Vegan-Friendly Jeans Brands Guide | Leather-Free Denim Options
Trying to find vegan-friendly jeans (whether you’re shopping new or second-hand) can often be a challenge, especially when looking for men’s jeans.
That’s why I did the work for you by reaching out to the most popular jeans brands and looked for these brands in stores to get the most accurate information possible. What I found might surprise you.
Table of Contents
How Are Jeans Not Vegan-friendly?
It’s commonplace for jeans brands to use either a leather or animal hide patch on the back waistband above the right pocket on their jeans.
I’ve also seen the coin pocket to be constructed out of leather, the label on the inside waistband to be leather, or leather/animal fur attached for decorative or branding purposes.
This can make finding jeans that are vegan-friendly somewhat frustrating. That’s why I did the heavy lifting for you by determining which of these 35 brands offer vegan-friendly jeans!
How I Researched Brands
I personally wrote to over 25 of the most popular jeans brands to inquire whether they used real leather for the patches of their jeans. Some brands gave me detailed responses, some provided false information, and others never responded.
If I received answers that I believed to be inaccurate I continued to question the brand until I was satisfied that I had correct information. If there was still doubt, I tried to locate these brands in local shops.
The really cool thing about jeans sold in the European Union is that if they contain leather they are required to have an additional label stating that the item contains non-textile parts of animal origin. (I go into this in great detail in my How to Tell If Clothing is Vegan blog post.)
So if I doubted the accuracy of what a brand told me, I tried to track down these jeans brands in the stores (in search of the telltale label) and what I found was shocking.
Vegan or Not | Summary of the Most Popular Jeans Brands
Most of the brands I researched offer some options for vegans by either excluding patches from some models or using a paper patch. However, there are a few brands that offer no vegan-friendly options.
Here’s a summary of all the brands I researched (I discuss each one in more depth below). Clicking on the brand name within the table will jump you to the section of the article where I discuss that particular brand.
| Brand | Current Models Vegan-Friendly | Older Models Vegan-Friendly | Further Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 For All Mankind | Yes, some models. | Yes, their older models use fabric patches for branding. | Avoid any models with patches as these are real leather. |
| Adriano Goldschmid (AG) | No. | No. | Virtually all models have real leather patches. |
| Agolde | Yes, all models. | Yes, most models. I couldn’t confirm all past models are vegan-friendly. | Sister brand to Citizens of Humanity and all current models are free of leather patches. |
| Armedangels | Yes, all models. | Any models produced pre-2016 have real leather patches. | Avoid any models made prior to 2016 as these have real leather patches. |
| Boyish | Yes, all models. | Yes, all models. | Peta-approved vegan brand. |
| Calvin Klein | Yes, some models. | Yes, some models. Avoid any models with patches as these are real leather. | The patch material for most models is listed on their website and they currently use real leather, jacron (vegan), or no patch. |
| Citizens of Humanity | No. | Yes, their older models use fabric patches for branding. | Avoid any models with patches as these are real leather. |
| Current/Elliott | Yes, all models. | Yes, most models. | Avoid any models with patches as these are real leather. |
| Diesel | Yes, some models. | Yes, some models. | Avoid any models with non-cardboard patches as these are real leather. |
| DL1961 | Yes, all women’s models and some men’s models. | Yes, some models. | Avoid any models with patches as these are real leather. |
| Frame | Yes, most models. | Yes, most models. | Avoid any models with patches as these are real leather. |
| G-Star | No. | Yes, some models. | Avoid any models with patches as these are real leather. |
| Good Society | Yes, all models. | Any pairs produced prior to SS2015 aren’t Peta-Approved. | This brand’s jeans became Peta-Approved vegan in spring 2015. |
| Guess | Yes, some models. | Yes, some models. | Avoid any models with patches as these are real leather. |
| Hudson | Yes, most models. | Yes, most models. | Avoid any models with patches as these are most likely real leather. |
| J Brand | Yes, all models. | Yes, all models. | This brand doesn’t use patches on their jeans. |
