9 Best Vegan Coats & Jackets for 2023

Looking for that perfect vegan coat or jacket that’s ethical, sustainable, well-made, warm, and is actually stylish? Good news! They exist! We’ve scoured the web and after searching high and low, and digging into all of the sustainability details, we came up with some excellent picks. So, whether you’re running around town or hiking in the snow, you’ll have some excellent options for keeping warm and feeling great, knowing that your outerwear is both animal-friendly, planet-friendly, and looks good on you…

Keep reading to learn how we made our selections, or jump straight to our picks.

Our Criteria: How We Selected the Best Vegan Jackets

We selected our top picks for vegan coats with the strictest of criteria. We went beyond what the brands say on their websites, and dug into their supply chains and manufacturing processes to ensure adherence with the highest standards of sustainability and ethics. Here’s what we looked for:

100% Vegan

All coats on this list are made entirely without animal products, and are animal-cruelty free.

Sustainable Practices

All of these brands rely on sustainable, vegan materials. Many vegan coats are made using synthetic fabrics like polyester, which is made from fossil fuels. While natural materials like organic cotton are ultimately the most sustainable, unfortunately, these materials aren’t particularly warm, and don’t provide the insulation or durability we need in a winter coat.

Instead, many of the sustainable jackets featured below are made using more eco-friendly versions of synthetic fabrics. For example, you’ll see a few coats made from Tencel Lyocell, a type of polyester alternative made from wood pulp. Some sustainable coats are also made from Econyl, a type of nylon fabric made from recycled plastic waste.

We also feature leathers and faux fur made from plants!

Ethical Practices

An ethical company not only ensures fair treatment of animals and the environment, but also ensures fair wages and safe working conditions for human employees. Each of the vegan clothing brands we picked trace their supply chains so that they can remain aware of any ethical problems at any stage of sourcing, production and distribution, and improve conditions where possible. Many of these brands are also Fair Trade certified.

Warmth & Durability

We can’t forget that even the most sustainable coat also has to be durable! Customers love the vegan winter coats we’ve chosen below because they stand the test of time. After all, the most sustainable coat is one that lasts you season after season.

And finally, these coats will keep you warm when you need it. While you may not need a super-warm puffer coat every day, we’ve included a few of those, as well as some lighter-duty coats for other occasions.

Our Picks for the 9 Best Vegan Coats & Jackets

We’ve split our top vegan coat picks into categories. Check out the summary below, or scroll down for the details.

Best Vegan Winter Parkas
- Patagonia DAS Parka
- The North Face ThermoBall Eco Parka
Best Vegan Fur Coats
- Maison Atia Catherine Coats
- Reformation Highgrove Coat
Best Vegan Overcoats
- For Days Cairn Coat
- Outerknown Baker Trench Coat
Best Vegan Leather Jacket
- Amour Vert Deadwood River Cactus Leather Jacket
Best Lightweight Vegan Jackets
- Toad&Co McWay Quilted Jacket
- BOYISH The Harvey Jacket

Best Vegan Winter Parkas

These coats will keep you warm, no matter the weather.

Patagonia DAS Parka

Vegan
Sizes: XXS-XL women’s | XS-XXL men’s
Current Price: $449
Materials: Primaloft Gold Insulation Eco, Recycled nylon
Based in: Ventura, California

This ultra-warm vegan parka from famed sustainability-minded outdoors brand Patagonia is filled with PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco, a synthetic insulation made from 55% recycled content. The outer fabric is made from an ultralight recycled nylon ripstop, complete with a water-resistant coating. The coat is also Fair Trade certified, so you know it was made using ethical and environmentally-friendly practices.

Everyone from experienced mountaineers to people who rarely set foot outdoors love this coat for its extreme warmth and lightweight design. The cuffs are also stretchy elastic, helping seal in warmth without losing flexibility. While this jacket design originally came out in the mid-2000s, reviewers note that this updated more sustainable version “feels like it heats up faster and retains heat better than the previous generations.”

