Changing the Way We Shop With The Fabrics of the Future

Changing the Way We Shop With The Fabrics of the Future

Society as a whole is becoming more aware of sustainable, organic and vegan fabrics and many companies have taken to making their clothes out of these fabrics. However, it isn’t common knowledge that these fabrics span further than clothing. Did you know that you can now get vegan fabrics for your home furnishings? The dedicated team at MettaLife have put together a guide of these fabrics to help you understand them further, so you start shopping with the future in mind.

What is a vegan fabric?

Vegan-friendly fabric and ‘fabric from the future’ is similar to all other vegan products. It is essentially fabric that has been produced without a single animal product being used in the entirety of the manufacturing process, from the raw materials to the finished product. Of course, vegan fabrics are also cruelty-free, biodegradable and haven’t been tested on animals.

You will be surprised to hear that some fabrics you may already use such as linen are 100% vegan. But, there are lots of other obscure vegan fabrics that you should be aware of such as seaweed, hemp, soybeans and coconut fibre. These vegan fabrics are the face of the future, they are versatile, environmentally sound, and they don’t involve cruelty to animals, what more could you want?

How are vegan fabrics produced?

Depending on the fabric type, the process can greatly differ but it is all about the materials and alternatives.

Organic cotton is probably one of the most integrated vegan fabrics and it is made in the same way cotton is, but it has to meet all organic agricultural standards. Natural processes are used for its production rather than artificial inputs to sustain the health of soils, ecosystems and also people. The process also combines tradition, innovation and science to prevent having to use toxic chemicals or GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

Vegan leather is a huge talking point and it is one of the most innovative areas of fashion right now, with leather alternatives ranging from pineapple leaves to cork and paper. However, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU) are the two most common materials used for synthetic vegan leather. PU Leather is made by applying a polyurethane coating to a base material such as polyester, nylon, or cotton. This surface is then treated to emulate the grain of animal leather, to provide customers with the look they require.

What can be made with these materials?

When it comes to utilising vegan fabrics, the possibilities really are endless. With the wide variety of fabrics now available, in all kinds of colours, textures and patterns, you really can make anything. From washable reusable bamboo wipes to organic cotton bedding sets, it is more accessible than you may realise.

The same way that vegan fashion is being considered by more big-name designers, we are sure that large homeware companies will soon follow suit. There is no reason for our homeware to continue to be designed and made with unethical and unsustainable fabrics, when there are so many other options available to us now.

Where can you purchase items made from vegan fabrics?

Here at MettaLife, you can quickly and simply purchase a range of ethical home accessories from our vegan online store. You will find incredible alternatives to your current home products and be greeted with recycled materials and hand-woven accessories along with wooden and metal household items.

Just because our products are made with the environment, animals and our future in mind – this doesn’t mean that they are expensive. As a business, we believe that the more accessible and affordable these eco-friendly ethical homeware items are, the more they will be purchased over other alternatives.