Last updated on December 13th, 2023 at 02:03 am
I’ve been looking for ages, and the options for cruelty-free and animal product-free clothing and sustainable puffer jackets that can keep you warm in the coldest of weathers were very few some years ago.
Luckily, that is no longer the case! Whether it’s due to increasing awareness, or improving technology, or, more likely, both, a bunch of companies have cropped up with legit sustainable winterwear. And I love the options! I no longer need to debate with myself whether I’m being sensible when I buy a puffer jacket I need for this winter.
Behold the results of my research!
Quick recommendations? Try Patagonia’s Nano Puff Parka. If you’re looking for a super-stylish puffer that will keep you warm, go for Unreal Fur’s Awari Puffer.
- Top Sustainable Puffer Jackets You Should Check Out
- 1 // Adidas by Stella McCartney Puffer Jacket
- 2 // Barbour Quilted Jacket
- 3 // Biannual Cocoon Puffer
- 4 // Culthread Colville Shiny Puffer Jacket
- 5 // Dauntless Women’s Vegan Leather Puffer Jacket
- 6 // ECOALF Atlantic Jacket Woman
- 7 // Embassy of Bricks and Logs Elphin Puffer
- 8 // Everlane ReNew Lightweight Puffer
- 9 // Matt & Nat GIADA Puffer Jacket
- 10 // Nanushka Hide Puffer Jacket
- 11 // Noize Coco-M Cropped Puffer
- 12 // Outdoor Research
- 13 // Patagonia Nano Puff Parka
- 14 // Rab Women's Cirrus Flex 2.0 Insulated Jacket
- 15 // Save the Duck Women's Animal-free Puffers
- 16 // The North Face Women’s Plus Shelter Cove Hybrid Jacket
- 17 // Unreal Fur Awari Puffer Jacket
- 18 // Will's Vegan Store Recycled Teddy Puffer
- 19 // Wuxly Eka Parka
- 20 // Vintage Puffers from Etsy
- Are Puffer Jackets Vegan?
- Should You Buy a New Puffer Jacket?
Top Sustainable Puffer Jackets You Should Check Out
Puffer jackets, aka quilted jackets, have a quilted design with ‘puffy’ sections separated by stitching. These puffy sections are filled with insulation in the form of down (which is not vegan) or synthetic fibers (which is vegan). Historically, animal skins have been employed to withstand the coldest temperatures. Hence, the prevalence of fur, down, leather, etc. in winter clothing.
This list (in alphabetical order) looks at puffer jackets that have no animal products in them and still provide a high level of warmth to the wearer (the brand may not be vegan, but the specific jacket featured here is vegan). You don’t need to wear animal skin, period!
1 // Adidas by Stella McCartney Puffer Jacket
Price: $252
Materials: 100% recycled polyester
designed by Stella McCartney | sustainable, recycled materials
This 2-in-1 padded jacket with a removable gilet and water-repellent finish is ideal for extra warmth during the cold weather. Made from plain weave with durable water-repellent (DWR) coating and PrimeGreen (a series of high-performance recycled materials), it has a full zip with snap storm flap and hood, bungee-adjustable waist and elastic cuffs. For a longer jacket, check out this cloud white piece from the same series.
2 // Barbour Quilted Jacket
Price: $250
materials: 100% polyester
repair & re-wax services offered | family-owned business | UK
Barbour is a fifth generation business that was set up in 1894. They run The Barbour Trust to support local and national projects and community issues. They have the Barbour Re-Loved program where you can return your old jackets to be repaired in exchange for a voucher on a new one (the old jackets will be resold).
Barbour won the Best Circularity Award at the Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards for their Wax for Life campaign.
3 // Biannual Cocoon Puffer
Price: Starts from $157.99
materials: polyester and Recycled Cashmere
cruelty free | China
This reversible jacket has a detachable hoodie, a water-resistant neckline, along with a silver front closure zipper. The brand Biannual seems to have disappeared from the inter webs, but the jacket is still available in some online stores. So, not recommended, after all!
