By Angelina Herrera
Luxury brands have started to become cruelty-free slowly and steadily over the years. Brands that are cruelty-free involve products that do not harm or kill animals either through using them as materials or testing on them. Gucci for example has stopped using both angora and leather.
This is still a slow change, however. For example, brands like Louis Vuitton are working toward minimizing animal use in products and testing, however, many of their products still use leather, wool, and other animal products. These products are then mass produced and sold all over the world.
Few designer luxury brands have an official policy stating that use of animals is prohibited in the process of making products.
Designer brands such as Stella McCartney have started producing and selling cruelty-free products to customers, but not in all of their products.
More of these companies need to make the change in order to see both a better environmental impact and a larger movement in general in the business world.
Celebrities often have a large influence on these designer companies do. For example, when Billie Ellish designed her gown with Oscar De La Renta for the 2021 Met Gala, she only agreed to the partnership if she could ensure her gown was free of animal products and if Oscar De La Renta agreed to stop using fur in their products. The vegan artists’ politics made a change for at least that one designer as well as making headlines.
Brands that are cruelty-free are often more environmentally friendly as well because they try to use less chemicals, replacing them with more sustainable and natural ingredients. This makes the product not only better for the consumer, but the world.
If brands all over the world stopped the making of products containing animals or even as many chemicals, our environment will be impacted in a positive way, which can bring sustainability to new heights.
The Plaid Press 