What Is World Vegan Day, and Why Is It on 1 November?

World Vegan Day is celebrated every year on 1 November. It was created in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then chair of The Vegan Society in the UK, to mark the society's 50th anniversary, and with it the birth of the word "vegan". Today it is marked by individuals, charities, restaurants and brands around the world.

Where did it come from?

In November 1944, Donald Watson called a meeting of five other non-dairy vegetarians in the UK, among them Elsie Shrigley. They wanted a way to talk about a way of living that went further than vegetarianism, and they felt it needed a word of its own, shorter than "non-dairy vegetarian".

The word they settled on was "vegan", which Watson later described as containing the first three and the last two letters of "vegetarian". The Vegan Society credits Watson with coining it, from a suggestion by early members George and Fay Henderson, who had proposed calling the society "Allvega" and its magazine "Allvegan".

Why 1 November?

Here is the honest answer: nobody knows the exact day the society was founded. The records give the month, November 1944, but not the date. When Wallis created World Vegan Day fifty years later, she chose 1 November, and later said that part of the reason was that it falls alongside Halloween and the Day of the Dead, both traditional times of year for feasting.

So 1 November is a choice, not a historical record. And it is a useful one: it gives the movement a single day to point to, every year.

What does "vegan" actually mean?

The Vegan Society describes veganism as a way of living that seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, the exploitation of and cruelty to animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

That definition is wider than a diet. It includes what we wear, and it includes what we put on our feet. A vegan wardrobe is built without leather, wool, silk and other animal-derived materials, and with attention to what replaces them.

How do people mark the day?

Start where you are. Whether you have been vegan for years or are only just curious, here are some simple ways to mark the day:

• Try a plant-based recipe or restaurant you haven't been to before.
• Read one label, on a jacket, a belt or a pair of shoes, and find out what it is made of.
• Support a sanctuary or a local animal organisation.
• Share what you learn with one person.

Why a shoe brand cares

NAE stands for No Animal Exploitation. We have been fully vegan since 2008, and every pair we make is 100% vegan: no leather, no animal-derived materials, in any product or season. We also make a regular donation to a charity.

This year World Vegan Day falls inside our World Vegan Week, from 29 October to 8 November. If you are looking for a pair that matches what the day is about, you can use the code WVD26 for 25% off our vegan shoes, boots and sneakers during that week. Shop the World Vegan Week sale.

Quick answers

When is World Vegan Day? Every year on 1 November.

Who started it? Louise Wallis, then chair of The Vegan Society, in 1994.

Why 1 November? The society was founded in November 1944, but the exact date isn't recorded. Wallis chose the 1st.

Who coined the word "vegan"? The Vegan Society credits Donald Watson, in 1944.

Where do I start? Wherever you are. Take one step: read one label, try one recipe, share what you learn.

Source for the history: The Vegan Society.