Pros

Adjustable hood is large enough to fit over a ski helmet.
Comes with a stuff sack you can pack the coat into.
Comes in a women’s version and a men’s version
The jacket is extremely warm, with some reviews noting that it keeps them warm even in the cold weather negatives.

Cons

Sizing could be more inclusive – the largest size is an XL for women, and an XXL for men.
PrimaLoft Gold Insulation Eco, the coat’s fill, still includes some non-recycled synthetic insulation.
The coat is pretty pricey.
Color options are limited – it comes in a blue or a black for women, and orange or black for men.

The North Face ThermoBall Eco Parka

Vegan
Sizes: XS-3XL women’s | M-3XL men’s
Current Price: $250
Materials: ThermoBall Eco insulation, 100% recycled polyester
Based in: Denver, Colorado

This vegan coat is the perfect everyday winter coat. While it’s not the absolute warmest coat out there, it will keep you plenty warm for most winter days. The coat is sleek and form fitting (finally, a warm coat that’s not super puffy!) and can even be stuffed into its own chest pocket for easy travel. The hood design is also fitted to the face with an elastic, helping you stay warm on windy days too.

This coat is filled with The North Face’s proprietary sustainable, vegan filling, ThermoBall Eco insulation. This filling, made entirely from clusters of recycled synthetic fibers, gives the coat a down-jacket feel without the animal products, and is more sustainable than traditional synthetic fills.

Pros

The entire jacket is made from 100% recycled materials
The coat comes in five different color options.
Comes in a women’s and a men’s version, although the men’s coat is a shorter style.
The North Face sizing is fairly inclusive, offering XS-3XL.

Cons

The coat is fitted, which may make it more difficult to layer underneath.
The North Face still uses some single-use packaging, although they’ve committed to eliminating single-use packaging by 2025.
The North Face lacks some transparency when it comes to labor practices. In the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index, the company was given a 61-70% score.

Best Vegan Faux Fur Coats

While there are plenty of faux fur vegan coats on the market, many are sold by brands that don’t meet high standards of social and environmental responsibility. Here are a few that do.

Maison Atia Catherine Faux Fur Coats

Vegan
Sizes: 0-4 women’s
Current Price: $1,375
Materials: Koba fabric
Based in: New York City, New York

Maison Atia is a luxury brand that specializes in (you guessed it!) sustainable faux fur. So, how is this fur more sustainable than other faux furs? The Catherine Houndstooth vegan fur coat is made from koba fabric, a faux fur made from recycled plastics and corn byproduct. The ultra sleek inner lining is made from recycled plastic bottles!

While the Catherine Houndstooth vegan fur coat is a particularly vibrant pattern, they also offer more traditional faux fur styles, like their Catherine Rayé coat, which comes in solid simple colors including navy, black, and brown. While these other Maison Atia coats aren’t quite as sustainable as those made from koba, they’re made using upcycled polyesters, which is more eco-friendly than many conventional faux furs.

Pros

All Maison Atia coats are 100% vegan.
All their coats are made using sustainable materials: either upcycled faux furs or koba, a plant and recycled plastic-based fabric blend.
Their coats come in a variety of styles and colors, from classic furs to crazy patterns.
Maison Atia donates money from the sale of each coat to PAWS CHICAGO, a no-kill animal shelter.
Fabric scraps from the making of each coat are recycled into new accessories like purses, fanny packs, and scarves.

Cons

Maison Atia coats are quite expensive, especially when compared to less sustainable faux fur brands.

Reformation Highgrove Coat

Vegan
Sizes: S-XL women’s
Current Price: $328
Materials: Deadstock sherpa fabric 100% polyester
Based in: Los Angeles, California

This vegan fur coat from LA-based Reformation isn’t your traditional faux fur coat. Instead, it’s made from a fuzzy sherpa fabric made entirely from deadstock (leftover) fabric. The Highgrove Coat, which comes in a dark “chocolate” color and in taupe, offers a fun addition to any fall or winter outfit. We love this coat because it manages to be both stylish and practical (read: warm) all at once.

