Does the word “vegan” conjure up images of soymilk, tofu and veggie burgers? Your favourite Indian curry perhaps? While you might think of environmental activism and hemp sandals, you probably don't associate it with combat sports in general and boxing in particular.

Yet bringing the two together is not all that far fetched. The equipment traditionally employed in the ring and on the mats is generally made of leather, and it is no secret that industrial cattle farming is destroying our environment. Almost half of all the drinking water on earth is consumed by the industry, as is around 30% of the global grain harvest. Leather is not an entirely natural material either, and there are few processes that involve as many toxic chemicals as tanning.

So removing leather from the equation and creating vegan boxing equipment makes a lot of sense. This was hobby boxer Jan Lenarz’ initial idea when he began looking for organic boxing gloves. After an unsuccessful quest, he decided to found his own company:

Vehement, the first manufacturer of vegan boxing equipment. 

“Anyone who believes that the tough guys and girls don’t care about people, animals, and the environment isn’t thinking any further than the typical cliché allows”, he says. Respect for your body, your opponent, and fair play is essential to boxing and the martial arts. So a lot of professional athletes follow a strict vegan diet, like former Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson. 

Respect for your body, your opponent, and fair play is essential to boxing and the martial arts. 

Founded just two years ago, you have already made it on the US market. What was the greatest challenge there? 
The organisational side of things was the hardest part of entering the US market. We had to found a subsidiary in the USA, retain customs agents, and find a warehouse that would also do our shipping. I would only recommend that other firms go this route if they are really sure a large part of their customer base will be in the USA. 

While we’re on the topic, what has been the most difficult moment for Vehement so far? 
Creating an international brand for athletic equipment is rough, even when everything goes smoothly. We have no investors and our costs are pretty high, which means we constantly face financial challenges. We try to take the stressful moments as they come. Sometimes things you never dreamt of go wrong. I am planning to write a book about it. Take today for example: We got a check with a tax refund from the USA. Only no one can cash it, not even our bank. Little problems you could never have anticipated even in your wildest dreams happen every day. So you need to have the right mindset. If you sweat these little things, then a start-up is not the place for you. 

And when did you think: “Wow, we've made it”?
Oh, soon I hope... we are just getting started. But it is pretty exciting when legendary fighters like Mac Danzig, Dan Hardy and Forest Griffin suddenly start praising our equipment on Twitter. Nothing motivates us quite like the emails we get from customers around the world though, thanking us for making a product they have been looking for for years. There is a lot of potential in the brand – and the time is right for a strong, sustainable sports company.