4 // Culthread Colville Shiny Puffer Jacket
Price: £295
Materials: 100% recycled
cruelty free | handmade | reusable packaging | carbon neutral shipments | UK
This light, super-warm puffer has a rainproof outer-shell fabric, and is outfitted with recycled extra chunky zipper and buttons. They ship the jacket to you in the Culthread Laundy Bag, also made from recycled materials.
5 // Dauntless Women’s Vegan Leather Puffer Jacket
Price: $300
Materials: vegan leather; organic cotton; polyester
cruelty free | PETA-certified vegan | fair trade | made in Columbia
Dauntless is a pret-a-porter fashion label that sources all its materials ethically, and maintains a responsible, modern supply chain. The team is made up entirely of women from the local communities.
Described as “buttery,” Dauntless’ faux leather in this jacket certainly looks delicious.
6 // ECOALF Atlantic Jacket Woman
Price: €183
Materials: 100% Recycled polyester; 100% vegan feathers
PFC-free | Water-repellent | B Corp | zero carbon emissions by 2030
According to Ecoalf, the production process for this jacket saved 2.09 kg CO2 eq and 1575.36 liters of water. The company was founded with the aim to “stop using natural resources in a careless way” and to use recycled materials to make the same quality and design as the best non recycled products.
7 // Embassy of Bricks and Logs Elphin Puffer
Price: €350
Materials: E100 “No Down” filling; recycled post-consumer plastic
cruelty free | PETA-certified vegan | ethically made | eco-friendly packaging
Embassy of Bricks and Logs is certainly an unusual name, and the brand creates contemporary, utilitarian silhouettes in high quality products that are created as sustainably as possible.
Their cosy Elphin puffer jacket “feels like you‘re wrapped in a sleeping bag” and gives you all the warmth you will need this winter.
8 // Everlane ReNew Lightweight Puffer
Price: Starts from $157.99
materials: 100% recycled fabric; 100% recycled Primaloft insulation
Water-resistant | bluesign-approved shell fabric & dyes | Vietnam
This jacket is made from 100% recycled PrimaLoft insulation and about 60 renewed plastic bottles. Everlane have eliminated 90% of the virgin plastic from their supply chain as part of their No New Plastic goal.
9 // Matt & Nat GIADA Puffer Jacket
Price: $375
Materials: lining 100% recycled polyester; polyester fill
Cruelty-free | vegan company
Matt & Nat use recycled materials such as nylons, cardboard, rubber, cork and now windshield resins, and only 100% recycled plastic bottles for the linings. They recycle more than 9 million plastic bottles per year in the manufacturing of their bags.
10 // Nanushka Hide Puffer Jacket
Price: €655
Materials: vegan leather; 100% Recycled Polyester PADDING
low-impact, responsible production | Hungary
This shiny orange is not to everyone’s taste, but it sure does a good job of keeping the wearer warm and cosy. Made from signature vegan leather and lined with satin, this jacket is also free from the use of animal derivatives in the manufacturing process.
11 // Noize Coco-M Cropped Puffer
Price: $200
materials: 100% nylon; 100% polyester
PETA-approved cruelty-free | environmentally conscious | up to 5°F (-15°C)
Instead of relying on animal by-products materials, Noize creates their products from textiles like vegan leather, wool, and fur.
Filled with 100% polyester insulating material, this stylish metallic puffer has classic channel quilting and a cosy pillow neck that really locks in the heat.
12 // Outdoor Research
Price: $199
materials: recycled and bio-based materials
Lifetime guarantee | socially and environmentally conscious | USA manufacturing
The Helium Collection features OR’s Diamond Fuse durability along with the warmth of VerticalX™ ECO SR, the insulation made from the recycled polyester of REPREVE® and bio-based Sorona®. That was a lot of scientific jargon to say that the materials are sustainable (and the company values research, as evidenced by its name). This jacket is lightweight and yet perfect for freezing conditions.
