As the 36th Palm Springs International Film Festival draws to a close, Los Angeles has been struck by the most devastating fire in its history. While our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the Palisades fire, let us also take a moment to celebrate Californian creativity.
In this week’s edit, we highlight eight Californian vegan fashion brands that produce ethical and cruelty-free clothing.
Let’s support the businesses that are persevering through these challenging times. Some have been directly impacted by the fire, while others are already stepping up to assist their fellow Californians.
Triarchy
Triarchy is a brand that gave the world the first and only plastic-free stretch denim, and made sure all its sustainability claims are backed by certifications and verified schemes. From using recycled materials to tree planting and supporting local communities, their commitment is as transparent as it gets. By partnering with Renoon, they provide a detailed breakdown for each product, showing the environmental footprint saved, such as reduced gas emissions, water usage and energy consumption, when compared to fast fashion alternatives.
VFR’s pick: Nicola Cropped Trench Coat
Regular price: $685.00
SpiritHoods
Renowned for its signature faux-fur hoods and accessories, SpiritHoods has expanded its original collection to feature a variety of cool patterns and textures. Each piece pays tribute to the connection between humanity and the natural world, making SpiritHoods a go-to for those who dare to stand out, and have some real fun while doing so.
VFR’s pick: Men’s designer sweatpants, neon green leopard. These pants glow in the dark – just flash them with some UV Blacklight.
Regular price: $87.45
Temple Ro
Few things evoke the spirit of “California dreamin'” quite like Temple Ro, with its ultra-feminine style infused with artisanal craftsmanship, mindfulness, and sustainability. The brand crafts accessories and clothing that seamlessly blend modernity with vintage charm – an achievement in itself – while infusing old-school effortless luxury with ethical narratives.
VFR’s pick: Temple Pant, black
Regular price: $98.00
Harvest&Mill
Harvest&Mill is dedicated to minimising cotton’s environmental impact, and maintains a short supply chain entirely within the USA. This ensures that the world’s favourite fibre remains accessible to those who are deeply committed to sustainability. This T-shirt has been dyed with foraged loquat leaves by artist and author Sasha Duerr in Hawaii, using rainwater as the source for the dye bath and no added mordants.
VFR’s pick: Men’s Limited Artist Series: Loquat Leaves Bundle Dye T-shirt by Sasha Duerr
Regular price: $115.00
Nine Lives Motowear
Los Angeles’ own Bridget Dillion’s Nine Lives Motorwear is an irresistible fusion of passion and perseverance. Take The Juliet Jacket, for example: the desire for the perfect motor-riding jacket resulted in a masterpiece made of 36 individual pieces across four different types of fabric (denim, Kevlar, mesh and TENCEL™ Lyocell Twill). The brand’s name refers to cats’ nine lives and their uncanny ability to land on their feet – which is a fitting metaphor for resilience, given the current situation.
VFR’s pick: the famous Juliet jacket
Regular price: $400.00
CCILU
Ccilu began with footwear, gaining recognition for advanced material innovations such as XpreSole® (shoe soles made from recycled coffee grounds), GreenPlax® (upcycled ocean plastics and aquaculture waste—though not strictly vegan, as each pair is made of 10 plastic bottles and 20 grams of fish scales), SiliComfy® (upcycled silicon waste), and CCILUCELL® nanotechnology, which offers unprecedented abrasion resistance and shock absorption. In apparel, they’ve created ICE-CAFÉ™ yarn, made from up-cycled coffee grounds.
VFR’s pick: XPRESOLE tank top (unisex), black
Regular price: $45.00
Rock Rebel
Rock Rebel is less a brand and more an artistic project with an impressive commercial presence. Established in 2002 by John Olander—later dubbed “the belt buckle king”—it crafts alternative jewellery, belt buckles, clothing, and accessories. By licensing with major film studios, Rock Rebel incorporates iconic characters like Frankenstein, Dracula, and even figures from Star Wars into its designs. Rock Rebel is a positively peculiar spot on the Californian fashion map – vegan and artistic alike.
VFR’s pick: Bride of Frankenstein T-shirt
Regular price: $25.00
Melie Bianco
As per their latest Instagram post, due to the ongoing situation, delays shall be expected in the customer service. Melie Bianco’s story is one of demonstrating that meaningful change is built on everyday decisions. The brand continues to dispel the myth that only animal-derived materials can embody both luxury and resilience, proving that cruelty-free choices can make a lasting impact.
VFR’s pick: Embroidered Hooded Romper
Regular price: $68.00
Explore more of vegan fashion brands in our directory over here!