As Veganism started evolving in every part of our existence, from diets to fashion clothing, it has also entered the sports industry. We all know how connected vegan diet and sports are, so it is somehow expected to be incorporated in the products people use for sports.

The majority of people are involved in one or many sports and they are directly or indirectly contributing to the quality of our lives and saving the environment. Sporting goods, such as sports equipment, footwear, and sportswear have all appeared in healthier, eco versions.

Read out the text below to learn more about vegan sporting goods, what are they made of, as well as their benefits in environmental sustainability. We have put the focus on the three most popular sports products nowadays, and certainly the most common ones.

Basketballs

Sports balls are the most used product of equipment across different sports. You may already know the materials of a Basketball Ball, all combined in order to create such a product with a longer duration, and is resistant to hot and cold conditions, scratches, and oil.

Nearly all basketballs consist of an inner spherical bladder, made of inflatable rubber, wrapped in layers of fiber, and then covered with the leather surface. The used material for the leather surface is mostly animal skin.

The animal skin is not eco-friendly and therefore it is advised for sports companies that are following environmental sustainability and its better replacement, like vegan materials. Vegan leather is certainly the one. All the basketballs should be made of vegan leather consisted of natural materials.

Since eco sports products are taking a big place on the market, sports manufacturers are offering many sizes of balls for basketball. When choosing this type of sports ball you can choose according to your gender and experience level. Since this sporting product is a little heavier, there is a size for female players, and youngsters require smaller size for the game, for indoor and outdoor courts.

Soccer Balls

Using a similar type of materials for the production process of a Soccer Ball, producers tend to use more natural fibers and offer sports products with high quality and not making damage to our environment. The combination of synthetics, plants, cotton, rubber, and animal leather is used in creating soccer balls.

However, the eco version of Soccer ball, instead of genuine leather can use man-made leather, out of plants or plastic (polymers). Polymers that are used for faux, known also as vegan leather in the production of a soccer ball are PU, TPU, or PVC.

We should mention the sizes of Soccer Balls, intended for various age categories. If you are a soccer player, and you are above the age of 13, you definitely use Size 5. Most professional soccer players also use this size. Younger players use small-sized balls, like Size 4, designed for players between the age of 8 and 12, and the youngest players, under the age of 8 use Size 3.

Volleyball balls

As it can be attended on different courts outside or inside this sport provides two different models for according to it.

Beach Volleyball uses much lighter and softer sports balls, while contrary to that, Indoor Volleyball requires a heavier ball. The materials used for these two types of balls are pretty similar, and the difference is noticeable only in the weight and the touch.

The surface of this sports product is made of rectangular panels of leather. As in the previous sports balls mentioned above, this leather is also an animal product. So, sports companies made the switch and designed many balls for Beach Volleyball, Indoor Volleyball, or other variations of this sport with synthetic leather, wrapped around a bladder.

You can find all of these Vegan sporting goods in many sports stores, in both physical stores, or shop them online on the sports brands’ websites, or many online sports markets.