Vegan-friendly fashion retailers

Grade A+, A-

It may come as a surprise to some, but affordable fashion retailers Forever 21, H&M and Zara all make the grade in terms of vegan-friendly clothing, according to PETA’s ranking.

They may not be as highly rated as UK designer Stella McCartney, who has long been known for not using leather or fur in her collection and for offering the best in vegan luxury, but the trio all rank as grade A-.

Stella McCartney is at the top of the pyramid with A+ along with Old Navy and Wet Seal Walk animal-friendly clothes and ac­cessories that are fur- and angora-free and carry little to no down or wool.

Grade B+, B-

The retailers listed in the B category are not as ‘awesome’ as those that made grade A, but these runners-up are sourcing quality compassionate alternatives like durable vegan leather and synthetic down technology.

American Apparel makes grade B for its commitment to sweatshop-free clothing and a multitude of vegan leather options.

Outdoor clothing retailer Patagonia is up there as well along with Calvin Klein, Gap and Levi Strauss & Co. Tommy Hilfiger and Uniqlo both rank B-.

Grade C

The good thing about being average is that there’s plenty of room to grow, says PETA. C-rated Crocs may sell leather- and suede-lined shoes, but it also offers a line of vegan products. Armani, Lacoste and Nike offer ‘vegan’ and ‘faux’ offer­ings online and rank C-.

Grade D

PETA wouldn’t advise making D-rated stores such as Buckle, MerrellJ. Crew or Vince your first (or second or third) stop at the mall, as they offer few to no vegan options and have yet to commit to banning any animal byproducts from their shelves.

Grade F

PETA ‘ain’t got time at all’ for the following companies: Everlane, UGG Burberry and Mi­chael Kors. As longtime animal advocate and fashion entrepreneur Pamela Anderson says: ‘If you’re still wearing animals, it’s time for a makeover.’

Image: GettyImages/Ollo