Why Choose Vegan Sweaters?
While transitioning to a cruelty-free wardrobe, vegan sweaters are among the last things we think about. We typically worry first about animal products like fur and leather. However, wool is also a huge concern for compassionate animal lovers.
People frequently ask me why I don’t wear wool. After all, we’re taught as children that the wool harvesting process is pain-free. My simplest answer is this: any industry that exploits and profits from animals ends up cutting corners and prioritizing revenue over kindness. If you want to know more about the wool industry and why vegan animal advocates don’t support it, read my post on Why We Don’t Wear Wool.
Materials to avoid when searching for vegan sweaters include wool, angora, cashmere, feathers, and silk.
Fortunately, animal-friendly fashion has made huge strides in recent years. We now have abundant animal-free options to choose from! When consumers demand cruelty-free options, the market has no choice but to innovate. So let’s keep up the pressure!
You may wonder why I included sweatshirts in this guide. After all, sweatshirts aren’t usually made with animal-sourced materials. I just want to give you more options to stay warm! I’ve also come across quite a few animal-friendly AND eco-friendly sweatshirt brands, and wanted to share them with you! Whether you’re looking to stay warm in vegan sweaters or sweatshirts, I’ve got you covered:
Terminology note:
To help you shop without too much confusion, I’ve assigned labels to each brand. “Fully vegan retailer/brand” means you’re safe to purchase anything from their website, as they never use or sell animal products. “Vegan-friendly retailer/brand” means the brand consistently carries plentiful vegan options. However, you should still double check materials. Finally, “Carries vegan brands/options” means the business does sell many animal products, so you’ll definitely need to check materials lists carefully.
Vegan Sweaters & Sweatshirts for Fall/Winter 2020:
Free People (carries vegan options)
Vegan sweaters shown above are the Milo Pullover, the Latte Henley Sweater, and the Easy Street Tunic.
Free People has been offering more and more vegan options with every new season! This is so exciting for lifelong fans of the Free People aesthetic! Still, they do carry quite a few animal products, so it’s important to check materials before purchase. They do tend to mention specific animal-sourced materials in the product titles, so you’ll know to stay clear of those. Instead, look for sweaters made with cotton, nylon, etc.. Prices definitely vary at Free People, so be sure to check out their payment plans if you want to splurge on one of the pricier sweaters!
Shop vegan sweaters at Free People.
Nordstrom (carries vegan sweaters)
Vegan sweaters shown above are the Mozart Popcorn Sweater, the Stripe Roll Neck Sweater, and the Crop Funnel Neck Sweater.
It’s surprisingly easy to find vegan sweaters at Nordstrom, simply by selecting vegan fabrics under their “materials” filter! They occasionally make mistakes, so be sure to double check because they’re a little confused about wool and down, but for the most part the search results should be dependable. They have a wide variety of “accidentally vegan” sweaters and sweatshirts. “Accidentally vegan” is my term for when the designer may or may not have created the piece with a vegan consumer in mind. A few of my favorites are linked above, but be sure to peruse the whole selection!
Shop vegan sweaters at Nordstrom.
Nois New York (fully vegan retailer)
Vegan sweaters shown above are the Row Top Sand Marle, the Pace Crew, and the Sophie Cardigan.
Nois New York started as a street style blog, but evolved into a cruelty-free online boutique! They offer a wide range of animal-friendly fashion, including vegan sweaters. I love that Nois provides symbols on each product page that denote qualities like “eco-friendly”, “organic”, “fair trade”, etc., to help you make the most ethical choices possible. At Nois New York, you’ll find some traditional styles and looks, but you’ll also discover new trends and creative couture, all made without harming any animals!
Shop vegan sweaters and sweatshirts at Nois New York.
Everlane (carries vegan sweaters)
Vegan sweaters and sweatshirts shown above are the Texture Cotton Cardigan, the Soft Cotton Square Crew, and the ReNew Fleece Sweatshirt.
