100% Vegan & 100% Vegan eco

The topic of vegan is on everyone's mind. Not only in food, but also in the shoe and accessory segment, vegan products are enjoying increasing popularity. At the PFI, enquiries about vegan product quality and the awarding of a corresponding test mark are increasing.

Why is that so? And what is crucial when it comes to vegan products? We ask Dr. Ines Anderie, PFI Head of the Chemical Analysis Department.

Do you notice an increased demand for vegan test marks?

Dr. Ines Anderie: Yes, definitely. We have a lot of enquiries. The topic of vegan is attracting a lot of interest; it has become a socially relevant topic. Especially in the shoe and bag sector. We notice that clearly. Customers are often not in a position to see the whole field of requirements for their products. It's about more than just the upper material or lining. All material identities, including adhesives, varnishes and other substances that arise during processing, have to be tested so that a product can be described as 100% vegan. Even the packaging must not contain any animal components.Ja, auf jeden Fall. Wir haben sehr viele Anfragen. Das Thema Vegan stößt auf großes Interesse; es hat sich zu einem gesellschaftlich relevanten Thema entwickelt. Vor allem auch im Schuh- und Taschenbereich. Das merken wir deutlich. Die Kunden sind häufig nicht in der Lage, bei ihren Produkten das gesamte Feld an Anforderungen zu überschauen. Es geht dabei ja um mehr als das bloße Obermaterial oder Futter. Alle Materialidentitäten, auch Kleber, Lacke und sonstige Stoffe, die bei der Verarbeitung anfallen, müssen geprüft werden, damit ein Produkt die Bezeichnung 100% vegan erfüllt. Auch die Verpackung darf keine tierischen Bestandeile enthalten.

How do you proceed during the exam?

Dr. Ines Anderie: The visual inspection is urgently required for us. Currently, thong sandals or clogs are often submitted. We test the complete shoe. The inspection of individual shoe parts is also important. I am thinking of insoles, for example. In addition, we request the documents for the individual materials. If there are discrepancies, the materials are then checked again in the laboratory.
 

How long does this process take?

Dr. Ines Anderie: If all documents are complete on the part of the manufacturer or dealer, the inspection and the award of the test mark is completed within one week.

 

The PFI awards the following test marks

100% Vegan

In today's world, the issue of sustainability plays a major role and many consumers are turning to an animal-free (=vegan) and animal-friendly lifestyle. The 100% Vegan certification mark is intended to help consumers identify the origin of materials and to make purchasing decisions easier. The PFI 100% Vegan test mark is able to be awarded for vegan articles, materials and process materials. 100% Vegan in the sense of our test mark are articles for whose production the use of animal materials and products was dispensed with, this also includes all components of the sales packaging, as well as enclosed information. It must also be ensured that the auxiliary materials used, such as adhesives, paints, varnishes, etc., do not contain any components of animal origin.

100% Vegan eco

The PFI 100% Vegan eco mark can be awarded to vegan articles, materials and process materials that have been produced in a controlled ecological manner. It offers an effective way of drawing additional attention to your products and documenting your sense of responsibility to the outside world. The PFI 100% Vegan eco mark is modular and consists of two modules: the 100% Vegan PFI mark and the eco module. The eco module is made up of several requirements. During an on-site visit to the manufacturing company, our auditors check quality management and energy-saving measures as well as compliance with environmental standards, occupational health and safety requirements and social standards.

The 100% Vegan and 100% Vegan eco test marks are awarded exclusively by the Prüf- und Forschungsinstitut Pirmasens e.V. The institute was founded over 60 years ago for product testing, research and certification for the footwear industry and its suppliers and has unique industry-specific and cross-industry know-how.

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