This new era of cheap chic and disposable fashion has an unlikely but appreciative customer–the stylish vegan.

For years, vegans who wanted to stick to a cruelty-free philosophy in both their diet and fashion meant they often had to sacrifice style. Jimmy Choo stilettos don't come in synthetic leathers. Louis Vuitton isn't known for canvas satchels. In fact, only a few high-end designers–among the best-known, Stella McCartney–are conscious about not using animal products in the shoes, jackets and handbags they design.

That's a problem for strict vegans, who don't eat anything that's a byproduct of an animal, including meat, fish, eggs or milk. They also try to stay clear of shoes, handbags, jackets and belts made of animal products such as leather, suede, shearling, wool, fur and cashmere...

Zita Resnais, a 22-year-old from Cary, said her vegan finds these days are typically by accident.

"There are vegan things all over the place," she said "People who want to find them, do. If you're a vegan, you want to go that extra step."

The widest selection of vegan shoes and accessories, however, are found on the Web, local vegans say, including specialty stores such as alternativeoutfitters.com and mooshoes.com...