The Top Vegan Clothing Brands by Quirine of The Vegan Effect

by Carley Lake | Last Updated:   May 29, 2020

We see more and more vegan and vegetarian food options (yay!), but what about vegan clothing brands? Quirine of The Vegan Effect stays away from leather and wool and opts for secondhand and vegan clothing brands. Learn more about how she looks so cool (see above) while sticking with a vegan lifestyle.

So, who are you? 🙂

My name is Quirine. I am 28 years old and I live in Amsterdam. I started my vegan journey 4 years ago and I have my own vegan lifestyle blog The Vegan Effect and Instagram @quirinesmit. Besides that, I’m an Influencer Project Manager at IMA. I’m really into sports, making content for The Vegan Effect, hanging out with my boyfriend, having dinners with friends, dancing all night long, searching for cool sustainable brands, traveling, and cooking vegan meals.

How did you get into writing about your vegan lifestyle and promoting this way of life? How did this topic become so important to you?

When I became a vegan I couldn’t find many blogs about this lifestyle that I wanted to read. Back then, most of them were quite boring and old school. I was looking for fresh vegan blogs for girls who were conscious but still wanted to live their lives. I wanted something that showcased cool sustainable fashion, tips for the best vegan restaurants across the world, and easy yet delicious vegan meals.

I studied media and communication so I was already into writing. I felt the urge to share my story, struggles, tips, and tricks. The Vegan Effect started as a side project (the first 6 months only my mother knew about my blog) but over the years it became bigger & bigger. Every day I’m happy working on it and making new and (hopefully) inspiring content.

Being vegan is very important to me. I mean, everything has changed since I started being vegan—the way I see the world, social aspects with family and friends, the way I eat, and everything I buy (make-up, skincare, clothes, cleaning items, etc.).

How do you describe your own style?

I like the sporty/90’s style. Comfy yet fashionable. You won’t see me in a very tight, short dress or a skirt with high heels and a clutch. I wear a lot of black but sometimes I step out of my comfort zone and wear, wait for it…colors! I always wear sneakers or vegan Dr. Martens and in the summer I wear my vegan Birkenstocks.

What is your go-to look?

My go-to look includes a few vegan clothing brands. I wear my high-waisted mom jeans (Levi’s, Monki, or Kings of Indigo), combined with a simple black or green sweater (Weekday or FILA) or a basic high neck t-shirt (Ellesse, The Green Labels, or Yunit), vegan Dr. Martens or vegan Nike’s, and my old bomber jacket from Weekday. I also wear sustainable and vegan bags from Matt & Nat and Fjallraven and sunglasses from Dick Moby.

What’s a piece in your closet you wear to make more of a statement?

It would be my green jumpsuit from ARMEDANGELS from the website The Green Labels. The fitting, the color…I always get a lot of compliments when I wear this and I feel very comfortable and ‘me’ in this jumpsuit—even though it’s not black! When I go for a chicer look I love my leopard Baum und Pferdgarten dress I got from the secondhand designer shop The Next Closet.

What vegan clothing brands (and/or stores!) do you love for vegan finds?

I like to support Dutch brands and I find these at Geitenwollenwinkel (I love their basic shirts), Hutspot (I bought my Another Label winter coat here), Things I Like Things I Love, and Number Nine. Sometimes I go to Episode, a secondhand shop, where I find old school FILA pants and cute dresses. I don’t really shop online, but when I do I like ARMEDANGELS, Organic Basics, and The Green Labels.

What’s your advice on finding a style and building a closet you love (that is cruelty-free, vegan!), especially for those just dipping their toes in sustainable fashion?

Take it step by step. In the first few years, I was still wearing clothes made of leather and wool. It isn’t sustainable to just throw items away. It was when it was finally time for something new I would work to discover cool, vegan clothing brands. Of course it takes more time and sometimes you pay more money, but I can tell you it feels really good wearing sustainable and vegan clothing brands and pieces. Often I get positive reactions to my clothing and people can’t believe none of it is made of leather or wool.

I rather invest a bit more money for quality clothing than buy fast fashion. I don’t go to the Kalverstraat anymore (a well know shopping street in Amsterdam only with fast fashion stores) so I don’t get the temptation to buy something at ZARA or H&M. My only week spot is Weekday. Luckily they also sell clothes made of recycled materials so I try to go for those items.

How can more people/consumers get involved in creating environmental change + push the fashion industry to be more vegan?

I started my blog around the idea of the power of small acts. When you start becoming a vegan it’s overwhelming and you can have the feeling it doesn’t make any sense—especially when you hear that from your friends and family. I believe that everything you do makes an impact, good or bad. Especially when a large group stands up for something, the rest will follow (companies and government) and things will change.

Thanks, Quirine, for sharing your favorite vegan clothing brands and vegan shopping tips.