It’s about women. It’s about simplicity. It’s about conscious and sustainable fashion.
May 7, 2020 by Viktoria
You might have always thought of veganism as simply a diet. Maybe it's different from your own diet, or maybe it's a diet you follow, but – that's it right? Well, not exactly! In truth, being vegan means choosing an entirely different lifestyle from those who are not vegan. It means making choices that honor animal life on our planet, in everything that we do.
Ultimately, as big as committing to a different lifestyle is, becoming a Vegan is even bigger than that! Being vegan means being part of a growing global community that cares. It means sharing a loving, conscious, and eco-friendly way of life with other passionate people – people just like you!
A vegan lifestyle in it's simplest form means not consuming or using any product with animal origin. In terms of diet, this means not eating meat or fish. It also means not consuming dairy, eggs, or even honey. Beyond what we eat, vegans avoid all products that are made using anything of that came from animals too. This requires being mindful of what's in things, such as the soaps and cosmetics we use, and the household goods we buy.
A vegan will also choose not to wear clothing made from animal products. That means no leather, suede, wool or silk. The first two are made from the skin of animals, while wool is created following the forceful removal of an animals natural protection from it's environment. Silk worms are killed when their silk is harvested – and so you begin to see that many products involve preventing animals from living freely, and without pain or fear.
An ever increasing number of people are becoming aware of their consumer impact, and vegan products are happily on the rise! In some countries, the vegan population has increased by as much as 600%. When we practice a vegan lifestyle, we think about the impact of everything we do, and refuse to pay money into systems that harm animals. For some of us, even this isn't enough. Vegans coordinate through animal welfare groups and through political activism to try to improve the life of animals everywhere!
Fundamentally, being choosing a vegan lifestyle means living with integrity. It means living by your beliefs and values, owning your own intentions, and choosing to act in alignment with your moral judgment. While this lifestyle change might seem intimidating, there is nothing more freeing than living from an honest and integral place!
Being vegan doesn't mean having to go without beautiful things. Of course, those who choose a vegan lifestyle will almost certainly want to live in an environmentally friendly way too! We can be ethical consumers by choosing responsibly made products, that do as little harm to the natural world as possible. We can also choose to buy well made products that we will be able to enjoy for a long time, lessening our need to buy more!
Animal products put a terrible strain on the natural environment, through water and land use, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Vegan alternatives, in all areas of our life, demand far fewer resources of our precious planet. Many vegan people choose to wear synthetic fabrics in place of materials like leather and wool. In this, the types of materials we buy make a big difference!
For example, some vegan leather is made from PVC, which requires nasty chemicals, and breaks down into microplastics. Other vegan leather – such as that used here at Viktoria – is made using Polyurethane, or PU for short. This is also a plastic based material, but it is far more environmentally friendly! PU is far cleaner to produce, and biodegrades naturally, meaning no scary chemicals, and no microplastics heading for the ocean.
If you are embracing a vegan lifestyle, or simply feeling curious, why not connect with other people who share your values? You can join the Viktoria Club today, for free, and become a member of our conscious chic revolution community! Share inspiring life stories with women who care about all life on earth, just as much as you do. Gain access to exclusive lifestyle tips, special giveaways, and discounts on the Viktoria range! Globally, veganism is getting bigger and bigger. You can become a part of this all important movement by joining our international community. Enjoy fashion and fun, while holding all life as sacred, among truly kindred spirits!