Reformation is also a certified Climate Neutral company, meaning that they offset their carbon emissions by investing in green projects like wind power. The company has also set an ambitious greenhouse gas emissions target, with the ultimate goal of becoming “climate positive” (removing carbon from the atmosphere) by 2025.

Pros

The coat is more affordable than many truly sustainable faux fur options.
The coat is made from remnant materials (deadstock sherpa fabric).
Reformation’s stores and self-owned LA factory take energy efficiency into account, from LED fixtures, recycled fabric insulation, and offsetting the entire carbon footprint of construction.

Cons

Not all of Reformation’s products are 100% vegan. While the company has a formal animal welfare policy, it still uses leather and animal hair in some clothing items.
The coat is dry clean only.

Best Vegan Overcoats

Let’s review the best vegan overcoats and vegan trench coats on the market today.

For Days Cairn Coat & Basalt Trench

Vegan
Sizes: XS/S and M/L women’s
Current Price: $195
Materials: Recycled and organic cotton
Based in: Los Angeles, California

This vegan coat stands out because it’s made from cotton – and still keeps you warm (okay, maybe with a few layers). Made from 28% recycled cotton and 72% Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) cotton, this coat works to support high standards of quality, sustainability and ethics in cotton farming. The recycled cotton helps keep cotton in use for longer that would otherwise be discarded. We love this coat as a basic winter staple. It’s simply enough to match nearly every outfit, while also sharply tailored to help you look super put together.

If you’re looking for something more like a classic trench coat, For Days also offers the Basalt Trench, an oversized vegan trench coat made from 100% organic cotton.

Pros

When you’re done with the coat, you can send it right back to For Days to be recycled. For Days offers a recycling program, where you can send in old For Days products and earn a reward towards your next purchase.
For Days’ Zero Waste philosophy means that all their products are made from sustainable materials with the goal of extending each materials’ lifecycle.
For Days works with universities to educate students about the importance of sustainable fashion.

Cons

For Days lacks transparency when it comes to their ethical labor standards. They don’t have a formal Code of Conduct, and there’s very little information available about its supply chain.
Sizing could be more inclusive.

Outerknown Baker Trench Coat

Vegan

Sizes: XS-XL women’s
Current Price: ~~$290~~ FINAL SALE $149
Materials: 75% recycled polyester, 25% polyester
Based in: Culver City, California

This vegan trench coat adds a wonderful pop of color to your fall or winter wardrobe. The coat, made from 75% recycled polyester, features an easy belted tie and a back vent to give it that classic trench coat look. Wear it alone to pull your whole outfit together, or layer underneath it for those extra cold days!

Outerknown, founded by professional surfer Kelly Slater, is one of the most sustainable and ethical clothing companies out there. Not only are they Fair Trade and Fair Labor Association certified, but they have an extremely in-depth 2030 Sustainability Guide that lays out all their goals, from updating their fair compensation strategy to investing in circular technology innovations.

Pros

Through Outerknown’s “Outerworn” program, you can resell your previously owned Outerknown coat to give it new life. Or, support circularity by buying gently used pieces yourself!
Outerknown aims to sell 100% circular products by 2030.
Outerknown aims to invest in the development of 5 new circular technologies by 2025 in order to help promote reuse of materials.

Cons

Outerknown does sell some animal-based products, like down accredited by the Responsible Down Standard.
Outerknown’s men’s vegan coat options are somewhat limited.

Best Vegan Leather Jacket

We searched high and low for vegan leather jackets from companies that incorporate sustainability and ethical labor at every step of their process. Here’s the jacket that meets our standards.

Amour Vert Deadwood River Cactus Leather Jacket

Vegan
Sizes: 32-42 women’s
Current Price: ~~$815~~ NOW $570
Materials: DESSERTO cactus leather
Based in: San Francisco, California

True to its name, this company loves green innovation. Which is why they’re selling a vegan leather jacket made from cacti – yes, cacti. The jacket, crafted by designer Deadwood, is made from DESSERTO cactus leather, a type of leather made from the prickly pear, or Nopal, cactus. Not only is this more animal-friendly than conventional leather, but it’s also a much more sustainable option than traditional faux leathers, which are often made from plastic-based synthetic materials.

