While the winter coat industry is dominated by down - Canada Goose being case in point - there are numerous cruelty-free replacements, which are both stylish and warm. I’ve been vegan since I was twelve; and to my great excitement, the market continues to provide more vegan coat options, each year. Thus, while the fashion industry remains dominated by animal products, there are a few standout brands challenging the fashion industry to evolve for the better. In other words, it’s increasingly possible to brave Chicago’s winters with sophistication - without wearing down. And what follows is a list of three of my favorite vegan coat brands.

#1.) VAUTE

With no fashion background and no outside investors, Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart founded VAUTE in 2008. Her goal was to build the world’s first vegan fashion brand. And she succeeded. VAUTE designs coats “inspired by 20 years of Chicago winters.” The brand’s designs are made in America by American artisans. And everything VAUTE sells is eco-conscious and 100% vegan.

As the first vegan label to make it to New York Fashion Week, VAUTE has been received with critical acclaim. Described as a “rising label” by Vogue and “a vegan fashion empire" by PAPER, VAUTE “proves animal-free fashion can be cute, chic and sexy” (Oprah). Pronounced as “vote” (or “Haute” plus a “v” for “vegan”), the brand produces everything from extraordinarily warm coats, to sweaters, gowns, and swimsuits. Vaute collaborates with high-tech mills around the world, in order to design recycled, organic fibers for its textiles; and then VAUTE lovingly cuts and sews these textiles in New York City’s garment district.

Described by CNN as “[t]he rebel of fashion week, the next Stella McCartney,” VAUTE’s founder grew up in the suburbs of Chicago - about 10 minutes from the McDonald’s headquarters. As Hilgart grew up, she began to discover the things in the world that, as she says herself, simply “didn’t feel right.” Emboldened by her desire to advocate on behalf of animal rights, she avidly engaged in letter writing campaigns. She called makeup companies, to question them about animal testing. And she often wore statement tee shirts, of her own creation, to spread her message. Years later, Hilgart created VAUTE: “I knew I couldn’t tell anyone my idea until I was too deep into it to stop, because I knew it didn’t sound marketable or smart at the time and I didn’t want anyone convincing me not to try. I had to do it.” And as she herself acknowledges, the project was difficult, but it continues to provide her with a powerful platform to instigate change within the fashion industry.

“With the industrial revolution, we’ve ended up with factory farms and slaughterhouses that prove animals are not machine parts. It needs to stop. And it will only stop if we create something better: the future of fashion. Starting VAUTE was an upheaval of my life. But it was the start of being me, out loud.”

— Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart

VAUTE assures its customers that its coats are “the warmest winter dress coat you will own - we swear!”. The coats are deceptive because they appear slim, but they’re made out of moleskin shells (composed of woven cotton fibers), and covered with a snow resistant finish. VAUTE’s signature coats include a Primaloft ECO insulation - which acts as a warm alternative to down. The coats’ windproof ripstops are also composed of 100% recycled materials, designed to block out the Chicago wind. And as a Canadian customer named Juliana states on VAUTE’s webpage, “My VAUTE is as warm as my Canada Goose but without the Cruelty.”

#2.) MATT & NAT

MATT & NAT has been my favorite vegan purse company for years. And for the first time this season, the brand released an outerwear collection - which includes puffers, coats, and “leather” jackets.

Since its founding in 1995, the brand has been committed to sustainable, vegan fashion. MATT & NAT is 100% vegan, and it’s constantly experimenting with eco-friendly materials - incorporating everything from recycled nylons, cardboard, cork, plastic bottles, and even bicycle tires into its designs. The brand’s name stands for “material and nature,” and it encourages its customers to support the natural world and to “Live beautifully.”

The company is headquartered in Montreal, and it aims to build a supportive, eco-friendly corporate culture. MATT & NAT’s staff celebrates the last Friday of each month with vegetarian potlucks (and vegan cupcakes for employees celebrating birthdays). The brand also maintains strong relationships with its factory workers. MATT & NAT is focused on its manufacturing transparency, and the brand is committed to advocating for increased working standards. MATT & NAT has also been notably worn by celebrities - from Nathalie Portman and Charlize Theron, to Olivia Wilde.

The GIADA Vegan Puffer Jacket (in Black)

The GIADA Vegan Puffer Jacket (in Olive)

MATT & NAT’s puffer jackets are made and filled with 100% recycled polyester (see above), while the brand’s Evie Coat is made from vegan wool; the Evie Coat has an especially sophisticated design, and it’s my favorite in the collection (see below).

#3.) Tna

Tna’s vegan puffer coats are 100% animal-free and extraordinarily warm. It’s important to check Tna’s labels, because the brand sells both vegan and non-vegan versions of their coats. However, their vegan puffers are just as stylish and warm as their non-vegan counterparts; they’re even the same price.

Tna’s vegan puffers are engineered to deliver warmth to temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius/-22 degrees Fahrenheit. They’re insulated with PrimaLoft ThermoPlume, which provides warmth - without the bulk. And they’re a little more affordable than some other vegan puffers on the market.

Tna The Super Puff^TM Vegan (in Giselle)

One of my favorite Tna coats this season is The Super Puff^TM Vegan (see above). The coat’s design includes Japanese taffeta fabric that’s both water-repellant and wind-resistant. And while this article focuses on women’s vegan coat options, it’s worth noting that Tna also produces stylish vegan parkas for men.

The warmest coat that I own was purchased from Tna - and I love it. I especially like the hood; it’s “super-sized.” And what the parka sacrifices in visibility (it’s sometimes difficult to see beneath the hood), it makes up for in warmth. In short, my Tna Bancroft Vegan Parka is ideal for trekking across the Chicago Midway in the cold.

In conclusion

As a little research into the vegan fashion industry illustrates, there are multiple great vegan coat options on the market. From VAUTE’s chic and sustainable Beldon coat, to Tna’s comfy Bancroft Vegan Parka, there are numerous cruelty-free options - which illustrate that Chicago residents need not wear Canada Goose, in order to brave winters in the Windy City.