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Thread: Question regarding vegan clothing

  1. #1
    dksay
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    Default Question regarding vegan clothing

    First time poster (I recently decided to become a vegan).


    My question(s) incorporate a few different possible areas, so I posted here because it seemed like the broadest forum.


    So I am doing some back-to-school shopping, and I want to make conscious clothing decisions in regards to animals by buying vegan clothing. Yet, an article I was reading got me thinking. In the article, vegan skateboarder Matt Rodriguez was talking about shoes for one of his companies, and he said that, while he likes to buy hemp shoes, that he will sometimes buy leather. He justified the decision by saying that, as long as people eat meat, it doesn't make much sense to waste parts of the animals that are already being killed.


    I suppose my question is, what is your take on the matter? While I do enjoy doing my part in terms of my veganism, I find that shopping vegan is much more difficult than eating vegan. I would not mind having a bit more freedom in my choices, and I truly feel that Matt has a point. The animals are, unfortunately, being killed regardless of our clothing decisions; why waste parts of animals?


    If the answer is that animals are killed simply to manufacture clothing (they may very well be; I am not well-versed in this area), then I completely understand and will continue to shop vegan. Nevertheless, I would like some opinions on the issue.


    Thank you.


    PS- I'm aware that one could make this argument for eating vegan as well, but I began eating vegan for the health benefits, not because of animal rights, so that response is moot...

  2. #2
    queerveganedge Elli's Avatar
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    May 2011
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    Post Re: Question regarding vegan clothing

    Hi,

    I went vegan for the animals, which means I don't consider animals to be properties. I don't consider not wearing their skins or their fur to be a waste, because you can only waste resources and those are not resources, those are the parts of a dead animal that has suffered from torture, exploitation and oppression from my fellow human beings.
    And I wouldn't wear the skin of a dead person either.

    Also, I don't know about America but here in France, a large amount of the leather that we can find comes from India (second world producer of leather, after China), from the supposed 'sacred cows' (they deceive the indian cows owners into selling their cow and then, they make the cows walk hundred of kilometers so that they can reach a region where the slaughter is allowed as it is not the case in India) that are killed only and solely for their skins so leather is not just a by-product here, it is the product.
    http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-u...her-trade.aspx
    Quote PeTA
    Buying leather directly contributes to factory farms and slaughterhouses because skin is the most economically important byproduct of the meat industry.
    But more importantly, I think that not buying leather products is about sending a message to people and to the manufacturers, saying that it is not right to exploit animals and that animals are not properties.

    To me, not buying leather shoes is not about restraining my freedom, in the same way than not eating the flesh or the byproducts of animal slaughter does not restrain my freedom. It's a rational and compassionate choice and I feel very free about it. It's also about consistency. How can I tell people that it is not right to have animals on their plate if I have them on my shoes?

    I still have a few leather shoes from my pre-gan days but I don't feel comfortable wearing them anymore because I can't help but see the tortured animal beyond them.

    And I don't know this Matt Rodriguez but I don't think you can be vegan if you buy leather shoes on purpose.

    So, what do you think?
    Me. My fight. My problem... Tonight.

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