| Joe’s Jeans | Yes, some models. | Yes, some models. | I was told all current models use faux leather, however, I’m skeptical and I wasn’t able to confirm this in the store. |
| Keeper Denim | Yes, all models. | Yes, all models. | This Peta-Approved vegan brand uses jacron for all their patches. |
| Kings of Indigo | Yes, all models. | Any pairs produced prior to AW2019 have a leather patch. | This brand’s jeans became Peta-Approved vegan starting with their AW2019 collection. |
| Kuyichi | Yes, all models. | Any pairs produced prior to 2016 have a leather patch. | This brand’s jeans have been Peta-Approved vegan since 2016. |
| Lee | No. | No. | Virtually all models have real leather patches. |
| Levi’s | Yes, some models. | Yes, some models. | Avoid any models with non-cardboard patches as these are real leather. |
| Lucky Brand | No. | Yes, some models. | Avoid any models with non-cardboard patches as these are real leather. |
| Monkee Genes | Yes, all models. | Any pairs produced prior to 2016 have a leather patch. | This brand’s jeans became Peta-Approved vegan around 2016. |
| Mother | Yes, all models. | Yes, all models. | Uses exclusively vegan leather for their patches. |
| Mud | Yes, all models. | Yes, all models. | Peta-approved vegan company. |
| Nudie Jeans | Yes, all models. | Any pairs produced prior to AW2018 have a leather patch. | This brand’s jeans became vegan starting with their AW2018 collection. |
| Paige | No. | No. | All models have real leather patches. |
| Pepe | No. | No. | Unable to find any pairs without a real leather patch. |
| Rag & Bone | Yes, most models. Check the product description as it lists whether the label is made of paper or leather. | Yes, most models. | Avoid any models with non-cardboard patches as these are real leather. |
| Re/Done | No. | No. | All models have real leather patches. |
| Tommy Hilfilger | No. | No. | All models have real leather patches. I was told even models with what looks like an embroidered patch are leather. |
| True Religion | Yes, some models. | Yes, some models. | Avoid any models with non-fabric patches as these are most likely real leather. |
| Wrangler | No. | No. | Virtually all models have real leather patches. |
| Wunderwerk | Yes, all models. | Models produced prior to 2013 might not be vegan. | This brand uses vegan fabric for all their patches. |
Best Vegan-Friendly Jeans Brands to Buy Second-hand
- Boyish
- J Brand
- Mother
- Mud
Honorable Mention
- 7 for All Mankind
- Citizens of Humanity
Both of these brands use real leather in their current collections so depending on how new the pairs are that you’re thrifting, it’s possible they could have a leather patch; however, in all my time second-hand shopping I’ve never seen any models with leather patches.
Looking to save even more money the next time you’re out thrifting? Check out my article on how to score the best second-hand deals by clicking here.
Peta-Approved Vegan Jeans Brands to Buy New
All of the current models of jeans from these brands are Peta-Approved vegan.
Honorable Mention
The current styles of jeans from these brands are vegan but not Peta-Approved vegan.
Major Brands With Vegan-Friendly Jeans to Buy New
- DL1961 (women’s only)
I was told all the current models from these brands are free of any leather patches.
Honorable Mention
Most (but not all) of the styles currently available from these brands are without leather patches. Be sure to double-check before buying.
Best Vegan-Friendly Jeans Brands for Men
- Good Society (Peta-Approved vegan)
- Kings of Indigo (Peta-Approved vegan)
- Kuyichi (Peta-Approved vegan)
- Monkee Genes (Peta-Approved vegan)
- Mud (Peta-Approved vegan)
The majority of the information presented throughout this post is specific to women’s jeans so here are the best brands for finding vegan-friendly men’s jeans.
Of course, a lot of the other brands within this post offer some vegan-friendly styles, but I believe these brands will give you the most options.
All the current models from these brands are vegan-friendly or Peta-Approved vegan.
Honorable Mention
Most (but not all) of the styles currently available from these brands are without leather patches. Be sure to double-check before buying.
Major Jeans Brands with No Vegan Options
- Adriano Goldschmid (AG)
- Lee
- Paige
- Pepe
- Re/Done
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Wrangler
Regardless of whether you see these brands new or second-hand they all have leather patches.
Which of the most popular jeans brands are vegan-friendly
All 35 brands I researched are listed below in alphabetical order to make it easy for you to quickly find your favorite companies.
