Laura Way is the Founder of Votch, a vegan-friendly and cruelty-free watch and accessory brand, based in the UK. We had the chance to chat with her and learn more about the company and her journey.
Can you tell us the story behind Votch?
Votch began when a few years back I was struck down with a condition called Topical Steroid Withdrawal, a condition that saw all my skin fall off (we’ll spare you from the pictures!). During the years that it took me to recover, I turned to documentaries and educated myself on various subjects regarding animal welfare, including facts about the leather industry that truly shocked me. I vowed never to wear the skin of another being again and when an old watch strap broke, finding a vegan leather alternative was simply impossible… so, the idea for Votch was born!
Your watches are simple yet stylish, plus they are vegan! What materials did you choose, and why?
Thank you! At Votch, we research and use the most innovative fabrics we can in our watches and accessories and continually develop our designs and durability. We want to make cruelty free accessories available to all and love to work with innovative materials such as Enviroleather, Piñatex and AppleSkin.
Your sizing is very inclusive and your products are extremely versatile. Are we going to see more of that in the future? Do you have something already planned?
We will always continue to design, develop and improve and it’s always our goal to make sure we have something for everyone. Our current focus is on improving our sustainability and we have lots planned for the future, but it is all a secret for now!
We love seeing brands giving back to the community. You guys at the moment have several giving-back schemes going on. Do you want to talk about them?
We are passionate about giving back and it is thanks to our wonderful customers that we are able to help so many causes! We donate a percentage of our profits to various charities throughout the year and have implemented a Take Back/Give Back recycling scheme to help reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills and promote more sustainable fashion practices. We have also partnered with ACTAsia on our Give Backpack to help create sustainable social change through educating Asian societies about compassion towards animals. And, for every Votch order, a mangrove is planted in Madagascar!
Do you have a personal favourite among your creations?
My personal favourite is the Rose Gold and Cloudy Grey with Taupe Lyka, I love how fun and colourful this whole collection is!
