Vegetarian Star

Oprah.com is featuring Vaute Couture founder Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, as she explains how being vegan is more than what you put in your mouth.

The vegan fashion designer who’s collections are favored by celebrities such as Ginnifer Goodwin, has listed five major misconceptions people have about vegan clothing, along with her explanation of why these myths aren’t true.

One common complaint you might hear from someone trying to go vegan on a budget is the price, for example.

Leanne explains that not everyone needs to purchase the $1,300 Stella McCartney dress and places like Target may give you the synthetic style you need without giving up an entire month’s rent.

“Whether you’re in the market for a $30 vegan bag or a $1,000 vegan coat, you can and will find something on any budget. “It’s a matter of scale,” Leanne says. “A small, independent label using cutting-edge fabrics will have higher costs per piece because they aren’t spreading out a large production run.””

Animals that aren’t killed for clothing aren’t necessarily treated well to obtain fabrics, and serious vegans needs to consider the pain involved in harvesting items like wool and down.

“Weeks after birth, most lambs have their ears punched and tails chopped, and most males are castrated—all without anesthetics. Shearing isn’t any better; it’s done for speed rather than precision and often results in bloody slashing and mutilation.”

Educate yourself about the vegan fashion myths on Oprah’s website.

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