A few weeks ago, we threw a notion out into the universe that perhaps all this talk about leather being the 'natural' option when it comes to fashion, was not entirely true.  We said we'd discuss the manufacturing, the environmental impact, the biodegradability, and yes, even the ethics around the industrial level raising of animals on the planet.  We asked our community if they wanted to know more.  The answer was a resounding YES.  Co-authored by Cathryn Wills + Emma Hakansson, with as much research as they could gather to illustrate the point that 'faux' may be a dirty word to many, but modern leather has its own grubby secrets.

We've been a fan of Karissa's style + authentic approach to telling her story, since day 1 of Sans Beast.  As Creative Director of fashion + lifestyle blog, Tomgirl + Threads, Karissa Sparke believes in a conscious lifestyle.  This involves plant based eating, slow living + treading lightly on our planet.  She's renowned for her effortless style, her travel + beach adventures - and her growing menagerie of furry friends, including Bean + more recently, the heavenly Peanut. We caught up with Karissa to talk life, inspiration + how an avid traveller has adjusted to living life in lockdown.

We’re calling it early at Studio Sans Beast - khaki is one of our top picks for this Spring/ Summer season. For our Series 6 collection we’ve taken some of our much loved pieces + reimagined them in khaki toned fabrics, plus we’ve added in some brand new khaki styles. Here are our top khaki picks just in time for you to #BeastBloom:

Life may be looking + feeling different in 2020, but we've all still got things to carry. be it for work, exercise, study or shopping, a roomy receptacle is called for. We've curated a selection of favourites in our vegan tote bag collection, read through to find your perfect tote.

With a collection called Beast Bloom, it was inevitable that some floristry magic would be needed.  We reached out to the talented India Robinson, creative director + founder of BLOSSM BBY + asked her to create something otherworldly + spectacular, to sit with a selection of our Sans Beast treasures for a street shoot.  India brings her unique eye + floral artistry to her business - and it was such a joy to work with her on this project.  We spoke with India about all things flowers, anime, aliens + spreading love, particularly during these stormy times.

2020 has been tumultuous so far + Sans Beast has not been immune to the challenges.  As a niche, vegan handbag brand celebrating our second birthday in March, it was a rude awakening to follow the blowing out of the birthday candles with a new acronym + lifestyle - WFH.  However this post is not about doom + gloom, it's about celebrating creativity, getting excited about a new collection, recognising the power (and importance) of collaboration + enjoying the notion of blooming again.

Pam Ahern is the founder + owner of Edgar's Mission. A former equestrian champion, a chance encounter with a trotter named Edgar Alan Pig saw her give up her full time job + create a haven for farm animals which she built from the ground up. We caught up with her to talk about her incredible + inspiring journey.

When we think about freedom for everyone on the planet, we tend to think of humans only.  But did you know there are people fighting, every day, for the freedom of intelligent, thoughtful, sentient beings who have been mistreated by humankind? Mickey Suzuki is one of these people.  Her story of how she came to work with the Non human Rights Project, the ongoing struggle to win rights for non human animals + her inherent compassion for all living beings, is a compelling one.  Read on to learn more about the NhRP, what the difference between animal welfare + animal rights is, and discover encouraging stories about how cases are being fought + won, through legal avenues.

Nick Pearce is Co-founder + CEO of HoMie, a Melbourne based retail brand that uses its profits to provide training + employment opportunities for youth experiencing homelessness. We  caught up with Nick to talk about how HoMie came about + the challenges facing young people living rough.

We're not nutritionists, dieticians or chefs.  But we do like food, and we love discovering plant based recipes to add to our repertoire of iso cooking options.  With the winter chill still in the air in Melbourne (is that just the weather, or is lockdown 2.0 bringing its own chill??), we're reaching for home cooked, whole food, plant based recipes that ensure we remain healthy in our body + mind.  Get tempted, ditch the constant takeaway, buy up those veggies + tap into your inner gourmand.

Amanda Leigh Walker is the Co-founder + Head of Operations of vegan fast food institution, Lord of the Fries. She's also a life coach + teaches people how to recalibrate their power, lead with love, live authentically + with purpose. We caught up to discuss her journey from french fry mogul to spiritual healer.  We could all do with some healing right now - we hope you enjoy this conversation.  And for those who haven't tried the fries - we strongly encourage you to do so.  Everyone needs a salty potato treat to cheer up an iso day.

When times are confusing, challenging, lonely or isolating...or all of the above - we all need go-to mechanisms to call on for help in resilience.  Our small team share their favourite books, podcasts, vegan eats + words of wisdom, for keeping it real during dark times.  Sometimes we just need to get out of our own heads + ride out the storm.