Best Animal-Friendly Fashion
Marc Bouwer
When your designs are seen around the world at events like the Academy Awards, the Country Music Awards and the Golden Globes and you dress stars like Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, Shania Twain and Mariah Carey, it’s fair to say that you have some influence in the fashion world. But what’s even more impressive than Marc Bouwer’s client list is his dedication to using only animal-friendly materials in his collections. Although Marc once used animal skins, he went fur- and leather-free after he saw PETA US’s footage of what animals used for their skin endure. Now, having recently sworn off Australian wool, Bouwer is banning all wool from his upcoming collection and teamed up with PETA US to launch his new 100 percent cruelty-free fashion line at New York Fashion Week. Proving to the fashion industry that style and glamour don’t have to cost an animal his or her life, we congratulate Marc Bouwer on his commitment to keeping cruelty off the catwalk.

Best Cruelty-Free Personal Care Product Line
Tom’s of Maine
Since 1970, Tom’s of Maine has been at the forefront of the innovative idea that personal care products like deodorant, dental floss, toothpaste, mouthwash, shaving cream and soap can be made without artificial, chemical or animal ingredients. While other companies use animal-based ingredients and test on animals, Tom’s uses palm, coconut and olive oils; vegetable glycerine; aloe vera juice and wheat protein instead. Tom’s now has 90 completely natural and animal-friendly oral and body care products available at more than 40,000 retail outlets across the country and around the world.

Best Faux-Meat Product
Wicken Fen Foods – Mushroom and Tarragon Sausage
Since 1994, Wicken Fen has produced a diverse and tasty range of healthy and low-fat vegetarian and vegan faux-meat products that make it easy for everyone to cut meat out of their diet. Famous for their gourmet vegetarian sausages, the Mushroom and Tarragon is the finest of their flavours. Spicy and tantalising, this mouth-watering mock meat puts the “bang” in bangers and mash. Wicken Fen also makes Cumberland Style Meatballs, Sage & Onion Stuffing Balls, Crumbed Vegetable Burgers, Vegetable Sausage, Carrot and Coriander Grills and Spicy Bean Burgers. Bringing high-quality vegan food to High Street by supplying Sainsbury’s, airlines and hotels, Wicken Fen’s products can also be found at a variety of supermarkets, delicatessens and health-food chains nationwide.

Best Humane Wildlife Innovation
Mousemesh
Easy to afford and highly effective, Mousemesh is a new, humane innovation that uses grills to cover vents that could provide rodents with an entrance into your home. Since Mousemesh prevents rodents from getting into your home in the first place, there is no need for cruel poisons, glue traps and back-breaking snap traps that kill and maim mice. This innovative and thoughtful product will spare millions of mice and rats painful deaths.

Best Travel and Tour Operations
Vegi Ventures
From the Lake District to Peru and with many exotic destinations in between, Vegi Ventures provides people with healthy, enjoyable vegetarian holidays at more than 15 exciting destinations. Started more than 18 years ago by chef extraordinaire Nigel Walker, the “ventures” ensure all vegetarians and vegans’ needs are catered to – from gourmet vegan fare that reflects the local cuisine to friendly accommodations in beautiful locales.

Best Vegetarian Bed and Breakfast
Marlborough House
At Marlborough House, an all-vegetarian bed and breakfast, visitors can relax in one of the six sumptuously decorated rooms, stroll through Royal Victoria Park, walk to the centre of historic Bath, and explore other nearby historical sites like Stonehenge, Wells, Glastonbury, Lacock, Castle Combe, Cheddar Gorge or Longleat, the spectacular home of the Marquis of Bath. Guests should bring their appetites when they come, because all their meals are guaranteed to be hearty, humane and absolutely delicious. Serving only vegan or vegetarian food made with a variety of organic produce, the menu includes grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, vegan sausages and fresh fruit salad.

Best Animal-Friendly Movie:
Happy Feet
An Academy Award-winning film from Australian director George Miller, the creator of Babe, Happy Feet is a must-see musical about a penguin who doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the flock. With a cast that includes Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and Robin Williams – and a soundtrack featuring songs by Pink, Jason Mraz and Chrissie Hynde as well as a brand-new song from Prince – this feel-good film is packed full of laughs and lessons about pollution, overfishing and the importance of protecting wildlife.

Best Vegan-Friendly National Food Chain
Pizza Express
Pizza Express, a popular chain that has been “bringing the true tastes of Italy to the British high street” for more than 40 years has found a way to make both animal lovers and pizza lovers happy with an ever-expanding menu of tasty vegan and vegetarian options. All their pizzas are available cheese-free, and meals such as the Rustica Tomatoes, Baked Dough Sticks and Bosco salad allow compassionate diners to clean their plate with a clear conscience.

Best Animal-Friendly Television Programme
Planet Earth
Screened by the BBC, this beautifully filmed television series is an educational and enlightening look at our planet. Broadcasting hour-long instalments that delve into the many ecosystems which exist in our world’s oceans, mountains, jungles and deserts, each episode provides stunning footage and addresses important issues such as humans’ effect on the environment and the problems that climate change and global warming are causing around the world.

