What Makes a Tattoo Shop Vegan?

We decided to operate as a completely vegan tattoo shop in 2018. What does this mean? We thought you might have some questions, so we took the liberty of jotting down a few answers.

Isn’t veganism all about diet?

Veganism isn’t just about eating a plant-based diet. It is abstaining from the use of animal products in every sphere of life. This touches not only upon food, but other areas such as clothing, toiletries, entertainment, and, yes, tattooing (and piercing).

How are animal products used in tattooing?

Non-vegan tattoo ink may contain bone char, glycerine from animal fat, gelatine from hooves, or shellac from beetles. Not only this, but some razors may have a gel strip made from glycerine. Oh, and there is also the matter of aftercare products. Apart from containing animal products, they may be tested on animals.

What steps have you taken to become a vegan shop?

Apart from using vegan ink and razors, we have replaced all single-use plastic materials with biodegradable plant-based alternatives. From cleaning solutions to stencil application products, pens to tattoo creams and aftercare products, everything used on your tattoo journey will be 100% vegan and cruelty free. You can be guaranteed that our products are of the highest quality too. Win-win, right?

Are there other ways that you like to help the environment?

All products used to disinfect the studio are vegan. Aside from our plant-based approach, we try to be as sustainable as possible. We recycle as much of our waste as possible, and our loo flush even uses waste water from the hand washing bowl!

We are also patrons of FRIEND animal sanctuary (click here to learn more) and are members of Viva, the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity.

Do you expect your clients to be vegan?

Of course not. Everybody is welcome at Lighthouse. If you are interested in veganism, however, there is a tonne of information online. Of course, we’re always happy to talk about what an animal-friendly lifestyle means to us.

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