Days Until World Vegan Day

About World Vegan Day

November 1 was established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then chair of the UK Vegan Society, marking the 50th anniversary of the society's founding and of the coining of the term "vegan" itself by the society's co-founder Donald Watson in 1944.

The date kicks off what's sometimes informally extended into "World Vegan Month" throughout November, promoting awareness of veganism as a dietary and lifestyle choice.

The word "vegan" was deliberately coined by Donald Watson from the first three and last two letters of "vegetarian," intended to mark a distinct dietary category rather than simply a stricter version of vegetarianism.

The UK Vegan Society Watson co-founded in 1944 remains active today, continuing to certify vegan products with its trademarked sunflower logo, now used by companies well beyond the UK.

Vegan Society membership and vegan product certification have both grown substantially since the society's 1944 founding, paralleling a broader rise in plant-based diets researchers have documented across multiple countries in recent decades.