Best Cruelty-Free Purses and Wallets
Stussy
Stussy, the extremely hip High Street chain, provides an array of sinfully hot synthetic purses and wallets. Using synthetic materials such as cotton and denim in their designs, Stussy makes accessories which are affordable and humane, which means they won’t cost you or an animal an arm and a leg.

Best Cruelty-Free Shoe Retailer
Bourgeois Bohème
Winner of last year’s Cruelty-Free Purse or Wallet Proggy, Bourgeois Bohème is a real PETA favourite because of the company’s commitment to animal-friendly shopping alternatives. From knee-high boots to glamorous evening shoes to trendy trainers, this kind company offers a range of stylish and affordable vegan shoes and accessories. What’s even better, when sourcing its products, Bourgeois Bohème aims to use ingredients which have a minimal impact on the environment, are produced in non-exploitative working conditions, and are cruelty-free, natural and organic.

Best Cruelty-Free Designer Shoes
Beyond Skin
Proving that glamour doesn’t need to come at the price of an animal’s life, Beyond Skin has created a stunning collection of vegetarian/vegan shoes that are as head-turning as they are humane. A true pioneer for compassionate fashion, Nathalie Dean, Beyond Skin’s creator, produces her products in a manner that is non-exploitative of humans, other animals and – wherever possible – the greater environment. All the footwear, which is handmade in the UK, is stitched, lasted and finished by hand by a small manufacturer in East London.

Best Innovation
Novozymes and Gentronix
PETA Europe is proud to honour two biotechnology companies – Novozymes and Gentronix – for choosing more high-tech, humane alternatives over cruel, unreliable and outdated animal tests. Denmark’s Novozymes, the “biotech-based world leader in enzymes and microorganisms”, uses alternatives to animal testing whenever possible and makes non-animal-derived supplements for cell cultures. Always working to develop and validate new tests that do not involve animals, Novozymes is so dedicated to stopping animals from being used in toxicity testing that it has set up a UK business that focuses on making and selling “ingredients that support companies wanting to produce biopharmaceuticals without using animal-derived constituents”.

Like its co-winner, Gentronix is also dedicated to using non-animal alternatives in toxicity testing. Based in Manchester, this company, which develops novel assays for cell-based screening, uses humane testing methods and yeast cells to assess genotoxicity. Not only is this technology pioneering, it also proves to the scientific community that animal testing no longer needs to be an option. Thanks to the ingenuity of these two companies, fewer animals will be tortured and killed in labs.

Best Cruelty-Free Cosmetics
Urban Decay
Proving that you can have a killer look without killing animals, Urban Decay has become the source for makeup that’s “[P]retty. Maybe a little twisted. But never prissy” and – best of all – never tested on animals. A US-based company that has achieved tremendous success in the UK, Urban Decay is changing the way that its customers shop for makeup too. Items marked with the purple paw print are entirely vegan. More purple paws are popping up every day, as Urban Decay busily collaborates with its laboratories to swap animal ingredients for plant-derived alternatives. All of Urban Decay’s stuff is fabulous, but one product that no make-up kit should be without is Good Karma Cruelty–Free Brushes, which are made of super-soft Taklon, a synthetic fibre that is a cruelty-free alternative to the sable and squirrel fur that many brushes are made from.

Best Non-Dairy Food Product
B’Nice Belgian Natural Vanilla Rice Cream
B’Nice Vanilla Rice Cream is a famously creamy non-dairy “ice cream” made from a smooth blend of rice, natural vanilla extract and non-hydrogenated coconut oil. This delicious and affordable alternative to ice cream contains no cholesterol and less than 5 per cent fat! B’Nice Rice Creams are made by the Roefs family, which has been creating sumptuous soya desserts in Beerse, Belgium, for more than 50 years. After many years of creating these delicious frozen products, they have branched out, producing tasty rice-based ice creams. This delectable product is also available in chocolate and strawberry — a delicious vegan treat distributed by Beanie’s Health Foods here in the UK. You can order this yummy vegan alternative from Goodness Direct, an online store that stocks a wide range of animal-friendly edibles that are all 100 per cent vegan and 100 per cent yummy!

Best Cruelty-Free Skin Care
Montagne Jeunesse
Operating under the motto “Natural beauty care from top-to-toe”, Montagne Jeunesse offers an alluring array of face and body masques, tonics and “skin treats” that leave skin feeling luxurious and glowing. Nourishing to your skin, their strict anti-animal-testing policy is also nourishing to your soul. Distributed worldwide, all their cruelty-free skin products – which have been approved by the Vegetarian Society – contain natural ingredients such as plant extracts, minerals and oils and are available online.

Best Cruelty-Free Trainers
Converse
Looking for inexpensive, stylish non-leather kicks? You’re in luck with these All-Star “Chucks”! Converse offers a broad range of tough and trendy trainers made with canvas and rubber. With funky prints including army patterns, tiger print, sailor motifs, and a skull and crossbones design, Chucks also have the recognizable classics in white and black as well as every other colour.

