World Vegan Day 2019: the best vegan homeware made from cruelty-free fabrics, down-free bedding and apple-core leather

It's World Vegan Day today — a day when vegans across the globe celebrate and champion the benefits of a plant-based diet.

Veganism is more than just going meat-free, however. It also means adopting a change of lifestyle and more consumers are now seeking out cruelty-free homewares and interiors.

The number of vegans in the UK quadrupled between 2014 and 2019 according to The Vegan Society. In 2018 alone, the UK launched more vegan products than anywhere else in the world.

In June, UK-based charity PETA, dedicated to establishing and protecting the rights of all animals, announced the winners of its Vegan Homeware Awards 2019 and top high street and designer names made it onto the list.

Among the winners of this year’s awards are H&M Home’s Conscious collection and Italian furniture makers Cassina.

Brands ditching wool for animal-friendly alternatives included House of Kind, for its handcrafted Polku blanket featuring a grey and off-white Scandi design, offset with pink pom poms.

Meanwhile, eco textiles brand Weaver Green was awarded best wool-free ottoman for its Kasbah Ink Ottoman made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles but with the look and feel of a wool product.

And The Fine Bedding Company’s vegan Smartdown range of bedding – also made from recycled plastic bottles with a 280 thread count – was crowned best down-free bed linen.

Other winners in PETA’s Vegan Homeware Awards 2019 include accessories brand Hetty + Sam, whose stylish geometric cushion is made from cruelty-free fabric, Eden Perfumes’ Vegan Soy Wax Candle in lime, basil and mandarin and Ocado's Scruffs Eco Donut Dog Bed, made with recycled fleece.

Meanwhile, Italian brand Cassina won the collaboration award for their collaboration with Philippe Starck to create furniture using apple waste in place of leather.

The experimental product, Apple Ten Lork, is made from apple cores and skins that would otherwise be wasted.

And Dutch designer Tjeerd Veenhoven won the innovation award for his use of palm leather to create a range of vegan rugs.

An alternative to cow hide, the innovative rugs are made from palm leaves, which are folded in strips and attached to a woven base to create a patterned appearance.

PETA’s director Elisa Allen says there is a booming demand for vegan décor with buyers looking for fashionable and functional pieces.

“Animals are not fabric – and we need to move away from using their skin, fur, wool, and feathers as such.

“As interest in vegan living grows, so does the availability of stylish, cruelty-free home decor options. In our selection of the winning products, we took into account their look and feel, ethical credentials, and feedback received from PETA staff as well as from compassionate consumers,” she says.

When looking at the criteria for what makes a product vegan and cruelty-free when choosing the winners, the team at PETA get confirmation from the shortlisted brands.

The team also take on board feedback from consumers throughout the year.

Take a look through our gallery above for the best vegan interiors brands for your home.