Animal-Free Fashion

Being conscious about the products I buy is a choice I make, mostly because I am curious what will be clothing my body throughout the day, absorbing through my skin when I apply my makeup, and/or feeding my stomach when I eat.

The other day I was online shopping at Nordstrom and I noticed Toms had a line of vegan shoes. My first thought was, "aren't all of their shoes vegan?" I have been wearing Toms for years! I love the comfort they provide once they have molded to my feet. I can stand in them all day long without achy feet at the end of the night. They also have a large selection of styles and patterns to choose from. I own over 10 pair of Toms shoes. I Googled around a bit to see what I could find, but it all seemed like hearsay, so I though I would go straight to the source and find out.

I went to Toms website and clicked on the "Contact Us" section. I sent a message that asked, "I noticed you have a large selection of vegan shoes. What makes the traditional Toms shoes non-vegan?" A few hours later I received a message from Toms in my inbox. I was so excited to see what they had to say. I opened the email and read their response, "The non-vegan shoes have animal products in them." This response not only disappointed me, but frustrated me too. Obviously, I understand the meaning of vegan because I asked why a majority of them weren't. Wouldn't it be common knowledge that I am seeking a more detailed response instead of a reiteration of the word vegan? I wrote back and said, "I assumed this simply because they are "not vegan". Can you be a little more specific? What is used in the shoes to make them not vegan?" Needless to say the customer service representative didn't get back to me. 

About 2 days later I went back to Toms website and began the process all over again. I asked the same question, but a bit more specific. "I noticed Toms has a large selection of vegan shoes. Can you tell me what materials are used to classify the traditional Toms shoe as non-vegan?" When i received a response I was, once again, utterly disappointed to receive almost the exact same answer from another Toms employee. 

Immediately after receiving the second answer I went back on the website—with a little more attitude—and asked my question slightly more aggressively. "I have been emailing for the past few days and it is a bit disappointing that I cannot get a straight answer... I noticed Toms sells a selection of vegan shoes. What animal byproducts are used in the average Toms shoes which classifies them as non-vegan? I keep receiving answers like this, "All styles marked as "vegan" are made without any animal byproducts". I understand what vegan means. I am looking for specific materials that are used in the shoe, which makes it non-vegan. Please help me to understand what else is in my shoes, besides canvas and rubber." This time it only took about 30 minutes for my to receive a reply. I was more satisfied (well, not with the answer itself, but with the detailed explanation I was provided), "We use pig suede for all leather insole styles of TOMS. It is tanned (cured) like any garment leather. We back it with woven gauze to limit its stretch so the shoe keeps its fit over time."

I had no idea... This whole time I was under the impression my shoes were made out of canvas and rubber. I didn't realize that suede was even an animal product (but this is all part of the learning process). I have always been a curious person. My curiosity has definitely been enhanced since my new-found enlightenment about the world of cruelty-free and vegan products has begun earlier this year. I have recently begun purchasing faux-leather handbags, and to be honest, they are just a great as the leather ones I have. I clearly can't get rid of everything I own and replace it with new, cruelty-free and vegan products, but I can become more knowledgeable about the products I am actually buying. After taking a look at the vegan Toms, I think I am sold! They are just as stylish and not too much more expensive. I feel good in knowing I can take little steps to change my lifestyle for the better. I totally get it—we all have brands and products that we LOVE and don't want to live without, but if you have the option to purchase the same products you would usually purchase or a cruelty-free/vegan version of the same products you usually purchase, why wouldn't you make the change? It seems like a no-brainer for me!

I fully believe knowledge is power, but I also believe people should be free to make their own decisions; however, I wish more people would expand their horizons and be slightly more open to change. There are so many options to replace the cosmetic, clothing, and accessory brands we use that do not use animals in any way, shape, or form. All it takes is a little extra effort and research to find which brands will work for you.