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| Taken by Scott Shuman |
I love leather! Leather shoes, bags, clothes (I am still holding out for THE perfect leather jacket)! The smell, the feel, the look, the flexibility, the natural history of the material, everything about leather speaks to me. I love the history of leather--my fiance's grandfather was a tanner--and the fact that leather pieces still exist from my great relatives is even more motivation for me to love it. So you could imagine my anxiety when I was asked about my position on leather by a Vegan friend, and now having to present this after Emma H.'s moving post towards her version of going Vegan.
Within ethical fashion, there always seems to be a blurred line as to where Leather fits in--for me the main arguments circumnavigate around sustainability and the animal cruelty movement within Western societies. On the one hand it is argued that leather is a by-product of a larger industry where all of the parts are used. On the other, vegans and vegetarians argue that leather is a by-product of a barbaric process which results in the killing of animals, not to mention the inhumane overcrowded conditions in which alot of Western meat are raised.
Within ethical fashion, there always seems to be a blurred line as to where Leather fits in--for me the main arguments circumnavigate around sustainability and the animal cruelty movement within Western societies. On the one hand it is argued that leather is a by-product of a larger industry where all of the parts are used. On the other, vegans and vegetarians argue that leather is a by-product of a barbaric process which results in the killing of animals, not to mention the inhumane overcrowded conditions in which alot of Western meat are raised.
For Vegan Faux Leather, another argument is made as to whether this is really a more ethical (or rather 'eco') and sustainable material. Yes, it is made from synthetic materials, but the process by which it is made is deemed as environmentally unfriendly in the long-run, especially those made from petroleum and other compounds--such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). There is also the factor of the amount of energy that goes into processing and manipulating such fibres into a leather-looking material. In addition, vegan leather is not as long lasting as real leather. I want something that is not only ethical through process, but sustainable through use. I want the "natural" texture, that doesn't remind me of plastic, and something that is breathable and has the imperfections and unique qualities that real leather has. Is it really better to use Vegan 'Leather' that has a limited lifespan, over real leather that is meant to last past my own? And is the whole point to be just animal friendly? Or should we look at the whole picture of sustainability and environmental impacts?
