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The benefits of owning a sustainable coat

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Faux-fur, sustainable jacket by Julie Guerlande

Winter season is almost over and most coat companies are running major sales on their collections, which makes it the perfect time to buy your favorite coat for less than half the price and be ready for next winter!

For those of us living in the Northern hemisphere, coats are an essential part of not only our wardrobe but our daily lives. A good, warm, beautiful coat can make an enormous difference in how we enjoy life during the winter months, especially now that we are spending so much time outdoors.

Whether you are a New York City city girl looking for a coat that will protect you on those extra windy days or a Londoner needing something extra waterproof, a sustainable coat is an essential winter accessory that can make life easier when purchased correctly.

What makes sustainable coats so special anyway?

More than any other fashion garment, when it comes to coats, it is essential to shop sustainably. We wish to be warm and stylish during winter, and we also prefer within budget, but not at the expense of our planet, and not at the expense of our health. Unless you want to end up freezing and seriously regretting your decision every time you go outside, it’s not something you can buy cheap.

Even though it might cost you a little more in the beginning, purchasing a sustainable, high-quality winter coat can make your life so much easier during the winter months and can last you many years, turning out to be more affordable in the long run.

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Sustainable floral coat by Concept K fashion

What are the benefits of shopping eco-friendly when it comes to your winter coat?

Fast fashion garments are made from chemically induced polyester and nylon. This kind of material suffocates the skin, causes allergies, and might produce incredibly harmful effects after years of contact with the skin. Basically, think of it as wearing toxic plastic.

In addition, fast fashion coats are also very harmful to the earth for the following reasons:

  • The low quality of the fabric gives it a short life span. Most likely, you will have to throw it out after one or two seasons.
  • They fall apart after a couple of washes. That means more waste and more expenses.
  • It takes over a century for these materials to degrade into the earth, making them extremely harmful to the environment. 

Contrary to fast fashion, sustainable coats are made from the highest quality, eco-friendly, bio-degradable polyester and other materials. Bio-degradable means that, even though these materials are extremely durable, once they are buried into the ground it takes approximately two years for them to degrade and become one with the earth. Contrary to fast-fashion materials which are mostly toxic and plastic and will take over 100 years to dissipate. 

Sustainable eco friendly enviromentaly friendly sustainble sustainably sourced vegan coat faux fur jacket for winter and all seasonPin this image on Pinterest
Eco-friendly faux fur coat by Julie Guerlande, France

Manufacturing technology

The environmental crisis has forced manufacturers to up their game, not only as far as materials are concerned but also regarding the technology used for the fabric weaving. The result is a new, high-end form of textile that enhances the perfect temperature, is hypoallergenic, lightweight, prevents sweating, is extremely durable and comfortable to the skin. It is also softer, stronger, and bio-degradable.

The difference is in the machines and the way they weave the fabric. The weave used in most sustainable jackets is called circular conical knitting, which involves a very sophisticated procedure of weaving the thread in intricate conic shapes that allow air to circulate while keeping optimal temperature levels.

Sustainable eco friendly enviromentaly friendly vegan coat jacket for winter and all seasonPin this image on Pinterest
Sustainable, eco-friendly parka jacket by Concept K from their 7 Seasons sustainable collection

Perfect for any type of winter

The circular conical knitted fabric is extremely beneficial, especially in freezing weather. When going in and out of buildings, from the freezing outdoors to the warm indoors, these fabrics regulate the temperature, allowing you to be comfortable in both warm and cold environments.

I have found these jackets extremely helpful when traveling from New York to Greece during the winter months. I don’t need to switch or purchase multiple coats depending on where I am, because the same coat works great in both the mild Greek winter and in subzero New York temperatures.

This sustainable jacket from Concet K's 7 Seasons Collection is made from reneably sourceed material, uusin superior comression and recovery technology that alows the sking to breathe and balances the temprature no matter what climate you're in. It is also extremely lightweight.Pin this image on Pinterest
Concept K’s 7 Seasons Collection made from renewably sourced material, using superior compression and recovery technology that allows the skin to breathe, also balancing the temperature no matter what climate you’re in. It is also extremely lightweight.

Waterproof but without the chemicals

In order to make coats waterproof and affordable, most fast fashion companies use cheap, chemically infused materials like certain types of polyester and nylon which are very harmful not only to the environment but also to your skin.

Sustainable coats use materials that are bio-degradable, recycled, high quality, with minimum chemicals that keep you dry without compromising your skin or the earth.

Labor and facilities

From a humanitarian perspective, most garments in the fast fashion industry are manufactured in third-world countries, in huge factories that exploit their workers and pay them less than minimum wages, sometimes even using child labor.

