PETA Australia has revealed the winners of its 2021 Fashion Awards.
The awards program recognises and celebrate brands, designers, and labels that are creating animal-friendly and sustainable garments.
The PETA Australia Fashion Awards also acknowledge the rise in vegan fashion and materials.
PETA reports that the vegan women's fashion market is currently valued at US$449.8 billion and it set to grow 13.5% from 2021 to 2027.
Speaking on the prgram, PETA Australia spokesperson Emily Rice said the organisation was proud to recognise Australian brands
"The awards this year are fabulous, because they celebrate brands that are championing diversity, sustainability, and female empowerment, as well as showcasing animal-free fashion.
"Animals are not ours to wear, and by choosing to leave them out of your wardrobe, you’re recognising them for the sensitive, intelligent individuals they are.
"We applaud all brands who, like our compassionate award winners, are helping to move the fashion industry towards a kinder and more sustainable future," she said.
PETA Australia details its Fashion Award winners below:
- Favourite Winter Jacket: Team Timbuktu Vegan Puffer
This puffer is made entirely from recycled bottles andt he pockets are lined with wool-free fleece, and Timbuktu plants a tree for every order. - Favourite Ankle Boots: ROC Chisel Vegan Leather Boots
These boots from ROC add street style without using anyone’s skin or contributing to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. They’re animal-free right down to the glues used. - Favourite Clutch: Mimco Gala Pouch
Crafted from leather made of discarded apple peels, not cow skin, the range exemplifies the future of leather – clean, green, and vegan. - Favourite Sneakers: No Saints Caroline Sneaker
These No Saints are made of Piñatex, a natural, sustainable leather alternative crafted from pineapple leaf fibres that empowers farmers. Plus, they’re unisex. - Favourite Coat: Unreal Fur Madam Grace Coat (pictured)
Stylish, warm, and timeless, this long coat in snakeskin print will be a signature piece for winters to come. - Best Carryall: A_C Cactus Leather Tote
A_C is the first brand in Australia to use cactus leather from Desserto. Made using the skin of the prickly pear, this plant leather is wonderful news for cows and the Earth. Plus, these cacti require no irrigation or chemicals and even absorb carbon dioxide. - Favourite Winter Warmer: Kowtow Composure Cardigan
This offering from New Zealand label Kowtow is made from 100% organic and fair trade cotton, not wool. - Favourite Denim: Outland Denim Athina Jean
Not only are these made using 86% less water, 57% less energy, and 83% fewer chemicals, the brand patch is also made of jacron paper, not leather. - Favourite Silk-Free Style: A.BCH Tencel Lounge Skirt
Circular fashion label A.BCH offers a fully transparent supply chain, and this silky skirt is made of Tencel, a sustainable plant fibre. - Favourite Sandals: Twoobs OG Yamamillah
These sandals are the result of a collab between indigenous art collective Cungelella Art and women-owned Australian footwear brand Twoobs. They are vegan and eco-friendly and $5 from each pair sold helps Injilinji Preschool and Kindergarten. - Favourite Newcomer: X MALI
Using plastic bottles reclaimed from the ocean and landfills, X MALI refers to its philosophy as a 'love letter to mother Earth', meaning you’ll never see leather, wool, fur, or any other animal-derived materials in its collection. - Favourite Fashion Trend: The Fall of Exotic Skins
The pandemic – and subsequent warnings from conservationists that the exotic-skins trade could fuel future zoonotic diseases – has seen exotic skins (such as snake and crocodile) fall from favour, just as fur did. Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger have already moved to ban these materials.