The debate between vegan and non-vegan cosmetic ingredients often centers around ethical considerations, environmental and health impacts, and sustainability. While some brands opt for vegan products—believing them to be the more responsible choice—this assumption can be misleading. That’s why Evolved By Nature—a life sciences company pioneering natural peptide discovery—emphasizes that the true mark of sustainability is if an ingredient contributes to the circular economy.
Evolved By Nature: Pioneers in Natural Peptide Discovery
Evolved By Nature creates high-performing, sustainable* ingredients for skincare, beauty, fashion, and beyond. Their innovative Activated Silk™ biotechnology produces custom bioactive peptides that replace petrochemical-derived and environmentally harmful ingredients common in beauty products. Activated Silk™ peptides not only deliver exceptional results but also align with sustainable practices that benefit both people and planet.
Vegan vs. Non-Vegan Ingredients: Rethinking Sustainability
At first glance, Evolved By Nature’s use of silk—derived from silkworm cocoons—might raise questions among those who conflate “vegan” with “sustainable”. But here’s the crucial question: Can a product with non-vegan ingredients be more sustainable than its vegan counterparts? The answer is a definitive yes. Sustainability isn’t just about whether an ingredient is animal-derived; it’s about the broader environmental impact, sourcing practices, and product lifecycle.
Many consumers mistakenly assume vegan products are inherently cruelty-free and sustainable. But that’s not always the case. The term “vegan” is often used as a catch-all to imply sustainability, even when products contain problematic ingredients or have significant environmental costs. This misunderstanding is especially common in the beauty and skincare industries, where products labeled as vegan might still contain synthetic chemicals, toxic compounds, or petrochemical derivatives that are far from environmentally friendly.
For example, ingredients like acrylates and dimethicones—commonly found in vegan cosmetics—can contribute to microplastic pollution and environmental damage. These ingredients, while plant-derived or synthetically produced without animal products, may still fail to meet true sustainability standards. Additionally, many active skincare ingredients in vegan formulations are energy- and resource-intensive to produce, often at the expense of local ecosystems or communities.
The bottom line: vegan doesn’t automatically mean a product is sustainable or cruelty-free. To truly assess sustainability, it’s essential to look beyond the label and evaluate the full environmental and ethical implications of the ingredients—whether they’re animal-derived or not.
The Danger of Buzzwords
Much like other marketing buzzwords— “clean,” “natural,” and “chemical-free”—the term “vegan” is increasingly being used in ways that mislead consumers into thinking it equates to sustainability. “Vegan” is a very useful label for those following a vegan lifestyle, but when used in beauty marketing, it moves perilously close to buzzword territory. Vegan does not guarantee a product is cruelty-free or sustainable. It’s often used to imply sustainability even when the ingredients tell a different story.
Why Silk? The Case for Activated Silk™ Peptides
In contrast, Evolved By Nature’s Activated Silk™ peptides are naturally derived, upcycled, and biodegradable. They are crafted using renewable resources and renewable energy, contributing to eight of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Activated Silk™ peptides help power the circular economy by being produced without harmful outputs and designed to return back to the carbon cycle.
Yes, silk is an animal-derived material—much like milk or honey. But it’s a resource that nature has perfected over millions of years, that is vastly rich in potential. Evolved By Nature has developed a novel biotechnological process to unlock the myriad properties of silk protein, all while avoiding harmful processing chemicals, non-regenerative feedstocks, and energy intensive manufacturing processes.
Evolved By Nature ensures its silk is certified cruelty-free and upcycled from the sericulture industry—if they didn’t use it, it would turn into a waste product. So instead of going to waste, Evolved By Nature leverages silk to advance healthier skin and to then return to nature after its use, in a healthier, more circular way.
Conclusion: The Future of Sustainable Cosmetics
For skincare users, the bottom line is simple: products must work. Evolved By Nature delivers, offering ingredients that outperform both synthetic and natural alternatives—whether vegan or not. But performance is only part of the equation. We must also create products that are truly sustainable, because the future of both our skin and our planet depends on it.
Veganism plays an important role in the conversation about ethical consumption, but it shouldn’t be the sole metric for sustainability. True sustainability is far more complex than a single “catch-all” label. Fortunately, natural, renewable biotechnology is helping us build a circular economy where waste is minimized, resources are regenerated, and products give back to nature. At Evolved By Nature, we’re contributing to a robust circular economy by using renewable resources and renewable energy to make our ingredients, shipping our ingredients in dry format to reduce plastic packaging and carbon footprint, and designing ingredients to return to nature at the end of their lifecycle. By embracing these principles, we can create a healthier relationship with our cosmetics and a more sustainable future for the planet.
*The manufacturing of Activated Silk™ technology contributes to achieving 8/17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. For more information, visit sdgs.un.org/goals
