Could Joaquin Phoenix ‘Wear Vegan’ Campaign Change Attitudes Towards Vegan Wool?

While a lot of people think veganism is just about what you eat, CROP designer Kate Morris shows us otherwise.

Dressed in a wool suit designed by Brave GentleMan, Phoenix makes a statement during NYFW this season. If you, like Joaquin Phoenix, believe that “Wool hurts. Wear Vegan” then I have some good news for you, you can turn to CROP, a wool alternative led by designer Kate Morris. With a desire to contribute to changing attitudes within fast fashion, Kate has successfully found a way of providing fun-filled, cruelty-free, vegan knitwear for those seeking something a little different.

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Joaquin Phoenix wearing a vegan “wool” suit

Wool Alternatives That Are Cruelty-free But Stylish

Holding a Master’s degree in Fashion Knitwear Design at Nottingham Trent University, Kate’s mission with CROP is to break expectations around plant-based knitwear. “Sustainable fashion has the image of being a bit beige and hempy which is something I want to challenge,” said Kate to Pebble Magazine. “We have decided to leave out any materials that have come from animals to meet the global needs and beliefs of today’s generation.”

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Wool alternatives

Saying no to wool has meant that Kate has had to look at plant fibres as an option. After some research, she quickly realised that the possibilities within plant-based fibre production are endless. She has tried out yarns that have come from sources such as eucalyptus trees, banana branches and orange peel. Focusing on cutting out waste and improving manufacturing efficiency, Kate has had to consider decisions such as using one fibre type per piece for recyclability and how to incorporate care labels into the jacquard patterns. “After extensive research into what will make the smallest carbon, chemical and water footprint on our planet we have come up with our own yarn ranking system bearing in mind what is currently commercially viable and suitable to machine knit,” said Kate whose ultimate goal is for her collection to be worn across multiple seasons.

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Designer Kate Morris, CROP provides fun-filled, cruelty-free, vegan knitwear for those seeking something a little different.

Back to the massive billboard with the talented Phoenix, did you know that it has been busy making a statement around the corner from where Fashion Week shows are taking place? To this PeTA confessed that the advertisement was strategically positioned near NYFW and also within a mile of the Fashion Institute of Technology, the New York School of Design, and the Parsons School of Design. With technology at play, I am sure that there is going to come a time when more innovative designers introduce various ways of mimicking the materials we need without harming animals or the environment. I can see such cruelty-free alternatives becoming the kind of trend that will make a positive impact on not only the fashion industry but on more forward-thinking designers too.

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Founding editor-in-chief of FashNerd.com, Muchaneta is currently one of the leading influencers writing about the merger of fashion with technology and wearable technology. She has also given talks at Premiere Vision, Munich Fabric Start and Pure London, to name a few. Besides working as a fashion innovation consultant for various fashion companies like LVMH Atelier, Muchaneta has also contributed to Vogue Business, is a senior contributor at The Interline and an associate lecturer at London College of Fashion, UAL.