Outdoor Research is not a vegan company, and they do use down, so be careful while browsing their products.
13 // Patagonia Nano Puff Parka
Price: $279
Materials: 100% recycled polyester
Packable & portable | fair trade-certified sewn | B Corp | Vietnam
The fabric used is certified as bluesign® approved, with 100% post-consumer recycled polyester as insulation. This jacket can be folded into the package that comes with it, making it very portable.
Patagonia’s manufacturing values are well-known to be responsible and environmentally-conscious, and they offer used products as well. So, have a look and you’ll hopefully find one that’s perfect for you!
14 // Rab Women’s Cirrus Flex 2.0 Insulated Jacket
Price: $150
materials: 100% recycled face fabric, lining; 100% recycled insulation
Certified climate neutral company | sustainable packaging | UK
Ran makes excellent outdoor gear, although not all their products are vegan. But Rab takes the environment’s health (and their impact on it) very seriously. They create rugged, high performance mountain clothing and equipment, while ensuring that their business operations work to combat climate change, reduce waste and protect the environment. As of today, 91% of their sites are powered by renewable energy, and they’re aiming to achieve Net Zero by 2030.
15 // Save the Duck Women’s Animal-free Puffers
Price: From $178
materials: 100% Nylon
Carbon neutral shipments | Oeko-Tex® certified | annual 1% donation to “take care of the planet”
Save the Duck’s all-weather outerwear will keep you completely warm whether it’s snowing or sunny outside, and it always looks great! PETA named Save the Duck the company of the year in 2019 because its puffy coats are made from recycled materials instead of duck down. Famous vegan mountaineer Kuntal Joisher wore one of their quilted jackets during his successful Everest climb.
Save the Duck always been free of down, leather or fur, and they constantly innovate their processes in order to be environmentally friendly. Their main materials are recycled plastic bottles, regenerated fishing nets and animal-free eco faux fur. They also offset their carbon footprint.
16 // The North Face Women’s Plus Shelter Cove Hybrid Jacket
Price: Starts from $149
materials: 100% Recycled Nylon; 70% Post-Consumer Recycled Polyester
Lifetime guarantee | responsible sourcing | sustainable packaging
This slim-fit plus size jacket is light, water-repellent and windproof. It’s ideal for hiking, and uses The North Face’s body-mapped Heatseeker™ Eco insulation for warmth.
The North Face is another brand well-known for their sustainability credentials. Look for the ‘Exploration Without Compromise’ badge that’s attached to their most sustainably produced products.
17 // Unreal Fur Awari Puffer Jacket
Price: $479
Materials: FILLINg 100% POLYESTER; LINING 95% POLYESTER
Cruelty-free | designed for longevity | family-owned business | Australia
Unreal Fur’s mission is to end the use of real fur and animal products in the fashion industry. This stunningly stylish reversible puffer is a quality piece that’s designed to last for a long time.
18 // Will’s Vegan Store Recycled Teddy Puffer
Price: $176
Materials: 100% recycled polyamide; recycled polyester; viscose
Certified carbon neutral | Sustainable packaging | return-to-recycle service | Italy
Will’s Vegan Store creates vegan products that are carbon neutral. The products are shipped to you using biodegradable packaging and a carbon neutral delivery service.
19 // Wuxly Eka Parka
Price: CAD $745
Materials: 100% Recycled Polyester & nylon; bio-based filling
B Corp | sustainable materials | Canada
Wuxly is the first animal-free and sustainable parka brand manufactured in Canada. They use innovative and sustainable fabrics, leave “animals out of the equation.” This white parka has a 5-year warranty, and comes with a removable hood and scarf. It has a relaxed fit, and features a bio-based Sorona insulation that mimics the warmth and feel of down, without the harm.
