Imagine if ASU’s campus was full of men and women wearing animal heads on their feet. That would probably be odd, and rather disgusting. Then travel up Mill Avenue and imagine that the zoo has a special section for animals that were hurt by product testing. There would probably be a section for mice with hives, and another area for petting the mentally ill monkeys.

Sadly, this fantasy isn’t that far from reality. Michelle Rocks, art freshman, believes, “animals are being abused for material things that people feel they have the right to exploit.” Rocks is a vegan, someone who does not eat any animal products, and she feels it would be hypocritical to wear clothing that isn’t vegan as well.

“Factory farming and all the other industries that produce clothing produce a lot of waste that harms the environment. It’s causing really bad effects on ecosystems everywhere and people don’t realize it,” Rocks says.

Britta McCarthy, secondary education and political science senior, grew up eating macrobiotic and vegetarian foods. When she moved out of her parent’s house, she continued her healthy eating habits and took it a step further by making her care for animals a lifestyle.

“There are increasing amounts of sustainable options, like organic clothing, hemp clothing and unbleached clothing” McCarthy says. “Supporting vegan clothing can also mean reducing how much leather you purchase, and abstaining from products that are tested on animals or contain animal by-products.”

Dustin De La Garza, pre-vet freshman, doesn’t believe in “wearing something that used to be alive, something that used to feel pain.” He has clothing made out of recycled tires, hemp and other reusable products. De La Garza’s father works for PETA, and De La Garza himself is a big supporter of the group. He encourages students to get online and do some research about animal rights.

For those who are worried that wearing vegan clothing means looking like a park ranger, there is no need to fret. There are plenty of stylish options. McCarthy recommends brands such as Bungalow 360 bags, Ecco Bella cosmetics and Seedless, which can all be found online. “There is quite a bit out there already,” she says.

Rocks’ favorite vegan stores are in Portland, but she adds that there are plenty of stores elsewhere as well as online vendors. “American Apparel is really trying to get the word out on the sweatshop-free thing,” Rocks says. America Apparel is her favorite vegan vendor.

Many celebs are doing their part as well. Natalie Portman recently designed a vegan shoe line that offers strappy, sexy heels without hurting any animals. Leona Lewis, Stella McCartney and Pamela Anderson are just a few other celebrities who are creating animal-friendly clothing lines.

It’s becoming easier and easier to find stylish vegan clothing. The PETA website is extremely informative and for a larger variety of opinions and sites, De La Garza says, “Google it!” There is also a Vegaware group at ASU whose members are well adept in the subject. So to keep those mice hive free, look into vegan clothing to make a wardrobe animal-friendly and green.

Reach the reporter at kahavens@asu.edu.