Does vegan leather give the wrong impression to non vegans?

[princesslolaluv]

Ok so I've been going back in forth about this question. I really wanna buy a purse from a etsy shop/seller kittycoutureboutique. The bags are vegan leather but look very much like real leather if that giving the wrong impression to someone who does not know I am vegan and the bag is not made of animal that wearing leather is ok? I stopped wearing leather about 5 years ago for ethical reason and have not found an alternative since but what do you guy think?

[leedsveg]

Hi princess and welcome to the forum.

There are a lot of goods around that could be either real leather, or faux leather. I have a pair of black, 'office style' shoes which are totally ok for vegans but look as though they could be real leather. When I'm wearing them, I don't feel obliged to say to people around me "By the way, these shoes I'm wearing are faux leather" any more than I would stand up in a restaurant and announce that "These sausages I'm eating have no animal ingredients". If people are sufficiently interested in what I'm wearing (and eating), no doubt they'll ask me and they'll get a comprehensive reply. I've already chosen as a vegan to cut out a lot of footwear, other clothing and foods from my life and I'm blowed if I'm going to restrict myself further and cut out items suitable for vegans, purely for the sake of what omnis might or might not be thinking. As I say, if they're sufficiently curious, they'll ask.

Good wishes:thumbsup:

Leedsveg

[twinkle]

I don't think the vast majority would even think about what the purse was made from. People who knew you were vegan and were the sort to try to catch you out would probably say something, and then you can put them right, so I'd go for it if you want it :) (says she wearing her new pleather boots :))

[harpy]

I think you can argue it either way - if people like the look of your shoes/purse and comment on it, you can then point out that it isn't really leather and show them that they can get the look they want without using leather.

But I have to agree with those who said most people don't notice. It has come up once or twice but only because I was discussing veganism with people and they've said "but you wear leather shoes don't you?" (not because they'd looked at my feet but because they didn't know there were alternatives).

[RubyDuby]

That's very true Twinkle. A vegetarian friend of mine asked me one time if I thought a leather couch would stand up to her dogs... I told her I thought it was strange she'd even want to buy leather and she said she hadn't even thought about it!

eta: didn't mean to ignore you Harpy! I was too slow to see your post.

[harpy]

:D @Ruby

Hello Princess, by the way!

[Back-Space]

I used to think the same way about eating "meats" and cheeses. Why would someone become a vegetarian just to go and make themselves a fake burger everynight to try and get the taste of meat. But I buy the sausages now so.... :p If it means animals don't have to suffer for it, then do whatever makes you happy :)

[Glen Lambert]

You could stretch this to include foods that look like their animal based equivalents and, sadly, I've had people try. If anyone can suggest a better shape for a sausage then I'm all ears.

[harpy]

Would a V-shaped sausage work? :devil:

[leedsveg]

Why would someone become a vegetarian just to go and make themselves a fake burger everynight to try and get the taste of meat.

Because there's nothing intrinsically wrong with the taste of meat and people go vegetarian for reasons other than trying to get away from that taste? When I went veggie/vegan I didn't overnight automatically dislike the taste of meat, not surprising because I'd been eating it for over 40 years. If the same, or similar taste, can be replicated in totally vegan, plant based foods, then I cannot for the life of me see any problem.

Leedsveg

[Back-Space]

Because there's nothing intrinsically wrong with the taste of meat and people go vegetarian for reasons other than trying to get away from that taste? When I went veggie/vegan I didn't overnight automatically dislike the taste of meat, not surprising because I'd been eating it for over 40 years. If the same, or similar taste, can be replicated in totally vegan, plant based foods, then I cannot for the life of me see any problem.

Leedsveg

This was in my pre-vegetarian days, when I thought the world was a friendly and loving place :rolleyes: Was kind of nice living in ignorance, actually. I eat those Yves burgers now :p If it gets you the flavour your craving, and doesn't hurt an animal in the process, what's the harm :)

[Glen Lambert]

Because there's nothing intrinsically wrong with the taste of meat and people go vegetarian for reasons other than trying to get away from that taste? When I went veggie/vegan I didn't overnight automatically dislike the taste of meat, not surprising because I'd been eating it for over 40 years. If the same, or similar taste, can be replicated in totally vegan, plant based foods, then I cannot for the life of me see any problem.

Leedsveg

Spot on. I would love to have something that tasted exactly like a fried egg sandwich or proper bacon or cheese on toast. I really do miss the tastes but I don't miss the killing.

[leedsveg]

I eat those Yves burgers now :p If it gets you the flavour your craving, and doesn't hurt an animal in the process, what's the harm :)

My thoughts exactly. But some vegans seem to feel guilty about enjoying a similar taste to meet and perhaps are only happy when wearing a metaphorical hair shirt?

lv

[Back-Space]

My thoughts exactly. But some vegans seem to feel guilty about enjoying a similar taste to meet and perhaps are only happy when wearing a metaphorical hair shirt?

lv

It makes me feel like crap because I can't control the cravings :rolleyes: I'll be out over the day and be thinking "I can't wait to get home so I can have one of those burgers. They taste sooo good." Maybe if I spent more time preparing food. It's hard to compare a double Yves burger to my carrot and spinach salad :p

I need a new wallet actually, but I don't think I'll even buy a fake leather one. I get enough questions about my real leather one now. Yes, it's real leather... No, I didn't buy it while I was vegan...

[Clueless Git]

Because there's nothing intrinsically wrong with the taste of meat and people go vegetarian for reasons other than trying to get away from that taste? When I went veggie/vegan I didn't overnight automatically dislike the taste of meat, not surprising because I'd been eating it for over 40 years. If the same, or similar taste, can be replicated in totally vegan, plant based foods, then I cannot for the life of me see any problem.

Leedsveg
This makes perfect sense to me :)

I think I know what part of the meat eater objection to 'harm free' meat alternatives is though; That being that part of the total meat-eater 'experience' is the implicit affirmation that you are not right at the bottom of lifes pecking order. That being affirmed by the simple fact that when you eat meat some other living being was lower down the chain from you thats it entire life was worth no more than a few minutes of you indulging your own personal pleasures.

As with sexism and racism (both to do with pushing others below your own life status?) there is a fair bit of 'kick the cat' syndrome lurking in there, somewhere.

[harpy]

But some vegans seem to feel guilty about enjoying a similar taste to meet and perhaps are only happy when wearing a metaphorical hair shirt?

I think the hair shirt may also be part of the reason that meat-eaters seem bothered by the idea of vegetarians and vegans eating fake stuff - they think vegetarianism and veganism are forms of self-sacrifice and by eating the artificial ones we're "cheating" :rolleyes: Either that or they think at some level that we we don't eat meat etc because we don't like it and so why would we eat imitation meat? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I must admit though that I wouldn't like to give omnivores the impression that fake meat is the best food that veganism has to offer: unprocessed, vegetable-based foods can taste a lot better (she writes, looking forward to a vegan haggis tonight :o )