Sustainable and ethical manufacturers not only avoid practices like this, but some also give back to the community by offering part of their profits to charitable causes.

Sustainable eco friendly enviromentaly friendly vegan leather faux lether coat jacket for winter and all seasonPin this image on Pinterest
Faux-leather jacket by C’est Beau La Vie

No more dry-cleaning

If you are an animal lover, a pet owner or simply a good person, I implore you to avoid purchasing ANY garments with even the slightest piece of real fur on them.

That includes:

You can wash most sustainable coats in your washing machine multiple times a year for many years. Comprising high quality, eco-friendly materials, the quality and fit will remain intact on the inside and out! Imagine how much money and trips to the dry-cleaner you will save over the years!

I throw mine in the washing machine and dryer 2-3 times a month, especially now that we have to be extra careful and disinfect everything. They always come out extra fluffy, puffy and as good as new. Be sure to read the instructions before washing.

The importance of shopping Cruelty-Free

When shopping for sustainable, eco-friendly coats, it is important to make sure that they are cruelty-free and vegan. That means no animal products have been used in the making of the coat.

The most common animal products that are used in the coat industry are fur, usually for hood trims, down feathers as filling, and leather. These are products produced by incredibly unethical and violent practices and are the cause of the torture and death of millions of innocent sweet animals every day.

Is it really worth it? 

Sustainable eco friendly enviromentaly friendly vegan coat jacket for winter and all seasonPin this image on Pinterest
Double faced faux fur, faux leather sustainable coat by Julie Guerland

All-About down feather fillings

Have you ever wondered how many geese need to be plucked to fill up one coat? Well, here it is: it takes the feathers of 75 geese to make just one down coat!

This is the process of how down feathers end up in your coat:

Each goose is kept in factory cages all its life. Every few months, they drag it out, and its feathers are torn from its breast and neck as it breaks its wings trying to get away. Then, they fling it back in its cage (once they have stitched up any torn flesh), and after a few months, when the feathers back even fluffier, they rip it out all over again. That process is repeated every three months for four years until the bird dies.

In the past, down feathers were used because they were lighter and warmer than artificial materials. Nowadays, with the new, sustainable, high-tech methods and materials, down has become completely unnecessary. You can find lighter, healthier, warmer, more affordable alternatives to down that do not involve animal cruelty.

Please, when shopping for coats, pillows and comforters always check the label to make sure it does not contain down feathers, and it is ethically sourced, sustainable material. 

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Eco-friendly jacket by Concept K filled with sustainable, high quality, lightweight material

All-About fur

The fur industry is one of the cruelest in the world. Every year, millions of animals imprisoned and tortured in cages no bigger than a shoebox for years until they are big enough to be skinned for their fur. Often, the methods used for the skinning are even more brutal than their living conditions: they are skinned alive, boiled alive, or electrocuted in order to speed up the process of fur making. It is completely brutal, violent, and unnecessary. These animals are usually foxes, snow raccoons, forest cats, wolves, chinchillas, and often bunnies, dogs, and cats. 

Have you ever wondered how many animals were skinned for each fur winter garment?

Here are the numbers:

  • 1 fur coat: over 50 animals dead
  • 1 fur hood trim: 1- 5 animals dead
  • 1 hat, glove bonbon, key ring, purse, glove fur detail: 1-2 animals dead

There was a time when people had to hunt to eat and to protect themselves from the cold. They would kill one animal in the wild in order to keep warm during the winter. Those animals lived a free, happy life until the moment they were killed for necessity. This is completely different from the way fur is produced nowadays in the fashion industry. Millions of animals like foxes, cats, raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, bunnies, chinchillas and even dogs are kept in horrific conditions for their entire lives, caged in small spaces, only to be skinned alive or electrocuted after they are big enough to produce enough fur.

And, let’s be honest, we don’t really need to skin an animal to be warm. There are so many sustainable, cruelty free options that are warmer, softer, prettier, more sustainable, durable and affordable and they don’t involve torture and pain.

Sustainable eco friendly enviromentaly friendly sustainble sustainably sourced vegan coat faux fur jacket for winter and all seasonPin this image on Pinterest
Sustainable, vegan, faux-fur coat by Julie Guerlande

How would you like to save an animal… or 50?

  • Fur pompons on winter hats, key rings, bags, and gloves
  • Fur trims on coat hoods
  • Fur details on shoes

In many countries and cities around the world this brutal industry has been banned (Israel, Slovakia, Serbia, Luxembourg, Norway, Japan, United Kingdom, Belgium, Los Angeles). In one sense that is amazing news, but in another, the outcome is that China has been left to manufacture most of the world’s fur. The conditions that are practiced in the fur industry in China are more atrocious and more brutal than you can even imagine, and that is where most fur comes from now. The only way to stop this trade is to stop buying anything fur related. Our choices matter, and we CAN make a difference as individuals.

