Noonsong saw a friend's post on social media of her visit to a vegan restaurant. Out of curiosity, Noonsong also went there. Noonsong ate a hamburger with a vegan patty made without animal ingredients and vegan ice cream made with oats instead of milk. She was surprised that there was little difference in taste from the original food. After the meal, she looked at a pretty leather bag sold at a store next door, and it was made of vegan leather. Noonsong became curious about what veganism is, when it became popular, and how it is utilized in various fields.

 

From ethical choice to trend

A vegetarian is an individual who refrains from consuming meat and instead consumes exclusively plant-based foods. Veganism, a subset of vegetarianism, encompasses completely avoiding animal products, including meat, dairy, and honey, in favor of plant-based alternatives. Those who adhere to vegan principles advocate for rejecting all goods and services derived from animals, extending beyond dietary habits to encompass all facets of life. According to data "Size of vegetarian population in South Korea" released by the Korean Vegan Union in January 2022, the number of vegetarians in South Korea rose from 1.5 million to 2.5 million in 2021. This pattern signifies a substantial departure from the consumption of animal products towards alternative dietary practices. Those who adopt a primarily dietary vegan lifestyle are designated as dietary vegans, while individuals who integrate veganism into all aspects of their lives are lifestyle vegans. Lifestyle veganism encompasses eco-friendly fashion choices and animal-free cosmetics to aid the preservation of animal habitats and the environment. Embracing a vegan lifestyle involves a range of strategies to prioritize plant-based products, contributing to the expanding community of vegans.
As the vegan population increases, companies are producing vegan products. According to the "Vegan Food Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis" released by Fortune Business Insight, a market research firm, on August 7, the global vegan market size grew from 26.16 billion dollars in 2021 to 33.14 billion dollars in 2023. This is interpreted as a global trend, not just a Korean one, as the vegan market grows each year worldwide. In this way, industries targeting vegans, including vegan food, have emerged, and this movement is called "veganomics," a combination of "veganism" and "economics". Veganomics promotes the use of products that do not contain animal materials, aiming to encourage vegetarianism. Since it is an industry that started with vegans, alternative foods, cosmetics and fashion without animal ingredients have appeared. Vegan products are also being used not only in these fields but also in new fields such as the automobile industry. Kia Motors uses a leather-free strategy to gradually reduce the use of leather materials by using bio-polyurethane extracted from corn instead of leather for car seats; it has released the EV9 car which uses vegan products. As interest in and demand increases and the vegan population grows, companies in various fields are releasing many products combined with veganism.
 

 

The beginning of a green wave

Some people choose to go vegan in order to protect the environment. With meat eating putting more pressure on the environment, veganism is being suggested as one of the solutions to this problem. According to a May 2020 study by Imazon, an environmental nongovernmental organization, "The role of cattle ranching in deforestation of the Amazon rainforest," 80% of the Amazon rainforest has been cleared for use in the livestock industry, including pastures, slaughterhouses, and fodder fields. This statistic underscores the impact of ranching on the environment, especially the Amazon. The study showed that livestock farming is one of the main causes of deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions in the Amazon rainforest, highlighting the need for sustainable livestock and food production methods. Rose Lee, who shares vegan recipe content on her YouTube channel, said "I was shocked when I saw the videos of how humans are putting the environment in crisis just to eat and live. I started reading books and watching documentaries and realized that I couldn't continue to live the way I was before."¹⁾ This highlights the importance of individual behavior change and sustainable eating habits to address environmental issues. Therefore, veganism is chosen for its environmental benefits such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving resources.
Protecting the environment through veganism is also linked to protecting animal rights. Factory farming, the practice of using animals in large numbers in confined spaces to increase meat production, is directly related to animal rights. Chickens raised in cages smaller than an A4 sheet of paper and pigs confined to small spaces separated by partitions are exposed to stress and diseases. Chickens have their beaks cut off at seven days old to prevent them from attacking other chickens out of stress. Many vegans are choosing veganism because of this cruelty and animal rights violations. Lee Won-bok, president of the Korea Vegan Union, says, "Living with pets reminds us of the importance of life and makes us think about reducing meat consumption. In particular, the 2030 generation is trying to adopt consumption habits that have a positive impact on the environment and animals, so many people are interested in "good consumption" and oppose animal cruelty."²⁾ This means that people are increasingly concerned about animal rights and want to reduce the cruelty caused by eating meat by choosing a particular consuming style. Related to this is the rise of "value consumption" or "good consumption" which refers to the type of consumer behavior that goes beyond price and quality to consider how a product is made, how workers are treated, its environmental impact, and other factors. Consumers choose products that align with their values to make a positive impact on society. Veganism is spreading an ethical awareness of respecting animal rights throughout society.
The increasing adoption of veganism is driven by numerous factors, with health considerations being a significant motivator. In a survey of 1,000 people published in July by a polling company, Hankook Research, "2024 Vegetarianism and Veganism Perception Survey," 83% of respondents cited health as the main reason for adopting a vegetarian lifestyle. This was followed by 46% who mentioned improved digestion as a motivating factor for veganism. These statistics indicate that vegetarianism isn't just a trend, but a sustainable way of eating that emphasizes health and wellness. Park Ji-young, who started a vegan diet after suffering from chronic indigestion and skin problems, said "At first, it was difficult to give up animal products, including meat, but I gradually noticed changes in my body. My digestion is much better, my skin condition has noticeably improved, and I have more energy and less fatigue, which has greatly improved the quality of my daily life."³⁾ This suggests that the vegan diet has addressed people's health concerns and provided other health benefits alongside it. Many people are choosing to follow a vegan diet with properly balanced nutrition to reap the health benefits. Beyond personal health, veganism is influencing people's choices in areas of social responsibility, such as protecting the environment and preventing animal cruelty.
 