20 // Vintage Puffers from Etsy
Secondhand clothing has a lot to offer for the environmentally-conscious as well as the price-conscious shopper. Take a look around Etsy and other secondhand and vintage stores to see if you can find a gem!
Are Puffer Jackets Vegan?
Traditionally, puffer jackets obviously aren’t vegan. They are made with leather or suede, and filled with down and sometimes wool.
Down jackets use the soft feathers that grow under the exterior feathers of ducks and geese. The down feathers are usually plucked from birds that are alive. Sometimes they are killed for their meat, and the down feathers are plucked when they’re dead, but that’s hardly an improvement, is it?
This post is to highlight the vegan winter wear options that are available out there. These sustainable puffer jackets are vegan – made from 100% plant-based (cotton and hemp, for example), synthetic (nylon or polyester) or recycled materials.
Advantages of Vegan Materials
The best part about vegan puffers (apart from the zero animal cruelty) is that they have better weatherproofing than that offered by down and wool. When down and wool get wet, they lose their insulation powers. Not so with waterproof synthetics.
The big disadvantage, of course, is that synthetic fabrics are all made from nonrenewable fossil fuels. The production of these synthetic fabrics is emission intensive and environmentally damaging. So there’s quite an ethical balancing act that we as the buyers and wearers of these jackets have to do.
But, first…
Should You Buy a New Puffer Jacket?
Let’s make some clarifications before you buy a brand new puffer jacket!
1 // Evaluate Your Possessions
Use whatever winterwear you already have. There is no need to get rid of those, and buy brand new jackets simply because they’re vegan. Remember, we need to do everything with the effect on the environment in mind. Wasting perfectly good items, even if they are made of animal products, seems like such a shame. But, of course, if you’re not comfortable with them because of the animal product use, please sell them at a thrift store or, better yet, donate them to someone who needs it. And, if you have the funds to invest in a new vegan coat, who am I to stop you? But, like I said, please carefully consider the pros and cons of your decision, and make one that’s best for the environment (more than for you even).
2 // Minimize Your Purchases
Just because these products are vegan and cruelty-free, it doesn’t mean there’s been zero harm done during their production. Products cause environmental damage even in the cleanest of supply chains. Everything we do causes environmental damage. Our work now is to minimize damage as much as possible. So, if that means not buying anything new at all, then so be it. And learn to maintain them well – check out our post on how to wash a puffer jacket.
3 // Keep the Environment at the Forefront of Your Decisions
I don’t believe in the ‘vote with your dollar’ concept, because that gives more power to the dollar than to the environment. So, I don’t buy something just for the sake of buying or for ‘signaling’ to the economy that my dollar spent on this product means this product is more valuable. This sort of competitive, transactional thinking, in tandem with supply-side economics, is what has brought us to this accelerated stage of horrific environmental collapse. Guys, the environment is more important than all the money in the world. But we live in this man-made bubble of social, economic, legal and other rules, and to the extent that we must play by these rules in order to survive, I say let’s try to make the best decisions for the environment.
So, please keep in mind that the list below is for your information, for the next time you need to buy a winter jacket – whether that’s now or next year, or five years hence. It’s not a call to splurge on brand new things! Buying stuff is itself problematic, so let’s minimize our buying to the extent possible and practical. My thoughts on this have changed over the years (and even across posts), and while I’m open to correcting my stand in light of new information, I also acknowledge the fact that (many) others may see things differently and may not agree with me. That’s fine. We’re all looking for more ways to make life better, so let’s continue to learn from each other!
This post was about sustainable puffer jackets
Hope you enjoyed this post, and have checked out these options. Have a great cold season! Sustainable puffer jacket and coat options do exist; choose them the next time you need to buy new winter wear. Try as hard as you can to be nice to the animals. Be gentle with nature, and do as little harm as possible to the environment.
I hope this post was useful! I’d really appreciate it if you shared it in your networks, so more people can find out about sustainable puffer jackets haha!
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NOTE: All brand photographs belong to the respective brands/businesses.
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