June 22, 2022

Deborah DiMare, founder and principal of DiMare Design, which has studios in New York, Miami and Palm Beach, discusses a driving force in her practice: vegan design.

Our conversation began with Deborah recalling the origin of her awareness of vegan design. From childhood to the present, she always had pets in the household and considered them to be members of the family. Learning about the inhumane treatment of animals in the leather industry and the use of potent chemicals in the process, she turned her concern into a cause: cruelty-free, healthy design.

Deborah talks about how this has been a turning point in her life and her design business. Initially self-educated about compassionate design practices, her authority has grown to the point of working with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and becoming a board member of Farm Sanctuary.

Then the discussion turns to Deborah’s work. Using her own home as an example of vegan design, she walks listeners through the project. When first implementing a vegan design approach, she recommends starting with a finite set of small, easily achievable goals, such as replacing chemical-laden textiles with organic alternatives. We also learn the various reasons why clients are attracted to commissioning a vegan-design studio. Motivations range from a desire for a toxin-free environment to wanting to avoid animal-based products.

Deborah wraps up the podcast with a look ahead. As founder of VeganDesign.org, she has created a program to certify professionals as vegan-design qualified. The organization also acts as a resource for products that have been verified as vegan. She explains the criteria for including vendors in her online shop, and outlines several new online courses available to designers.