Major UK high street fashion brand, New Look, has launched 500 bags and shoes that are entirely vegan. Vegan’s looking to buy from the brand can be confident that no animal products are involved in the production as they are working alongside The Vegan Society to ensure all of these products meet the standards for the charity’s Vegan Trademark.

According to the Vegan Society’s website, items granted the trademark must be checked by an experienced team for inclusion of animal products at any stage in the manufacture, even if they do not eventually end up as part of the final item. They are then clearly labelled by the educational charity so that these animal product-free items will be easily identifiable to help consumers make an informed choice. The sunflower shaped trademark can be found on food and drinks, toiletries, beauty products, cleaning products and services but this is the first time it will be seen on a high street apparel.

New Look's new range of vegan bags and shoes The Vegan Society

A representative from The Vegan Society told Euronews Living that New Look were the first major high street fashion brand to use their Vegan trademark despite many offering options that would meet their standards. “A lot of clothes and shoes happen to be vegan but aren’t labelled as such, and we hope this step forward by New Look will encourage other retailers to clearly label their products as vegan” they said, adding that they hoped that this “step forward” by New Look would encourage other retailers to move toward clearer labelling.

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'Non-Leather' doesn't always mean vegan

Often, even ‘faux-leather’ or ‘leather look’ items may still contain substances derived from animals in glues, dyes, and treatments that can leave customers doubting whether what they buy is free from animal products. New Look states on their website that many Polyurethane (PU) leather alternatives are finished with leather texturing sprays that can contain animal products with their new range completely avoiding these finishes. The brand claims that transparency in their supply chain allows them to be certain that their products are truly vegan.

New Look have committed to registering as many non-leather products with The Vegan Society as they can, looking to change materials and components to ensure that they are vegan wherever possible. They will be launching their vegan labelling in stores from September onward whilst the certified range is already available online with tab dedicated to those products granted the trademark making them easy to find.

There is already a vast range of bags and shoes on offer as part of the collaboration which The Vegan Society hope will help to increase the easy accessibility of vegan products on the high street.