Humans Are Vain
Humans Are Vain are a contemporary eco-sustainable vegan brand from Sweden who put sustainable materials at the forefront of their design process. They fuse timeless contemporary design with innovative production methods and recycled materials, such as a polyester made from up-cycled ocean trash, recycled rubber and recycled cotton.
This brand draws its design inspiration from Scandinavian minimalism, while the quality is typical of a premium high end brand. Humans Are Vain are also pioneering new projects in Sweden to create new technologies and materials for the next generation of sustainable production methods. These include 'Recycle Projekt', their circular economy system to ensure their products never see a landfill, and enable your unwanted HAV items to be transformed into new products; as well as collaborating with environmental organisations, including an NGO on the west coast of Sweden, to help remove as much plastic waste as possible from the ocean and shoreline.
About the Founder
Co-founder Chris Margetts was working in London's fast-fashion industry, before he became so frustrated by the direction the industry had taken that he decided to take his twenty years of experience, move to Sweden and start a brand doing things the way he believed they should be done. This is how, in November 2019, Humans Are Vain was created.
“Humans Are Vain is a brand born out of a desire to rebel against the fast fashion industry.”
Materials
Many of HAV's vegan trainers and shoes use a breathable vegan eco-microfibre which is lightweight, antibacterial, eco-friendly and highly resistant, even against chemical agents. This material carries the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Class 1 seal, which certifies that it has passed the most stringent controls and can be declared eco-friendly and free of agents harmful to human health and the environment.
The brand also make uses of a polyester made from recycled plastic ocean trash (in collaboration with the SEAQUAL Initiative); Piñatex (a vegan leather made from pineapple leaves, which provides an additional income to farmers in the Philippines), recycled cotton, linen, recycled rubber and TENCEL™ (an innovative textile produced sustainably from wood, using an environmentally responsible closed-loop production process, designed to minimise water and chemical waste). Humans Are Vain carry material certifications by OEKO-TEX and EU Eco-label.
People
The brand only works with factories based in Europe – their vegan trainers are made in carefully selected factories in Portugal that they monitor on a daily basis.
Production
Manufacturing takes place in Portugal and Sweden in carefully selected ethical factories which HAV monitor with their own quality control team, based near the factories. They ensure that all their vegan trainers and shoes can be certified 100% vegan, which means every component and material is checked and certified. Aiming to be a circular brand, HAV takes carbon footprint very seriously and factors it into every step of the production process. Their aim is to become a carbon-neutral company.
Packaging
All Humans are Vain packaging is recycled.
Animals
All components used in Humans are Vain's designs are vegan – not just the main materials. The label carries the PETA-Approved Vegan logo.
To discover more like this, visit our vegan trainers collection.
You can read more about the problem with animal leather and sustainable vegan leather alternatives on our blog.
