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While options for men’s vegan fashion have a while to go before they are as abundant and rich in variety as the women’s ranges, there is one brand that has been breaking boundaries and setting trends for some time.
That brand is Brave GentleMan, founded by Joshua Katcher – a Parsons School of Design adjunct professor and founder of The Discerning Brute, a vegan fashion blog for men.
Ahead of the launch of Katcher’s upcoming book Fashion Animals, which illustrates the horrific ways in which animals have been exploited for fashion throughout history, the brand is now presenting a new range of ethically produced men’s suits made from bamboo.
Vegan fashion
Since the launch of Brave GentleMan in 2010 – way before the onset of the current vegan fashion trend – the brand has been pioneering in creating sustainable fashion for conscious and compassionate modern men.
The label’s ranges include accessories in ‘future-leather’ – a biodegradable polyurethane which is EU Ecolabel certified – and ‘future-wool’, a cotton-polyurethane blend twill which incorporates recycled materials.
Furthermore, the brand’s ‘future-silk’, used in the linings of the suits, is made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Produced largely in New York’s garment district and partly in Brazil under fair labor conditions, Katcher’s brand ensures that workers are respected throughout the process.
Vegan suits
The newest range of classically cut, dapper suits takes the eco-friendly angle even further. Made from Italian-milled bamboo, the suits – which are currently available for pre-order – come in a classic color palette of black, grey and navy, but also in a two checkered patterns.
The buttons are crafted from what the brand calls “future-ivory’: the tagua nut, a sustainably harvested nut which mimics the strength of ivory along with its tactile and aesthetic qualities.
Bamboo requires no fertilizer to grow, and regenerates from its own roots, eliminating the need for re-planting. It’s a versatile, warm and comfortable fabric which can be used to create a vast variety of fashion designs, all without the animal cruelty of wool.
