The King & Allen Guide to: Vegan Suits

A vegan suit is constructed in a way that does not use any animal products, meaning that the following must be avoided:

Outer cloth: wool (sheep), mohair (goat), silk (silkworm).

Inner components: silk lining (silkworm), horsehair canvas (horse), wool melton (sheep), horn buttons (deer antlers), mother of pearl buttons (nacre)

Considering that 99% of bespoke suits are made from wool, and the good ones are constructed from horse-hair (although it’s not the mane component!), this can pose quite a challenge.

However, with the huge advances made recently in man-made fibre technology, it is now possible to get a great quality vegan suit that’s comfortable, breathes well and looks great. Moreover, because the production costs are lower, these suits are extremely well priced (starts at £499).

There are of course natural alternatives to ‘future wools’ as they are sometimes known. These include cotton, corduroy and linen.

Cotton Suits

Cotton suits are very popular in America, where office attire tends to be less formal. Cotton is extremely comfortable and lightweight, and hangs in such a way as to create a relaxed, laid back suit. It’s a great cloth for summer events – especially a country wedding.

If you’d like us to send you a free fabric sample of any of these cloths, please contact us, quoting the cloth code (hover over image to get this) and your address.

Linen Suits

Linen has the ability to absorb and lose water extremely quickly, which means it will effectively remove perspiration from the skin – making it the perfect suit material for hot, humid and dry weather. It is light, comfortable and is an excellent alternative to mohair – as it has a similar lustre.

If you’d like us to send you a free fabric sample of any of these cloths, please contact us, quoting the cloth code (hover over image to get this) and your address.

Bespoke Vegan Suits by King & Allen

In conclusion, below are our suggestions for the perfect vegan wardrobe:

Workday suits / overcoats – alternative to wool: man-made ‘future wool’

Summer / Wedding suits – alternative to wool: cotton

Summer / Wedding suits – alternative to mohair: linen

Formalwear – alternative to barathea: velvet / manmade ‘future wool’

Blazers – winter corduroy / velvet

Blazers – summer cotton / linen

Finally, a note on shirts – whilst all our shirts are 100% cotton, please point out if you would like a vegan shirt to ensure you do not receive mother-of-pearl buttons.