Sustainable fashion doesn’t end at clothes any more than fast fashion does. Accessorising is important to any fashion lover, even those of us who strive to be conscious about what we wear. What’s interesting is that there are more and more new brands that follow the path to sustainable wearables. One industry that has been a little slower on the uptake is watch making, as so many brands still work with less-than-ideal materials for straps – which is how Votch was born.
Votch is a brand of faux leather watches launched in London but produced in Shenzhen, China. The brand stems from a fully vegan perspective, looking to create fashionable accessories that don’t damage animals and, ultimately, the environment. While they’re always working towards finding new materials, the latest Votch collection uses a mix of TPE, cotton and polyester in its straps. The brand is also free of PFC, PVC, plasticisers, phthalate, bromine and heavy metals; they’re REACH and RoHS compliant, PETA approved as vegan, and including recycled and renewable materials.
I love this world that we’re in, despite its monumental flaws. We have a long road ahead when it comes to living sustainably and reducing the damage we make to our planet on a daily basis. However, I’m always thrilled to find these little companies that have been formed to work alongside the Earth from the get-go, fully conscious of the direct effect they can make to make life a little friendlier to the environment. Living sustainably can be challenging, as it essentially comes with the awareness of every little thing we consume – which is why it’s so rewarding to see brands like Votch doing it right from the start. In all, in Votch there’s a real effort behind creating the most sustainable brand possible, and it doesn’t stop at how they believe animals should be treated. The factory in Shenzhen, China was carefully selected for humane working facilities, fair wages and growth opportunities for workers, and the brand is proud to showcase the team behind manufacture.
Interestingly enough, Votch takes its responsibility to be sustainable beyond veganism and humane practices in every step of production. Every quarter, the company pledges 10% of its profits to animal shelters and charities focused on improving the planet in one way or the other. They change up the organizations on every period, to make sure there are enough places receiving love and attention.
Founder Laura underwent a traumatising experience going through topical steroid withdrawal, and became aware of practices in the leather industry during that time. As she saw her skin fall off and informed herself about what’s done to animals in slaughterhouses, she vowed never to wear another being’s skin. As she turned entirely to veganism, her commitment towards making the world a little friendlier to animals led her to realise how hard it was to find watch leather-free watch straps that were also fashionable. The idea moved her to create Votch.
The Votch designs are lovely and timeless, with clean lines and beautiful colours. The company doesn’t believe in gendering products, so every one of their watches is designed as neutral, with 38mm faces in smooth black or white, with details in gold, silver, black or rose gold, depending on the model. While faux leather is the Votch raison d’être, they also have a beautiful collection in mesh, made out of stainless steel. And if 38mm seems too large a watch desk for you, they also have more “petite” models at 33mm, still gender-neutral. Finally, Votch also sells straps individually, if you’re just looking to update your current one with a greener alternative.
Fashion is my livelihood and the focus of so much of my day-to-day life. I communicate through fashion as much as I do with words, and I will always support a staple piece that says something relevant, whether it’s a handwoven organic dress or a beautiful watch that was carefully made to be mindful of our planet and its creatures. Few things make me happier than seeing fellow fashion lovers take on the path of sustainability when it comes to creation. Thanks to lovely brands like Votch, dressing and accessorising consciously is getting easier each day! Visit Official Website here.