Over the centuries, satin has been used for lavish ballgowns, luxurious bed sheets or even dainty ballerina slippers. This fabric often has a glossy finish that also lends itself to accessories like handbags and purses and its smoothness makes it a great option for lingerie, nightdresses and scarves. But let’s get straight to the point of this article: is satin vegan?
Anyone who is familiar with our site, and the Is It Vegan? section more specifically, will be aware that there are rarely straightforward answers to such questions. That’s certainly the case for satin because sometimes satin is vegan, but sometimes it isn’t. As we shall see, it all comes down to the material from which the fabric is woven.
What Could Stop Satin from Being Vegan?
Although these days satin can be made from both “natural” and synthetic fibres, traditionally it was produced from silk. As we discuss in detail in our Is Silk Vegan? article, the silk that is produced from the cocoons of insects certainly is not vegan. Silkworms, which are actually the caterpillars of silk moths, are killed in their thousands to produce silk (with around 3,000 cocoons often required to allow producers to amass approximately one kilogram of the finished silk material). Although some producers have claimed to produce “ethical silk” that doesn’t actually kill the silkworms, the animals themselves are still being exploited, and hence the process cannot be seen as vegan friendly.
As well as satin that is made from silk, there is a chance that other materials sold as satin might not be vegan. These might be made from or contain other animal-derived materials such as wool, cashmere and so on (although this is not common).
What Types of Satin Are Vegan?
The short answer to the question of which types of satin are vegan is simply any that haven’t been made using fibres derived from animals. Although some people would argue that human use of some animal fibres doesn’t harm animals, we explain in our article about wool, for example, that invariably the animals in question are harmed and are certainly exploited. So, only satin that doesn’t contain any animal-derived products at all can be classed as vegan.
In theory, this could include satin made using some natural fibres (such as cotton which comes from plants), and still be vegan. But, in practice, non-silk satin tends to be made from synthetic fibres, such as polyester or semi-synthetic fibres like rayon (made from plant-based cellulose).
Are There Any Environmental Issues with Silk?
Some vegans, particularly those who have come to veganism for environmental reasons are not overly keen on synthetic fibres due to the possible plastic pollution, the potentially adverse effects of the chemicals used in the processing and the fact that most plastics come from the petrochemical industry that has been obliterating our planet for decades. But then this has to be balanced against the welfare of animals – in this case, the humble silkworm.
Of course, no one really needs to use satin at all. There are plenty of vegan-friendly and environmentally preferable materials out there. These are covered in more detail in our article on silk, but options include a silk-like material made from cacti, silk made from a by-product of soy beans, or even lab-based “spider” silk that is grown using proteins (without the use of spiders).
Main Uses of Satin
Although satin can be used for any number of products, we’ve run through the most common below:
- Ball Gowns & Wedding Dresses – The shine of satin’s finish makes it a favourite for wedding dresses and ball gowns. It is also commonly used in other clothing, such as lingerie and the lining of suit jackets.
- Handbags & Purses – For both the look and the softness to the touch, satin is often used for handbags (especially clutch bags) and purses. Other accessories, such as scarves, also commonly come in satin.
- Furniture Covers & Bed Sheets – Satin has long been used as a luxury cover for furniture and also for bed sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases.
Satin Can Be Vegan, But Some Alternatives Could Be Better
As we have seen, as long as satin is correctly labelled, it is not too difficult to ascertain whether a particular satin product is vegan. In short, if the satin is made using silk (or any other animal-derived fabric) then it is certainly not suitable for vegans. If it is made from synthetic materials, such as polyester, it is almost certainly vegan (assuming it doesn’t use chemicals that are tested on animals).
However, as with any plastic-based products, there will be those with environmental concerns. As such, some of the newer, more innovative plant-based alternatives to satin (and silk), such as cactus silk, might well appeal. Alternatively, there are other natural fibres, such as certain types of cotton, that might be suitable.