Tattoos are a great way of expressing your individuality and many are opting for these mediums to show their concern towards animal cruelty and for the world around them by opting for vegan tattoos. Wondering what that is? Well, it’s the ink that is vegan. It uses carbon or logwood to create a black colour, and a vegetable-based glycerin

Delhi- based Lokesh Verma, founder of Devil’z Tattooz who is also listed as one of the top artists in the world, says that Vegan tattoos didn’t emerge all of a sudden.

“Some people have always been there asking for vegan alternatives in Inks and in ointments. And for the past decade, as the people got aware of the benefits of vegan alternatives not just for them for the environment as well, Studios have started using this alternative. We have been using vegan products for almost a decade as the inks we use Quantum Inks are organic as well as vegan,” Verma told Opoyi.

International tattoo artist Micky Malani, Co-founder of BodyCanvas Tattoos with studios in Delhi, Mumbai, and London, agrees that vegan tattoos are there for a while now

‘… but the last couple of years have seen a marked increase in the use of vegan alternatives across the industry. Personally, it makes me happy that my industry is doing its bit. Although we can all do a lot more individually, as a tattooist, it’s good to see the industry choosing the right and standing up against any animal cruelty. Frankly, there is no excuse for tattoo products not to be vegan anymore,” Malani told Opoyi.

Malani also informs that one should make themselves aware of the brands of products used as part of the process by the studio/artist.

“Historically, a number of these products have been animal-derived and included such things as animal fat, ground-up bones, etc. Now, the industry has many Vegan-friendly options. Consumers should ask their artists about the brands they use and check if these are in-fact Vegan friendly,” he said.

The products he is referring to includes everything, from tattoo ink, to trace paper, to creams, soaps, and after-care used by the studio.

“Well normal inks are not organic or vegan so usually it is made up of chemicals and is a dye which can be harmful to your skin. It can cause rashes, allergies and might infect your skin and mess up your tattoo design as well,” said Verma.

He also says that veganism is becoming a new norm slowly but surely because now people are getting more and more aware of the benefits of vegan products.

“It is good for everyone as well as the environment so I think as we progress over time people will opt for vegan products cause it has every positive and no negatives if we talk about tattooing especially,” expressed Verma.

So is there any change in the process while getting a vegan tattoo done? Well no, answers Malani and adds that’s the best part.

“The consumer can still be rest assured that the end product will remain the same,” he said.

One of the visible differences of Vegan tattoos is the cost of these products.

“But frankly, cost should not be the concern here. We have an ethical responsibility as businesses to make sustainable choices. BodyCanvas hasn’t passed on these costs to the consumer and the laws of economics will mean that eventually as the market matures and even more alternatives arise, the costs will begin to flatten out,” said Malani.

Some of the common tattoo trends in India are portrait tattoos, realism and arm band while in London, it is ornamental and realism.

So it won’t be wrong to say that Vegan tattoos are anything but a fleeting fad and here to stay.