Sustainable eco friendly enviromentaly friendly sustainble sustainably sourced vegan coat faux fur jacket for winter and all seasonPin this image on Pinterest
Faux-fur jacket by Julie Guerlande, France

Faux fur: the hottest trend in fashion

The hottest trend in fashion right now is going fur-free. Versace, Michael Kors, Gucci, Chanel, Prada recently made the decision to stop using real fur and joined the ranks of other notable labels including Tommy Hilfiger, Stella McCartney and Giorgio Armani.

The biggest fashion houses in the world are now moving toward faux fur and vegan leather as consumers become more ethical shoppers embracing cruelty-free and eco-friendly brands. This has created a huge demand for high end, beautiful faux fur alternatives, that not only keep you warm during the winter months but are also more durable, easier to maintain, more beautiful, lighter than real fur and of course, more affordable.

The world is going cruelty-free… will you join the trend?

In 2018, the British Fashion Council banned animal fur from every fashion show during London Fashion Week.

In 2019, Nordstrom announced that they will stop selling animal fur and exotic skin products by 2021 stating:

“As a leading fashion retailer, we’re committed to delivering the best possible service and merchandise for our customers. Delivering on that commitment means listening to the feedback we’re getting from customers and continually evolving our product offering to ensure we’re meeting their needs.

We are excited to share that in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States, Nordstrom has made the decision to stop offering products made with exotic animal skins or genuine fur in any of our stores or online. We are committed to fully eliminating these types of products from our merchandise offering by the end of 2021.”

Following Nordstrom’s example, in 2019 Macy’s and its subsidiary Bloomingdale’s announced that they will stop selling fur by February 2021. They will also close their fleet of Fur Vaults and salons, which offer storage, repairs, and alteration of furs. 

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Double faced faux fur, faux leather sustainable coat by Julie Guerland

How you can make a difference

Unfortunately, companies like Canada Goose and Dolce and Gabbana are refusing to follow this example and ban their unethical fur practices. And even though leg-traps that are used to capture wild coyotes and wolves have been deemed “cruel and unethical” and banned from dozens of countries, including all of Europe, some countries like Canada still refuse to ban their use.

Cayotes, wolves, foxes and racoons are captured by leg traps so that they can end up as hood fur trims for coats like Canada Goose, Nicole Benisti and Woolrich. Please refrain from shopping from these vendors.

Millions of people around the world are speaking out against these brands, and the use of cruel leg-traps, so hopefully soon they will be banned globally and companies like Canada Goose will finally close or be forced to switch to faux fur.

Here’s how you can help:

  • Send them an email, Facebook or Instagram message requesting they stop these practices and convert to cruelty-free materials
  • Share the truth: most people don’t know what goes on behind the making of their coat. Tell them so they can know! Spreading awareness is the key to change. You will tell 10 people, they will forward to 20 others and so on… soon your word will have reached millions!
  • When entering a store that sells real fur, let the employees know that you can’t shop from there because you are against real fur and animal cruelty. If they hear it often enough, they will let the managers know
  • When you are wearing your cruelty-free gorgeous faux fur and people compliment you be sure to say with a huge smile “…and isn’t it amazing that its faux, sustainable and no animals were harmed?”

The benefits of shopping faux-fur

Here’s why faux fur is taking over the market:

  • Cruelty-free. No animals were captivated, tortured, or skinned to make this coat.
  • Sustainable, using the last technology and the best materials for your skin
  • Soft, beautiful, and comfy
  • Lightweight
  • Timeless designs
  • Extremely durable: It can be passed on to next generations
  • Very warm
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Faux-fur jacket by Concept K, France

So what do you girls think? The next time you go shopping for a winter coat, will you consider looking at the label and checking the materials, the fabric and the filling of the coat?

The choice you make will affect your life during winter! Other than hot cocoa and tea, your winter coat will be the only thing keeping you warm and cosy during your outdoor adventures during the winter months.

Happy, sustainable, ethical shopping!

Sustainable eco friendly enviromentaly friendly sustainble sustainably sourced vegan coat faux leather jacket for winter and all seasonPin this image on Pinterest
Faux leather jacket by C’est Beau La Vie

Written by Anna Myrha

All coats featured in this post are from Fashion Galaxy, Greece

Fashion Galaxy is a fashion agent based in Athens, Greece, right under the Acropolis Hill. With over 25 years of experience in the European and American fashion industries, Fashion Galaxy Greece represents the crème de la crème of prêt-à-porter European designer houses in the German, French, Italian, Danish, and Spanish markets with a network of buyers ranging amongst the best boutiques in Greece and Cyprus.

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