Many watches are made from plastic or leather (not a by-product of the meat industry, and often made in countries with poor or no animal welfare laws). Leather is also very polluting, with tanners having higher rates of cancer from the chemicals that end up in our eco system. Leather is also not good for the planet. It takes 17,000 litres of fresh water to make 1kg of leather. 80% of leather is tanned with chrome that is toxic to tannery workers (who have higher rates of cancer than average). And of course animals suffer – 65% of leather is from cows. Here are some better brands of watches (and straps) when time comes to replace.
Recycle watch batteries(choking hazards) at jewellers. Send broken and unused watches (and other jewellery) to Animals Asia, where the metal is used to raise cash for its work to help bears and other creatures abroad.
watches made from old furniture & railway tracks
The Sustainable Watch Company (also sold on Etsy) offers unique handmade watches made from recycled wood (from old furniture and railway tracks). Sold in many styles, this climate-positive business offsets carbon with each order, and plants 10 trees for each watch sold. Sent in beautiful zero-waste gift packaging, the watch straps are also made from recycled wood.
Each watch boasts intricate exposed mechanics, and quality mechanical movement (which winds the watch, and stops after around 38 hours in static state). To fully re-wind, turn the crown 360 degrees x 20. Each pack includes a strap adjustment kit, with a pin removal tool and 3 spare tips.
colourful vegan leather watches from Barcelona
Hurtig Lane (Spain) offers quality vegan watches from the beautiful city of Barcelona, along with watch straps in several sizes, to fit their own watches and other brands (you can replace your watch strap in seconds). From rich colourful vegan leathers (including cactus leather, which is very soft and needs hardly any water to make, unlike animal leather) to petite straps for small wrists, there are watches for men and women in a range of colours and designs, along with traditional square-faced dials.
Votch (also sold at Immaculate Vegan) makes beautiful vegan leather watches (and straps) in quality Microfiber and part-recycled materials like piñatex (from pineapple waste, made from the long leaves of the plant that would otherwise be discarded, and provides additional income for farmers).
This company was founded by a woman who whilst bored in a hospital bed (suffering from a painful skin condition) read up on the leather industry, and promised herself that when better, she would launch a company to help the skins of our fellow creatures (ie. leather-free). So she did! Use natural dubbin to wax the straps (leave in a warm location for 24 hours, then buff with a cloth). The company also makes beautiful metal mesh watches, if you prefer a more traditional style.
luxury vegan leather watches from Sweden
Evig Grön (Sweden) offers luxury vegan leather watches that combin Nordic design with makers in Switzerland and other countries. Straps are handmade by master artisans using sustainable Portugese cork leather (no trees are cut down to make cork, and its use helps to retain forests in a world of plastic wine corks). All watches include an Italian-made pouch and wooden box.
Swiss-made sustainable vegan watches
Fjordson (Belgium) creates Swiss-made vegan Italian watches, made with sustainable quality materials. Swiss-made watches must conform to certain strict conditions. The range includes a a choice of dial and strap colours, most are water-resistant and designed to last a lifetime. 5% of profits are donated to charities, mostly focused on animal welfare and ocean preservation.
solar-powered vegan watches from Canada
Solios Watches (Canada) use solar power to move the dials on its vegan leather watches, so no batteries are needed (just sit the watch in the sun for 2 hours to power up for six months, using the invisible solar panel). The casings are made from recycled stainless steel and the ionic plating avoids chemical waste from traditional colours (which spill into groundwatcher).
The plastic-free packaging includes cork watch pillows, and an acre of rainforest is protected, for each watch sold. Watches (for men and women) include vegan leather or metal mesh straps, some designed for smaller wrists, and others include sapphire crystal coating, to minimise scratches. These watches are designed to last 30 years.
