For the Spring 2016 season, shoe company Vagabond released a 'Non-Animal Collection' of vegan footwear. This assortment of sandals, sneakers and clogs includes pieces for women that are made of materials like cork and polyurethane that are free from any animal products. As well as swapping out the main fabric of the shoes, the styles use adhesives and polishes that are free of any animal by-products.
Vagabond Brand manager Anna Fahle Björcke reports: "Non Animal is a result of an increased demand from customers across our markets. Some of our target audience is actively seeking an alternative to leather, which we want to embrace."
Other innovators that are seeing similar patterns to Vagabond are making alternative leather products from inventive materials like probiotic fermented beverage kombucha or fruit fibers.
Cruelty-Free Shoe Collections
Vagabond's 'Non-Animal Collection' Introduces All-Vegan Footwear
Trend Themes
1. Vegan Footwear - The trend towards vegan footwear creates opportunities for companies to innovate and experiment with new materials and production methods.
2. Cruelty-free Fashion - The trend towards cruelty-free fashion is driving demand for ethically-made products and providing opportunities for brands to differentiate themselves in the market.
3. Alternative Materials - The trend towards using alternative materials like kombucha and fruit fibers for fashion products creates opportunities for companies to develop unique, sustainable and eco-friendly products.
Industry Implications
1. Footwear - The footwear industry has an opportunity to develop innovative vegan and cruelty-free products to meet the growing demand for ethical fashion.
2. Fashion - The fashion industry is seeing a trend towards ethical, sustainable and cruelty-free products, creating opportunities for companies to differentiate themselves in the market and appeal to socially-conscious consumers.
3. Materials Science - The development and use of alternative materials for fashion products creates opportunities for companies in materials science to develop new and innovative solutions for the industry.