Immaculate Man | Best Vegan & Eco Swaps For Men

Here are my top eco and vegan swaps for men, perfect for anyone who wishes to step up as an environmentally friendly buyer, without compromising on quality or style.

By Simon Bell, Co-Founder of Immaculate Vegan

Classic Shoes

Whether you’re in a co-working space soundtracked by trendy playlists, or an enormous corporate office replete with expensive furnishings, the outfit you wear to work is your first statement-of-intent for the new year, and it all starts with the shoes. If you want to look serious whilst still confident of your clothes’ ethics, these Derby shoes are the way to go.

For a slightly less formal style, these vegan loafers, also produced by NAE (which stands for No Animal Exploitation), epitomise the brand’s distinctive aesthetic. NAE utilises PET (plastic sourced from recycled bottles) and natural materials including cork and pineapple.

Check out our men's classic shoe range here

Boots

Good Guys Don’t Wear Leather does away with subtlety in its dealings with the leather industry (which is valued at $400 billion and kills 1 billion animals per year). These classic ankle boots' leather-substitute material uses apple fibre that was developed by Frumat and won the  2018 Technology and Innovation Award at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards. Its quality is clearly on show here, as these boots don’t require ‘wearing in’.

Check out our men's boot range here

Trainers

In stark contrast to the classic styles above, BeFlamboyant’s Sand trainers – other colours include Water, Ocean, Leopard and Wine – are sharply modern in design, as is appropriate for this distinctive brand, that plants a tree in areas affected by wildfires for each pair sold. The inner lining is produced without CO2 emissions, and comes free of chromium VI, a potentially carcinogenic chemical found in various high street brands.

Check out our men's trainers range here

Belt

No suit is complete without a belt, so Watson & Wolfe’s vegan leather belt is a god-send for any conscientious business man; the belt’s base layer is made from inedible, renewably sourced corn, whilst the top layer is made from a hard-wearing material that will ensure the belt’s appearance looks great for years to come.

Check out our men's belt range here 

Backpacks

It’s hard to argue with the classic cool of a black leather rucksack, but thankfully we stock a variety of indistinguishable vegan leather alternatives, including the impressive, velvet-lined Brinn Revolver. Brinn backpacks’ roguish aesthetic and no-nonsense design makes them a great choice for any discerning creative, and they come with lots of internal storage compartments.

Check out our men's backpack collection here.

Watches

Rather than substituting your leather-strapped watch for an imitator, we encourage you to swap it for a state-of-the-art alternative; Solios’ Eco Solar Watch only needs 2 hours of sunlight for 6 months’ use. If battery watches make the switch, an estimated 300 million fewer batteries per year could be produced. The watch comes with an interchangeable, highly durable and recyclable strap, unlike the standard leather replacement of polyurethane. 

Check out our men's watch collection here

Satchels

Gunas’ robust work bags are perfect for those who want to bring a little flair into the office. Named after the vegan activist, artist and musician, Gunas’ Moby Work Bag uses compressed paper, mulberry leaves, cotton and glazing to form a product with all the strength of leather (called Mulbtex), and none of its moral dubiousness.

Check out our men's satchel collection here

Briefcases

For those looking for a professional bag that edges closer to chic than brawn, take a look at Lo’s First Edition Mulberry Briefcase, influenced by 160 years of leather expertise, but using a noticeably lighter vegan substitute. It's designed to pack a 13” MacBook in the main compartment, and to be carried in hand or over the shoulder with its detachable shoulder strap.

Check out our range of men's laptop bags and briefcases here

Shampoo 

Create clarity in your life with this super fresh feeling shampoo. With its transparency of ingredients and purity in nature it will help to reduce product build up and correct sebum overload while gently caring for the follicle. No Ordinary Shampoo will leave your hair and scalp feeling liberated!

Check out our men's vegan shampoo range here

Skincare

The cruelties of unethically sourced shaving products are not limited to deforestation and pollution; there’s also the harm done to man! Rashes, inflammation, dry skin, all of these can come as the unwelcome aftermath of a shave. Thankfully, Neighbourhood Botanicals' Big Strong Man Strengthening Facial Oil deals with any of these issues, leaving your face relaxed, fragrant and protected throughout the day.

Check out our men’s skincare options here

Cover image by Watson & Wolfe

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