When you think of the word “Vegan” most people automatically think of a type of diet that excludes animal products or anything derived from an animal. But Vegan means so much more than just food, it’s a lifestyle.
A holistic approach
It is a holistic approach to life that encompasses everything from what you put in your mouth to what you put on your body and even the products you use for everyday cleaning.
It means reading the labels to see what is in every product you buy.
But did you know?
- That some added Vitamin D is derived from animals?
- Vitamin D2 is vegan but Vitamin D3 is usually derived from lanoline (sheep’s wool).
- Or what Cera Alba is?
- Often found in sweets, waterproofing and cosmetics it is really bee’s wax.
- Or what some paints use as a binding agent?
- Milk proteins and that they are often tested on animals. Or that specific pigments are derived from things as various as beetles to charred bones.
- Or that many wines and beers use Isinglass as a fining agent?
- Isinglass is a gelatine like product made from fish swim bladders and can also be found in specialty glues.
- Even in the manufacturing of plastic bags animal fats have been used!
- Often referred to as a “slip agent” it’s used to prevent the polymers from sticking to metals during manufacturing & stops bags clinging to each other afterwards. This “slip agent” is derived from the steric acid in animal fat.
It’s tricky being Vegan. With so many additives, with so many different names, it’s a full-time job keeping up-to-date.
Certified Vegan
There is an easier way. Buy products that have already had all their ingredients looked at by a trusted source and there is no better trusted source than Certified Vegan. This is the Holy Grail for Vegan products. You don’t have to second guess a product with this labeling as it means the product is 100% free of any animal-derived ingredients and was not tested on animals.
Why we choose to be Vegan?
We have chosen to have our Eco Max Brushes certified Vegan and proudly display their logo because we believe in being open and transparent in all aspects of our business. We want you to be assured that when we say our products are Vegan, they have no hidden ingredients, in the glues we use or the sealants on our timbers. This transparency continues with our endorsement by the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand so you can be assured that our supply chain is ethical and abides by the 10 Fair trade principles.
It is your right to know what you are buying and the impacts those products have on people and the planet. This holistic approach for us is a matter of ImportAnts.
