More and more people want to shop ethically – and that’s great. But when they look for products that are kind to animals, they run into three very similar words: vegan, cruelty-free and animal-friendly. They sound the same, but they don’t mean the same thing.
Let’s break it down.
1. Vegan – no animal ingredients, but…
If something is vegan, it contains no animal-derived materials. No leather, no wool, no silk lining, no bone-based glue.
Great start – but here’s the catch:
Vegan doesn’t always mean eco-friendly or animal-friendly. Many vegan bags are made from pure plastic like PU or PVC.
At Plant Inside, all our bags are 100% vegan and PETA-Approved Vegan. No animal materials, ever.
2. Cruelty-Free – not tested on animals, but not always vegan
Cruelty-free usually means that a product wasn’t tested on animals at any point – not the final product, not the ingredients.
In fashion, it gets trickier. A bag could be cruelty-free but still contain animal leather. Or vice versa.
It’s a great term – but it doesn’t guarantee vegan or sustainable. So look deeper.
3. Animal-Friendly – popular, but vague
It sounds warm and fuzzy – but “animal-friendly” has no official definition.
Some brands use it to mean vegan. Others use it to say they produce locally and avoid harm to animals in the supply chain. Others… just like the sound of it.
Look for context. Ask: what exactly do they mean by animal-friendly?
4. What materials are truly animal-friendly?
Not every alternative to leather is good for animals (or the planet). Here’s a quick guide:
- ❌ Animal leather – obviously not vegan or cruelty-free.
- ⚠️ PU / PVC – vegan, but made from fossil fuels.
- ✅ Plant-based leathers – more sustainable if made transparently and ethically.
At Plant Inside, we use:
- Viridis® – made from European corn & wheat (non-edible, non-GMO), certified by USDA, OEKO-TEX and FSC®.
- Vegea® – made from grape leftovers, produced in Italy.
- Washpapa® – washable kraft paper from Germany, plastic-free and certified.
All fully vegan and animal-free.
5. So how do you spot a truly animal-friendly bag?
Look for:
- Certifications, like PETA-Approved Vegan. Read more here: Our decision for PETA – Why cruelty-free is more than just a label
- Transparent material lists. Check more in our Transparency section.
- Short, local supply chains – not anonymous mass production. Read more here: Inside Craft – The people behind your vegan bag
Plant Inside works only with trusted workshops in Poland, using European materials and short production cycles. No leather, no compromise.
Conclusion: Vegan ≠ Cruelty-Free ≠ Animal-Friendly
The best choice? A bag that ticks all three boxes.
✅ Vegan
✅ Cruelty-Free
✅ Truly Animal-Friendly – by design, by origin, and by production.
At Plant Inside, we believe: great bags don’t hurt animals – or the planet.