Why Vegans Don’t offers a philosophical guide to vegan behavior, explaining the ethical foundations behind everyday vegan choices.

Jordi Casamitjana with his three books Photo Jeannie Ford

Los Angeles, December 17, 2025 — Why don’t vegans eat honey, wear wool, or visit zoos? These questions are often asked casually, yet they point to deeper ethical disagreements about how humans relate to other sentient beings. In his new book, Why Vegans Don’t: A Philosophical Guide to Vegan Behaviour, Jordi Casamitjana sets out to answer these questions systematically, drawing on years of research, writing, and lived experience as an ethical vegan. The book expands on Casamitjana’s widely read “Why Vegans Don’t…” blog series published by Vegan FTA, transforming individual explanations into a coherent philosophical framework that presents veganism not as a trend or diet, but as a comprehensive moral worldview rooted in empathy, justice, and respect for sentient life.

“A must-read for everyone who loves our wonderful planet and all who share it.” — Peter Egan, actor and animal rights advocate

From Landmark Legal Case to Philosophical Guide

Press about Jordi Casamitjana ethical veganism case

Jordi Casamitjana is no stranger to reshaping how society understands veganism. In 2020, he became internationally known for securing legal recognition of ethical veganism as a protected philosophical belief in Great Britain (what in the USA is known as a “Protected Class”, such as sexual orientation, religion, or race), a precedent that redefined rights for millions of vegans who are now protected from discrimination, harassment, and victimization — not only in the work place, but also in the provision of public and private services. His earlier book, Ethical Vegan: A Personal and Political Journey to Change the World, chronicled that legal battle and situated veganism within a broader historical and philosophical context.

That same commitment to clarity and structure underpins Why Vegans Don’t. As Casamitjana explains in the book’s preface, the project grew directly out of his professional writing work after his legal victory. He writes the following regarding the series from Vegan FTA that generated the book: “This series is about explaining why vegans reject some products and services, with each blog focusing on a different topic. Some are quite obvious (such as wool or fishes), others are less so (such as zoos or animal silk), and others may be more controversial (such as oysters or horse riding).” The new book gathers those articles, revises them, and adds new chapters to address unresolved or controversial topics.

Rather than assuming readers already share his conclusions, Casamitjana positions the book as a reference tool. Each chapter stands alone, designed to answer a specific question a vegan might face, while also contributing to a larger argument about veganism as a coherent philosophy.

Watch The Hidden Lives of Pigs, a mini-documentary co-written by Jordi Casamitjana

Explaining the “No” Behind Vegan Choices

Jordi Casamitjana selling his books at the London Vegan Fayre 2025

At the heart of Why Vegans Don’t is a simple but often misunderstood idea: vegan behavior flows from philosophical commitments, not arbitrary rules. Casamitjana traces how vegans apply foundational principles to everyday decisions, from refusing backyard eggs to rejecting animal-based entertainment. The book moves from core axioms of vegan philosophy to practical applications, illustrating how saying “no” to exploitation is inseparable from saying “yes” to justice and respect.

Jordi Casamitjana, who is also one of the main writers of UnchainedTV, is explicit about the intended audiences. The book is written for new vegans seeking guidance, experienced vegans navigating grey areas, vegan-curious readers trying to understand friends or family, and non-vegans encountering vegan ethics for the first time. He writes, “I hope that my decades of experience being an ethical vegan, my scientific background (I am a zoologist specialized in animal behavior), the research I have been doing about veganism since I started working on my book Ethical Vegan, and the over 2,000 articles I have written (and researched) on the subject in the last few years, make my opinion worthwhile.”

“A perfect guide for anyone aspiring to be a decent human being in a human-dominated world.” — Marc Bekoff, PhD, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals

A Vision of Veganism as a Social Movement

Jordi Casamitjana launching his book Why Vegans Don’t in London Photo Jeannie Ford

Beyond answering individual questions, Why Vegans Don’t advances a broader vision of veganism as a socio-political movement aiming to build the Vegan World. Casamitjana argues that veganism shapes identity, culture, and law, not just consumption habits. This perspective echoes his earlier legal work, where philosophical consistency became the basis for formal protection under equality legislation.

The book was launched in London on December 13, 2025, marking another milestone in Casamitjana’s ongoing effort to articulate veganism as a framework for social change rather than personal purity. Endorsements from scholars and advocates highlight the book’s ambition, praising its evidence-based reasoning and accessible style.

Ultimately, Why Vegans Don’t invites readers to reconsider common assumptions about vegan refusal to participate in some activities or consume some products. By systematically unpacking the ethical logic behind those decisions, Casamitjana reframes veganism as an affirmative project aimed at stopping harm and expanding moral concern. As he notes in the preface, the world that vegans are trying to build “is the world where everyone will live.”

The paperback and ebook versions of the book can be purchased at lulu.com.

“If you are vegan already, this book will feel like someone finally put your values into words. If you are vegan curious, prepare to have your understanding stretched in the best possible way.”— Sean O’Callaghan (FGV), author and podcaster

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