 

The rise of a new paradigm

As the vegan population increases due to several reasons, companies are making new moves related to veganism. They have created alternative foods by processing plant-based ingredients or cultivating cells extracted from animal-based ingredients, which have a similar taste and texture to existing products. Alternative meats are made by isolating proteins from plants such as soybeans, or by extracting and separating animal cells and then going through cell proliferation and growth to become cultured meat. Choi Su-ji, who visited a vegan restaurant in Lotte World Mall in Songpa-gu, Seoul, said, "I'm not vegan, but I was surprised by the quality and taste of alternative meats and felt that Korean alternative meat products have developed. Even if you're not vegan, you can enjoy it."⁴⁾ This is interpreted as demonstrating that the alternative meat market has grown to the point where even non-vegans can enjoy alternative meats without rejecting them due to their taste. Additionally, alternative foods replace the nutrients of animal-based ingredients with plant-based ones, so vegans eat food without restrictions. As interest in and demand for vegan food increases, the related alternative food market is growing and also vegans have the chance to choose non-animal-based food.
As demand for vegan products increases, vegan cosmetics and beauty products have expanded. For non vegan cosmetics, collagen extracted from animal skin tissue and wax extracted from beehives are used. Cosmetics that exclude these animal-based ingredients are called vegan cosmetics and are required to be certified as vegan by a certification agency such as the Korea Vegan Certification Institute. Vegan cosmetics do not conduct animal testing to determine whether the chemical ingredients of cosmetics are harmless to the human body. According to the "Global Cosmetics Survey Results" announced by Grand View Research, a US market research firm, on December 18, 2023, the global vegan cosmetics market size increased from 15.3 billion dollar in 2020 to 17.4 billion dollar in 2021, growing at an average of 6.3% per year since 2016. This shows a gradual increase in the vegan cosmetics market as companies have expanded the production of vegan cosmetics to meet the demand among the vegan population. Fashion manufacturing company LF launched the vegan beauty brand "Athe" in October 2019, which promotes 100% vegan beauty, and received vegan certification. Athe's "Authentic Lip Balm" is a cosmetic product that contains natural oils extracted from pineapple and peach and moisturizing ingredients extracted from sugarcane. In this way, vegans do veganism in beauty by using cosmetics made only from plant-based ingredients and are not tested on animals. An office worker in his 30s said, "When choosing cosmetics, I consider the brand and its effectiveness, but I also check whether it is tested on animals. Now, it is not difficult to find vegan cosmetics in Korea." This shows that people who care about animal welfare are looking for vegan cosmetics as the vegan cosmetics market expands and becomes more accessible in Korea. As the vegan population grows and the vegan market grows, animal-based ingredients are no longer used in various products in addition to food.
The need for vegan products extends not only to beauty but also to fashion. Vegan fashion is defined as clothing that does not use materials derived from animals, such as faux fur or leather, and synthetic materials. Therefore, vegan fashion uses cactus leather, mushroom leather, and cornstarch instead. Marhen J, a Korean vegan handbag brand that uses materials such as cactus, Korean paper, and oranges, is found in department stores and regular stores, and exports to overseas countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam. This means as the vegan population increases, new fashion brands for vegans have also appeared. However, the consumption of vegan fashion for animal protection has limitations by causing environmental problems. Vegan fashion uses synthetic materials made of plastic, which does not decompose naturally, causing environmental pollution. Compared to animal leather, artificial leather has a short lifespan of two to three years, which generates more waste. About this problem, Angela Winkle, head of sustainability at shoe manufacturer RM Williams, said, "We need to make sure that alternative leather is of equal quality to and has as long a lifespan as real leather. If the product lifespan is short and production and consumption increase, it will not be possible to reduce the carbon footprint."⁵⁾ It indicates that in order to realize animal protection through vegan fashion, it is necessary to complement the limitations of alternative leather. The rise of the vegan trend has led to an expansion of veganomics in various fields, but in the case of vegan fashion, it seems there is a need to consider the possibility of environmental pollution from vegan products.
 

 

Change beyond the kitchen table

Vegans are people who eat a plant-based diet. The increasing adoption of veganism, driven by considerations of health, environmental consciousness, and animal welfare, is propelling the advancement of the vegan industry. This progress is reflected in the growth of plant-based food alternatives, vegan cosmetics, and vegan fashion. The continuous expansion of the vegan industry has positive implications for environmental conservation, animal welfare, and public health. Along with these advantages, it seems that the industry still needs to address some of its challenges, such as environmental pollution, to continue to grow.

 

1) Lee Jin-ju, "Vegetarianism Is a Process of Deeply Considering Animal Welfare and the Global Environment", The Kyunghyang Shinmun, October 17, 2022

2) Heo Mi-dam, "Veganism 'Trending' in Gen MZ, Here's Why", The Asia Business Daily, January 13, 2022

3) Park Cho-yeo-reum, "Slowly, Little by Little, Steadily! Eco-Friendly Lifestyle 'Dalpang Sangsang'", Hansan News, June 23, 2023

4) Yoo Seon-hee, "What on Earth Is 'Alternative Meat'? Will Large Companies Be Able to Capture Consumers With 'Plant-Based Food'?", The Hankyoreh, August 8, 2022

5) Kim Na-yoon, "Artificial Leather Made From Plants… Are They All Eco-Friendly?", News Tree, March 27, 2023

 

Jung Kim Minju / Reporter
smt.jkmj@gmail.com
Kim Park Yuna / Reporter
smt.kpyn@gmail.com