On this very day one year ago — on World Vegan Day, nomen omen — we launched the world’s first online magazine dedicated entirely to vegan fashion.
It all began with a belief that we can, all of us, do fashion without harming or exploiting animals. However, the deeper we dug, the more we realised that animal welfare alone is not enough. We find ourselves in far-from-ideal circumstances: climate change, supply chain abuse, and the continuing view of everything on this planet as a mere business resource. While avoiding animal-derived components remains non-negotiable, we also set out to feature fashion that minimises environmental impact wherever possible and supports the well-being of the people behind it — transforming the global system one piece at a time.
It is an incredibly challenging path to champion this triple-welfare paradigm, but also an immensely rewarding one.
Looking back, it took several years for the idea of an entirely vegan fashion magazine to take root, and over a year to build it. Vegan Fashion Repository is a self-funded endeavour that we’ve built alongside our full-time jobs. It’s quite a strain — but isn’t that how all passion projects begin?
In our first year, we’ve featured stories of brands that go the extra mile for the values they believe in, analysed the challenges faced by vegan brands in the global market, and expanded our unique directory of vegan brands, components, and certification schemes.
Most importantly, we’ve built an amazing community of readers and change-makers united by shared values and beliefs. The support we receive from you is worth every ounce of the midnight oil we burn — and there’s quite a lot of it (only vegetal and renewable oil, of course!).
Telling Stories from Around the World
Only nine days after our official launch, we were invited to become media partners of SFI LAB: Moda przyszłości: przełom czy przetrwanie? — organised by the Sustainable Fashion Institute at the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź in November 2024. Conversations were held and material innovations presented that promise tangible solutions for a better future.
It was at this very event that we realised Vegan Fashion Repository was no longer just an idea — it had come alive, with a voice eager to be heard.
Later on, from Warsaw to Tokyo, Berlin, London, and Los Angeles, we joined, co-hosted, and covered an inspiring range of fashion events. At each one, we met people who share our passion and purpose — to make the fashion world, and indeed the whole world we live in, a better place, one decision at a time.
Our very first panel — Vegan Fashion Meets Innovation: Genuine Progress or Marketing Hype? — took place at Thursday Gathering #15 – ReFashioned by Design, organised by yoona.ai and Venture Café Berlin, on the final day of Berlin Fashion Week, with the amazing Marta Gos (Bio2Materials) and Marta Sieradzka (Estimon). We delved into the topic of using innovative vegan materials to drive systemic change in fashion — basically our mental bread and butter (plant-based, of course).
126 Articles Published — and Counting!
In just twelve months, we have published 126 articles across four categories: Fashion, Business, Sustainability, and Technology.
Each story, interview, and analysis has been part of a larger conversation about the future of ethical, animal-free fashion. We are particularly proud of our conversations with incredible guests who joined us for in-depth interviews — from brand founders and material innovators to educators and curators — all working daily to build a better fashion system, which we wholeheartedly support.
Early in 2025, we also introduced a new category — Technology — to reflect the fact that implementing new technologies, from AI-operated software to 3D fashion shows, is no longer optional but essential for any business wishing to stay competitive.
Stay tuned — there’s much more to come in 2026!
Over 600 Entries in the Directory — and Counting!
Let’s break it down further: the Vegan Fashion Directory now features over 430 brands, 11 multistores, and more than 150 vegan fabrics, textiles, and chemical components.
Alongside that, our Vegan & Sustainability Certification Directory includes 38 certification schemes that help both consumers and professionals navigate an increasingly complex landscape. We update the directory every month, adding new brands and acknowledging those that have closed — always recognising their contribution. It’s sad to say goodbye, but the joy of welcoming new innovators keeps us inspired.
A Map, a Calendar, and — oh wait — Another Directory
On 22 April, just in time for Earth Day, we launched the Global Vegan Fashion Map, a visual complement to our Vegan Fashion Directory that literally maps vegan brands across their headquarters and physical locations on six continents of our planet.
Then, on 1 October — World Vegetarian Day — we introduced the Vegetarian Brands Directory to create a separate list of brands that already demonstrate strong commitment to traceable sustainability and accountability, while still using responsibly sourced wool or silk. While the content on Vegan Fashion Repository remains strictly vegan, we believe it’s only truly inclusive to recognise and celebrate brands that are already reducing animal harm — and we look forward to welcoming them to the Vegan Fashion Directory in the future.
We’ve also launched the Global Fashion Events Calendar, which brings together fashion events from around the world, with a special focus on those promoting sustainability and animal-free values. It’s an invaluable tool for anyone wishing to stay updated on what’s happening in the fashion world — and there’s a lot happening!
VFR’s Own Report: The Vegan Fashion Playbook
Shortly after our launch, we published our first major industry report —The Future of Vegan Fashion: Key Insights for 2025, — a 59-page analysis exploring the evolution of the global vegan fashion market, its key drivers, and the opportunities ahead.
Created with contributions from leading international experts and practitioners, such as Dr William Cantú and Ewa Polkowska, it embodies what we stand for: opinion-leading journalism grounded in academic research and data analysis.
Official Registration
Here’s the nerdy bit: Vegan Fashion Repository has been officially registered in the Register of Newspapers and Periodicals at the Regional Court of Warszawa-Praga in Warsaw, Poland, under registration number 4774.
This formal recognition officially binds us — not that it hasn’t always been the way we operate — to the ethical and accountability standards of professional journalism. Members of the VFR editorial team and accredited corespondents issued with a VFR press card are therefore entitled to gather press information and request assistance when necessary.
Cheers to Our Beloved Community!
The very existence of Vegan Fashion Repository is living proof that every single decision matters — and that together, we are creating a movement for a better fashion system.
Allow us to say a big, wholehearted thank you to all of you — professionals, designers, innovators, artists, friends, supporters; contributors, and readers alike. We’ve barely scratched the surface of what needs to be done, and there’s still so much truly vegan, ethical, and sustainable fashion to share — and, above all, to enjoy!
After all, sharing this planet is all about living — and letting live — happily.
Cheers to all that’s already here, and to everything yet to come.
Yours sincerely,
Cat & Kaja