Are 7 for All Mankind Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, older models. However, most current men’s and women’s models have leather patches.
All of the pairs I’ve seen while thrifting have been free of leather patches (like the pair in the above photo) so just make sure when you’re buying a preloved pair online or in person to make sure they don’t have any patches.
This will start to shift as these newer models with genuine leather patches begin to enter the second-hand space.
If their jeans have a patch it is real leather (see the two photos below).
Two examples of non-vegan real leather patches used on new models of 7 For All Mankind jeans.
Are Adriano Goldschmid (AG) Jeans Vegan-friendly?
No.
Your safest bet is to steer clear of this brand as they currently only carry a pair of women’s, men’s, and a unisex jean jacket (all in their new “sustainable” collection) that are free of their signature leather patch.
All of their other jeans (new and old) have a leather patch.
All models of Adriano Goldschmid (AG) jeans have real leather patches.
Are Agolde Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all current models and most older models.
All their current models of jeans are free from patches (as shown above).
While the brand wasn’t able to confirm that they never used leather patches on their past models, an online search didn’t uncover any pairs with patches.
If you’re a fan of Citizens of Humanity jeans and were sad to see them switch to leather patches, this brand is a good alternative as it’s their sister brand.
Are Armedangels Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all women’s and men’s models produced after spring 2016 are vegan.
This brand made the conscious decision to switch from using leather patches on their jeans to jacron labels in 2016.
In addition to their jacron patches, they also have the coolest alternative to using a leather patch that I’ve seen. They use scrap jean fabric to make a patch (see photo above). I just think that’s a genius use of leftover fabric!
Be careful when thrifting older pairs, as this brand previously used leather patches.
Are Boyish Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all models.
This brand was founded in 2018 and has been vegan from the beginning. They are also Peta-Approved vegan.
If you’re looking for Peta-Approved vegan jeans from a major brand then Boyish is it.
While they’re still a newer brand they have quickly gained a cult-like following and you can find their jeans in major department stores.
Are Calvin Klein Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, some models.
The website lists the material used for its jeans patches on most of their jeans but there’s no easy way to search for only the vegan-friendly models.
I randomly clicked through a dozen or so pairs and the overwhelming majority of them had real leather patches (as seen in the photo below).
They do also use jacron (a vegan leather alternative) or eliminate the patch on some models so there are vegan options.
When shopping for pairs second-hand avoid any with patches as they are indeed genuine leather.
Are Citizens of Humanity Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, but only their older models. All current models have leather patches.
Much like 7 for All Mankind, this was another brand that I always thought was a safe bet to find vegan jeans.
Unfortunately, all their new models have leather patches (see example below). I believe this is a recent change so most of the pairs being offered in the second-hand space should be free of leather patches (like the model shown above).
If you’re a fan of this brand you should check out their sister brand Agolde (also featured in this blog).
Are Current/Elliott Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all current models and most older models.
I’ve thrifted a few pairs of jeans from this brand and always appreciated their simplistic branding, which typically consists of Current/Elliott printed on the back waistband (as seen in the image above) and that’s it. And that’s just the style of branding a vegan appreciates to see because they don’t have to question whether a patch is real leather or not.
While all their current models are free of leather patches it appears they did use leather patches in the past so be careful when shopping second-hand and avoid any with patches as they are real leather.
Are Diesel Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, some models.
I was initially told that all models within their “green label” section are vegan. When I pressed further about a specific pair that looked to have a real leather patch it was confirmed that they do indeed use real leather.
This is one brand to be especially watchful for because I’ve seen them use leather strips on zipper pulls, make the coin pocket out of leather, as well as use real leather for other forms of decoration.
However, they do make and have made a lot of jeans that are vegan-friendly with either a cardboard patch or no patch (like the pair shown above) so just keep a watchful eye when shopping with this brand.
Display of Diesel jeans in Jelmoli. All models have leather patches.
Are DL1961 Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all current women’s models and some men’s models.
This is one brand that seems to have moved away from leather, as all of their current women’s styles of jeans are free from any patches.
Unfortunately, only some of their men’s models are without patches.
If you’re thrifting a pair from this brand or shopping for men’s jeans then avoid any that have a patch as they are real leather.
