Why Stella McCartney is not a vegan fashion brand (yet)

If you perform a Google search for vegan fashion brands, inevitably Stella McCartney will come out as a top search result, with numerous articles from magazines listing the brand as vegan. 

But is the brand really vegan?

Stella McCartney does not use any leather, feathers, fur, or skin in their products, but historically  they do use materials such as wool, cashmere, and silk, which are all animal-derived.

And the justification for using these materials is as the over-simplified argument that as "natural fibres" they are considered sustainable in some contexts. For example, on wool (and cashmere) she states that when sourced responsibly and "ethically", it can be a sustainable and natural fiber. She has emphasized working with suppliers who adhere to "high animal welfare" standards, such as certified responsible wool standards.

However, more recently, Stella McCartney has been moving towards animal-derived materials from her collections in favor of vegan and more environmentally friendly alternatives. 

For example she has publicly stated her intention to phase out silk due to ethical concerns regarding its production (e.g., the boiling of silkworms).

And like silk, there has been a growing conversation and evolution in her approach to wool. As the brand continues to push boundaries in sustainability and ethical practices, there's an increasing exploration of innovative, vegan alternatives to wool, such as plant-based or recycled materials. 

So the brand cannot be considered vegan right now, but the brand is continually exploring and incorporating vegan alternatives, so we hope, sooner rather than later, the brand will become fully vegan, because the individuals trapped and exploited by the fashion industry can't wait.