sebastian Cox
- Varaluz
1. mypureliving
The start-up mypureliving from Bremen specializes in sustainable, climate-friendly furniture and has three collections on offer that bear the “PETA-Approved Vegan” logo. Only certified vegan materials are used, from the main material to the adhesive. The range includes a variety of furniture and accessories for the terrace, balcony and living area. The products are not only environmentally friendly, but also stylish and timeless in design.
Company location: Germany
Special benefits: PETA Approved Vegan
Where to buy: mypureliving.de
Source & Copyright by mypureliving
2. ekomia
Vegan Scandi Style: The Berlin brand ekomia has specialized in the production of furniture made exclusively from FSC-certified wood from the EU. With a clear focus on ecological responsibility, ekomia relies on formaldehyde-free white glue and ecological, vegan colors and oils of natural origin in production. The collection features minimalist Scandinavian design and offers a wide range of durable solid wood furniture as well as affordable DIY furniture and lamps.
Company location: Germany
Special benefits: B Corp Certification
Where to buy: ekomia.de
Source & Copyright by ekomia
3. allnatura
At allnatura we find a large range of vegan furnishings - tested and awarded according to the PETA-Approved Vegan guidelines. The offer includes a variety of vegan furniture that is made without animal ingredients such as beeswax, bone glue or paints made from animal ingredients. From bedroom and children's furniture to dining room furniture and home textiles, allnatura has a wide range for everyone who lives vegan and wants to protect the environment.
Company location: Germany
Special benefits: PETA Approved Vegan
Where to buy: allnatura.de
Source & Copyright by allnatura
4. Sebastian Cox
The British designer Sebastian Cox is considered a pioneer of veganism in the area of furnishings. His specialty is developing home accessories made from mushroom mycelium, a material with a suede-like texture. Together with his wife Brogan, he produces climate-neutral, vegan furniture in his London studio, using the resources of local forests and also committed to preserving their biodiversity.
Company location: Great Britain
Special benefits: Use of local materials
Where to buy: sebastiancox.co.uk
Source & Copyright by Sebastian Cox
5. Varaluz
Varaluz proves that responsible design and aesthetics can go hand in hand. The American brand specializes in handmade lights, furniture and interior accessories. These consist exclusively of vegan and sustainable resources and are made by artisans in Vietnam and the Philippines. Varaluz takes a holistic approach to create products that are not only beautiful to look at, but are also in line with animal welfare and sustainability.
Company location: USA
Special benefits: Arts Awards Winner
Where to buy: varaluz.com
Source & Copyright by Varaluz
Conclusion: Vegan living combines style and sustainability
Living vegan means balancing ethical and aesthetic demands. It is not just a matter of style, but a choice that reflects our values and expresses respect for the lives of animals and the environment. If you want to live vegan, you should avoid materials such as leather, wool, thumb or silk and also pay attention to hidden animal ingredients in your furnishings. Innovative vegan interior brands offer stylish and ecologically produced alternatives to conventional furniture brands and ensure that our homes are not only cruelty-free, but also chic.