Are Frame Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, most men’s and women’s models.
While most of the models don’t have leather patches (like the example above), the jeans within their (ironically) “sustainable” collection all have leather patches.
If you see a pair of old or new Frame jeans with a patch, you can assume that it’s real leather.
Are G-Star Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, some older models. All current models have leather patches (see example image below).
This is another brand that you have to buy used in order for them to be vegan-friendly as all their current models have leather patches.
As with most of the brands, avoid any models with a patch as they are real leather.
Are Good Society Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all men’s and women’s models.
This brand’s jeans became Peta-Approved vegan in spring 2015.
Are Guess Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, some current and past models.
I was unable to get a complete response from this brand so after finding these jeans in the store I can confirm that their patches are real leather.
They have some models without these leather patches so with determination you would be able to find some vegan-friendly options (like the example shown above).
However, all men’s jeans appear to have leather patches.
Real leather patch on pair of Guess jeans.
Are Hudson Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, most current and past models of women’s jeans.
Most (if not all) women’s jeans by Hudson are free of branding tags (like the style above).
However, all men’s jeans have a branding label that appears to be real leather. I can only assume that these are genuine leather, as despite multiple attempts, this brand never responded.
The safest bet is to avoid any models with patches.
Are J Brand Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all current and past models.
I’ve always appreciated this brand’s minimalistic yet fashionable designs. They have no in-your-face patches or branding and I was so happy when they responded to my inquiry confirming that their jeans are vegan-friendly.
Are Joe’s Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, some models.
The brand’s customer service department told me all their new jeans models use faux leather. Being skeptical, I asked them a second time and they again stated that their patches are faux leather.
Please note I wasn’t able to find this brand in any local shops so I’m not 100 percent sure this information is accurate.
Are Keeper Denim Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all models.
This newer Australian brand has been creating Peta-Approved vegan jeans from the beginning and uses jacron for all their patches.
Are Kings of Indigo Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all women’s and men’s models produced after spring 2019 are vegan.
This brand’s jeans became Peta-Approved vegan starting with their AW2019 collection when they changed their patches to leather-free (an example is shown above).
Any pairs found second-hand that were produced prior to this have a leather patch.
Are Kuyichi Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all women’s and men’s models produced since 2016 are Peta-Approved vegan.
This brand’s jeans have been Peta-Approved vegan since 2016 when they changed their patches from leather to jacron.
Any pairs found second-hand that were produced prior to this have a leather patch.
Are Lee Jeans Vegan-friendly?
No.
This is one brand I was especially skeptical about when they told me the patches on their jeans were faux leather.
After finding a petition for them to stop using real leather patches I emailed them again asking them to confirm whether their patches were faux leather or not and included a link to their own website where they explain how to take care of their leather patches.
When I didn’t receive a useful response I took to the shops to investigate further.
I saw an older pair of Lee jeans when I was out thrifting with what looked like a real leather patch. So I decided to see if it had the signature “contains non-textile parts of animal origin” tag and sure enough it did. Well, that confirmed they used leather patches in the past but has the company changed their ways and switched to faux leather? I went to a store where they sell new Lee jeans to find out.
And sure enough, it was the same story for the new jeans I saw. Thanks to the required “contains non-textile parts of animal origin” labeling I can concretely confirm that this brand still uses real leather for their branding tags.
Are Levi’s Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, some models.
Most older models are vegan-friendly as they have a cardboard patch (as shown in the image above), whereas most current models have leather patches (an example is pictured below).
Are Lucky Brand Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, some older models. All current models have leather patches.
You might be able to find a preloved pair that has a cardboard patch but avoid any models with what looks like a leather patch as these are real leather.
Are Monkee Genes Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all current models.
This brand’s jeans became Peta-Approved vegan around 2016 when they switched their patches to leather-free.
Be careful when thrifting older styles as this brand previously used leather patches.
Are Mother Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all current and past models.
I’ve always admired Mother jeans but assumed that their patches were made of animal materials so I’m honestly thrilled to report that all their jeans are vegan-friendly and have been since the beginning.
This is one brand you can safely buy new or preloved with no concern whether they have a leather patch.
Are Mud Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all models of women’s and men’s jeans are Peta-Approved vegan.
