Credit: ecb.europa.eu

European Central Bank Launches Euro-100 and 200 Vegan bills

by Debayan Paul | June 1, 2019

European Central Bank, this Tuesday rolled out €100 ($112) and €200 ($224) banknotes. These vegan bills are more thoughtful and sensitive to a good cause. How? Keep reading to find out.

European Central Bank Launches Euro-100 and 200 Vegan bills Free From Animal Fats

The ‘Europa’ series of bills have been gradually rolled out since 2013 to replace the first batches of the notes which were minted when Euro as a currency was first found, back in 2002 (officially introduced as a legal trader). The notes designed by Reinhold Gerstetter goes after the name of a Greek Mythological creature ‘Europa,’ Euro News Reports.

Europa, who was a nymph, was abducted by Zeus in disguise of a white bull. She later went on to become the first queen of Crete Island. The figure holds emblematic values in contemporary Europe and is evident in the notes that have motifs of Europa in it.

Credit: @ecb/ Twitter
European Central Bank Launches Euro-100 and 200 Vegan bills

Speaking more about the vegan banknotes- the newest addition to the Europa series of notes are made of ‘100 percent cotton fiber.’ A European Central Bank spokesperson told the New York Times- that this time no traces of animal products are to be found in the new note’s raw materials. Contrary to this. the notes used by the UK (Bank of England) are polymer-based and features animal-fat, according to Euro News.

“The euro system is strongly committed to maintaining and improving the sustainability of the euro banknotes and the raw materials used.
“The paper we use in euro banknotes is made of 100 percent cotton fiber.”
European Spokesperson via nytimes.com

Not only are the new notes environmentally and ethically conscious, but they’re also smarter in other ways as well. According to the bank, the new notes also have better machine-readable security and are more resistant to counterfeiting, the Euro News Reports. The bank notes are reportedly more wallet-friendly as well, owing to their uniform dimensions.

Meaty Notes?

Back in time, UK’s plastic-pounds bills caused outrages among vegans and other people of religious communities. It used ‘tallow’ a kind of animal fat, according to Euro news. The UK’s currency isn’t the only one to feature animal-fats. According to Ladbible, several other currencies across the world features some sort of animal-fats. European Central Bank’s decision is indeed most-welcomed. What do you think? Have you got a chance to own the new vegan bills? Let me know in comments.