And while the jacket is made from cactus, it looks and feels just like regular leather. This jacket features chic silver zippers and buttons and a tailored look sure to suit anyone – and nearly any outfit.

Pros

Amour Vert manufactures locally to reduce its carbon footprint. All its samples are drawn, cut, and sewn at their headquarters in San Francisco.
The company visits most of its suppliers regularly, helping ensure ethical labor conditions in its partner factories.
Amour Vert runs a resale marketplace to extend the life of their products known as ReAmour.
Amour Vert plants a tree for every shirt purchase through their partnership with American Forests.

Cons

This jacket won’t keep you particularly warm. We definitely recommend layering!
Sizing is slightly oversized, so the brand recommends sizing down if you’re in between sizes.
The company is not 100% vegan, and does use animal products like leather and wool in other products. It doesn’t use fur or down.

Best Lightweight Vegan Jackets

Finally, here are some vegan jackets for warmer winters (or other seasons!).

Toad&Co McWay Quilted Jacket

Vegan
Sizes: XS-XL women’s
Current Price: $139
Materials: Organic cotton, TENCEL, hemp, recycled polyester insulation
Based in: Santa Barbara, California

Say hello to (very slightly) warmer weather with this quilted vegan jacket made from 70% organic cotton and 30% TENCEL. Do you like to change up your wardrobe frequently but hate the environmental impacts of buying a whole new coat? Surprise! It’s reversible. You’ll get two jackets in one, in either a red and tan color combination, or a slightly more subdued black and brown combination.

The outer side of this coat is made from waxed cotton, which provides a protective water resistant layer. The inside (or the outside, depending on how you wear it!) is made from corduroy, giving this jacket a more classic barn coat look. Finally, this vegan coat is filled with recycled polyester insulation, helping you keep warm in wind and rain.

Pros

The jacket is cropped, helping you wear it with a variety of outfits while still keeping you warm with insulation.
Toad&Co uses sustainable materials in all their products, including organic cotton, hemp, TENCEL and other recycled materials.
Toad&Co offers a reusable shipping bag option through their partnership with LimeLoop.
Toad&Co partners with a variety of sustainable certification schemes like the Higg Index and bluesign.

Cons

Sizes are limited, ranging only from a women’s XS-XL
The jacket is hand-wash only and has very specific care instructions (which can be found on the product page).
Toad&Co is not a completely vegan company, and does use some animal materials like wool and silk.
Toad&Co does not offer very much information about their labor practices, although they do have a comprehensive Workplace Code of Conduct.

BOYISH The Harvey Jacket

Vegan
Sizes: XXS-XL
Current Price: $228
Materials: Cotton, REFIBRA (deadstock & TENCEL)
Based in: Los Angeles, California

This jacket, made by LA based brand BOYISH, features a fun pop of color and a rough-cut hem to give it a little edge. The Harvey jacket also comes in coral. Made from upcycled materials, the jacket includes Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certified recycled cotton and REFIBRA, fabric made from fabric scraps and TENCEL. This blend with TENCEL helps the denim last longer.

We know – denim is a vegan fabric. So aren’t all denim jackets vegan? Sort of. Some denim jackets come from brands that engage in animal cruelty. However, this jacket in particular comes from a brand that takes sustainability and animal-cruelty certifications seriously in all facets of its business, unlike many other denim brands.

Pros

BOYISH uses compostable packaging made from
BOYISH production relies on recycled water to limit water waste.
BOYISH dyes are entirely plant-based, helping to reduce the use of hazardous synthetic chemical dyes.

Cons

Sizing could be more inclusive – the largest size option is an XL.
This jacket won’t keep you that warm, although we noticed it’s large enough to fit a bulky turtleneck underneath.

If this denim jacket – or any of the jackets listed above – is beyond your price range, you can also consider buying second hand, as this option is just as sustainable (if not more!). After all, thrift stores are usually full of pre-loved jackets that you can help give a second life.

Like what you see? Check out more sustainable fashion brands in the Republic of Green Business Directory.