In addition to being a Peta-approved vegan company, another cool thing that sets this brand apart is that they allow you to lease their jeans.
This is just one of the many steps Mud has taken to be a sustainable brand.
Are Nudie Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all women’s and men’s models produced after spring 2018 are vegan.
This brand’s jeans became vegan starting with their AW2018 collection when they changed their patches from leather to jacron (seen in the picture above).
Any pairs found second-hand that were produced prior to this have a leather patch.
An awesome thing about this brand is that they offer free repairs, forever. They provide multiple options to have your jeans repaired including bringing it to one of their repair shops around the world, to a mobile repair station, or they will mail you a free repair kit.
Are Paige Jeans Vegan-friendly?
No. All current and past models have real leather patches (example pictured below).
This is another brand that simply doesn’t offer any jeans without leather patches.
Are Pepe Jeans Vegan-friendly?
No.
After multiple attempts trying to contact this brand, I received no response. So I took to the shops and can confirm they use real leather patches on every pair of jeans I saw.
Are Rag & Bone Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, most current and past models are vegan-friendly. Most of the jeans from this brand for both men and women don’t have any patches (see example below).
For the models that do have a patch, the patch material is listed in the details section for each item. There it will say whether it is a leather or paper patch.
I must commend this brand for openly listing this material information on their website because of all the brands I’ve researched for this post, it’s one of the few that is doing so.
Are Re/Done Jeans Vegan-friendly?
No. All their jeans have a real leather patch. They have no vegan-friendly options.
Are Tommy Hilfiger Jeans Vegan-friendly?
No. All models have real leather patches.
I was told even models with what looks like an embroidered patch are leather. I’m honestly a bit skeptical of the response I received from this brand but I figure it’s better to err on the side of caution.
Are True Religion Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, some models.
Despite multiple attempts, this brand never responded to my inquiries so I can only report my personal knowledge of the brand.
I’ve thrifted pairs with a fabric patch (see example shown above) but have also seen models with what I can only assume is a leather patch.
I would suggest avoiding any pairs with what looks like a leather patch as I believe this is genuine leather.
Are Wrangler Jeans Vegan-friendly?
No.
The majority of the jeans from this brand feature a real leather patch (see examples above). Despite being told via email that they use faux leather, when I went in search of these jeans in the store I could confirm their patches are real leather.
While some pairs did appear to have faux leather patches, the majority were leather. And if you’re shopping for these online or outside of the EU (where the additional “contains non-textile parts of animal origin” label isn’t required), it’s really difficult to tell which pairs have real vs. faux leather patches. I would advise avoiding this brand.
Are Wunderwerk Jeans Vegan-friendly?
Yes, all current women’s and men’s jeans are vegan.
This is not a vegan brand but all of their jeans are vegan as their patches are made out of fabric.
They also have a search filter for vegan items, which makes shopping on their website especially user-friendly.
Final Thoughts
I hope this blog proved that it’s easier to find vegan-friendly jeans than you initially thought. Not only are there a number of Peta-Approved vegan jeans brands, almost all of the other brands I researched for this post offer at least some vegan-friendly options.
Know of some other vegan-friendly brands I didn’t discuss? Let me know in the comments.
Now that you’ve found your new vegan jeans do you need some fresh styling ideas? If you’re petite like me, click here for the most flattering styles.
Like to layer for transitional weather? Here’s how to style dresses over jeans. And if you’re not sure how to wear jeans to work, check out this article or how to wear jeans like Katie Holmes.
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As always, happy styling!
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Disclosures
While I tried to make this post as accurate as I could, it’s always possible these brands (apart from the Peta-Approved ones) have some styles that garner a leather patch so it never hurts to double-check before buying.
Michelle Rothenburger
Michelle Rothenburger is a vegan fashion blogger whose work has been featured in such publications as Marie Claire, InStyle, Woman & Home, and Vilda. Find out more by reading Michelle’s full story (from bullied to fashion influencer) and feel free to send her a personal message.
Related Posts:
- What is Vegan Fashion? The Complete Guide that Answers All Your Questions
- How to Tell if Clothing Is Vegan & Where Animal Materials Might Be Hiding in Your Closet
Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to leave a kind comment! 💛