Best Vegan Snack Product
Lara Bar
A must-have for the vegan on the go, Lara Bars are 100% natural raw fruit and nut bars and come in eleven yummy flavors including Cherry Pie, Banana Cookie, Chocolate Coconut and Key Lime Pie. Created by Humm Foods to give consumers natural foods that are fun and enjoyable as well as good for you, the company’s philosophy is that their food will make you feel vibrant and alive. Buy them at The Vegan Store or from a range of regional health food stores.

Best Cruelty-Free Online Vendor
Ethical Wares
Ethical Wares is an ethically based mail-order company run by vegans who seek to trade in a manner which does not exploit animals, humans or the environment but promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle. Making it easy for you to eat, dress and decorate without any animal bits and pieces involved, products available to order online include footwear, jewellery, bags and many other goods and goodies.

Best Vegan Convenience Food
Baxter’s Soup – Carrot and Butter Bean
A delicious combination of carrots and butter beans in a light and fragrant vegetable broth, Baxter’s Carrot and Butter Bean Soup – paired with a piece of crusty bread – is the epitome of the perfect lunch. Baxter’s other delicious soup varieties include Autumn Vegetable Soup; Carrot, Onion & Chick Pea Soup; Italian Bean & Pasta Soup and Mediterranean Tomato Soup. Baxter’s also has a sweet side. Albert’s Victorian Chutney, Mango With Ginger Chutney, Spiced Fruit Chutney, Cranberry Jelly, Cranberry Sauce, Mint Jelly, Mint Sauce, Blackcurrant Conserve, Raspberry Conserve, Rhubarb & Ginger Conserve, Strawberry Conserve, and Orange, Lemon & Grapefruit Marmalade are all marvellously delicious vegan products that are widely available – along with Baxter’s soups – at nearly all leading supermarkets.

Best Vegan Chocolate
Plamil
From to-die-for vegan chocolate bars to smooth and decadent chocolate spreads, Plamil Foods is like paradise for vegan chocoholics. Chock-full of chocolate products flavoured with mint, orange, hazelnut, ginger and more, Plamil offers loads of sweets for chocolate lovers to choose from. Supplying ingredients factsheets and an endless array of treats to your tempt your taste buds, Plamil chocolates are easy to order and affordable, and they taste oh-so-heavenly!

Company of the Year
Smile Bank
Smile Bank, which is part of the Co-operative group, stands out from among its competitors for its progressive animal welfare policies. Proving that a bank can be successful without accepting money from people who make their living from cruelty to animals, Smile Bank turns down business from intensive animal farmers, companies that test cosmetics or household products on animals and huge clothing retailers who sell fur. They also refuse to accept money from any business that may be linked to bloodsports. Their conviction proves that kindness in commerce is profitable.

Best Line of Cruelty-Free Household Products
Earth Friendly Products
From your dirty dishes to your dirty clothes, Earth Friendly Products has everything you need to help you clean up your act! Approved by both PETA and the Vegan Society, nothing they carry is tested on animals. All their household and laundry cleaning products are 100 per cent natural and biodegradable and are made with renewable plant-based ingredients including corn, coconut, citrus and herbs.

Most Progressive City Council
Leicester City Council
In a precedent-setting move, Leicester City has implemented a policy in its council offices that forbids the use of cleaning products, cosmetics, toiletries and office products that were tested on animals. "There are very sophisticated alternative non-animal research techniques available today, and these can be cheaper and quicker, as well as offering more reliable results," said former Councillor Carlym Sandringham, who chaired the group which developed the policy. "And more importantly, the policy is going to have a beneficial effect on animals."

Most Progressive Politician
Mike Hancock
A liberal democrat MP, Mike Hancock raises animal welfare issues in government every chance he gets. Not only has he tabled questions in Parliament to highlight the massive usage of defenceless animals in military experiments, when the war started in Lebanon he also wrote to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to ask that British citizens be allowed to evacuate with their animal companions instead of forcing them to abandon animals in the streets as they were instructed to do. He also wrote to all liberal democrat party members urging them to sign on to an early day motion in support of a using a modern synthetic material for the traditional bearskin caps, posed with other MPs wearing a fake bearskin cap to promote this cause, calling on the Ministry of Defence to “go fake, for the bears’ sake” in a PETA Europe photo, and tabled questions in Parliament regarding this issue.

Best Animal-Friendly Video Game
Open Season
Created by Ubisoft, this fun and interactive video game features the same wild and wacky characters and follows the same comedic storyline as the hit film starring Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence. Playing as Boog the bear or Elliott the mule deer, you’ll get a chance to turn the tables on a pack of hunters preying on you and your woodland friends. There is no killing involved in the game, but you’ll get to kick the hunters’ bums using an arsenal of acorns and skunk bombs. It’s a fun game and it’s also an effective tool for teaching your kids about the horrors of hunting while giving them a lesson in compassion and kindness.