Everlane is a relatively new discovery for me, but I’m already enamored. They are dedicated to offering eco-friendly and ethically made apparel with full transparency behind their sourcing. They aren’t a vegan brand, as they do use a lot of wool/cashmere, but they do have quite a few vegan options! My personal favorite item they sell (pictured above) is the ReNew Fleece Sweatshirt, each of which is made from 35 recycled plastic bottles!!
Shop eco-friendly, vegan sweatshirts at Everlane.
Modcloth (vegan-friendly retailer)
Vegan sweaters shown above are the Swan Lake Fair Isle Pullover, the Haven’t Dot A Clue Pullover Sweater, and the Foxes and Pockets Cardigan.
I’ve loved Modcloth’s affordable, quirky, trendy, and sometimes whimsical apparel for years. They manage to make getting dressed actually fun! Modcloth tends to carry a lot of animal-themed (and animal-friendly!) apparel, which I love! They do carry more basic, solid colored vegan sweaters and sweatshirts as well, but I prefer their more unique pieces. Modcloth does carry some apparel that contains animal products, so make sure to check the materials before purchase.
Shop vegan sweaters and sweatshirts at Modcloth.
PrAna (carries vegan sweaters)
Vegan sweaters and sweatshirts above are the Nemma Sweater, the Sukie Sweater, and the Cozy Up Turtleneck.
I’ve always thought of prAna as an eco-friendly yoga brand, but they actually sell much more than just activewear. Today, I discovered their range of cozy sweaters and sweatshirts! They use a wide variety of animal-friendly materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, and hemp, making them a dream for the planet conscious consumer!
Shop vegan sweaters and sweatshirts at prAna.
Tentree (vegan-friendly brand)
Vegan sweaters shown above are the Anoba Cardigan, the Flannel Cocoon Cardigan, and the W Forever After Sweater.
Tentree is one of those rare, exceptional brands that cares about animals and the environment! They use almost zero animal products, but they do use some wool. Even their leather-looking patches are made from sustainable cork!
Using materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester, Tentree offers cozy, eco-friendly sweaters and sweatshirts that doesn’t break the bank. On top of all that, as their name suggests, they plant ten trees for every item purchased! Consequently, they’ve planted more than 48 million trees since their launch. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Shop vegan sweaters and sweatshirts at Tentree.
ASOS (vegan-friendly retailer)
Vegan sweaters above are the Bershka Fine Guege Roll Neck Sweater, the In The Style x Billie Faiers oversized contrast knitted sweater in pink stripe, and the Y.A.S. Ribbed Sweater with High Neck.
You can always count on ASOS to have a wide variety of affordable animal-friendly pieces, from footwear to apparel! They don’t have a vegan filter for sweaters, but they generally have more vegan options than not. Give the materials lists a quick scan (they’re listed on every product page) before purchasing!
Shop vegan sweaters at ASOS.
Petit Vour (fully vegan retailer)
Vegan styles shown here are the Lance Lace Up Sweater, the Turtleneck Poncho, and the Trim Sleeve Pullover.
Most people know Petit Vour for their monthly vegan & cruelty-free cosmetics and skincare subscription box. However, in the past couple years they’ve also started selling vegan fashion and accessories! Petit Vour offers sweaters and sweatshirts from many different animal-friendly brands. They only curate pieces that meet their standards for highest quality and high fashion. All designed and created without harming any animals. They update their website often, so be sure to check in regularly for the newest trends in vegan fashion!
Shop vegan sweaters and sweatshirts at Petit Vour.
ThredUp (carries pre-owned vegan sweaters)
I haven’t linked to individual items for ThredUp, as their inventory is constantly changing. Take a peek at their selections here!
ThredUp is a slightly different option than the other retailers and brands on this list. They sell used/vintage items rather than newly made ones. Of course, buying upcycled clothing is the MOST eco-friendly option available! Vegan fashion advocates are sometimes torn about whether or not its advisable to purchase pre-owned animal products, but I consider it a personal choice. I abstain from wearing animals, but I understand why it doesn’t bother some vegan shoppers. Regardless of your opinion, you can use ThredUp’s materials filter to make the most ethical choice for you!
Shop vegan sweaters and sweatshirts at ThredUp.
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