When can/should I call myself vegan?

Nikorusama · Sep 9th, 2012, 08:12 PM

I have a wool coat, un vegan make-up and I sleep on feather bedding. I cant replace these things until at least the end of the month but cant afford all of it at once.

Can I call myself a vegan if i still have these thing, whilst having the intention of getting rid? When can I update my account to normal?

**Andy_T** · Sep 10th, 2012, 09:26 AM

My guess is yes. I also still have some leather shoes left from my pre-vegan days, that I do not want to throw away because that - to me - would feel akin to urinating on the animal's grave that was killed to produce them. On the other hand, I also do not really like to wear them any more.

If you, however, decided to buy new animal products, then I would feel that you should not call yourself a vegan.

Best regards,
Andy

**Clueless Git** · Sep 10th, 2012, 09:51 AM

The Andy is wise, as usual

Nothing wrong with giving away your non vegan stuff for someone else to use up, if you can afford to do so, though.

That might delay the purchase of equivalent non vegan goods and bring forward the purchase of your own vegan alternatives.

IMHO, to waste a product that some animal died to create is borderline, if not outright, criminal.

Nikorusama · Sep 16th, 2012, 09:05 AM

I bought some new boots from a seller on preloved that said they were vegan. I wore them when i got them yesterday for about 2 hours then i suddenly had some suspicions and looked at them. They were real suede!!! I was so upset! I gave them to a friend. Was really disappointed as they were nice boots as well!

**Blueberries** · Sep 16th, 2012, 12:00 PM

Nikorusama

I bought some new boots from a seller on preloved that said they were vegan. I wore them when i got them yesterday for about 2 hours then i suddenly had some suspicions and looked at them. They were real suede!!! I was so upset! I gave them to a friend. Was really disappointed as they were nice boots as well!

Did the label say that they were real suede? Could you not send them back to the seller then?

**Clueless Git** · Sep 17th, 2012, 12:45 AM

Blueberries

Did the label say that they were real suede? Could you not send them back to the seller then?

Possibly suede is the footwear equivalent of thinly sliced ham and the seller is a bit of a 'Nana Royle' ..

Nikorusama · Sep 17th, 2012, 06:08 AM

Well the seller has not been in touch. The label inside said they were leather. Im wondering if the seller knew. There was a label in from the manufacturer saying that they make vegan shoes, i think she thought that it meant all of them were vegan. They were such lovely boots at a bargin so gave them to a veggie friend. Really upset they werent vegan though, disappointed because i fell in love with the boots, upset at the seller for "conning" me and upset that i actually wore them for a few hours! Anyway they have a new home now :/

**Robinwomb** · Sep 17th, 2012, 11:05 AM

Something similar almost happened to me last year. I went to an outdoor hiking gear type of store that was supposed to be so progressive. They had hiking shoes displayed on a wall that were labeled with various attributes, and "vegan" was one. One pair was vegan. I tried them on and they felt so comfortable, but they didnt have them in my size and would have to order them. I went ahead and had them order a pair, but I was oddly suspicious of the shoe because it seemed an awful lot like real leather but had no label on it. So I went home and looked the shoe up online, and sure enough they were made with nubuck leather. I called the store, canceled my order, and explained that their shoe, which was labeled vegan, was not. Apparently it was labeled as such because it uses recycled materials for the soles of the shoes. They did apologize and take the vegan label off. I am just glad I didnt spend big bucks for something based on principle that wasnt what it claimed to be. I suspect this happens more than not, especially since the term "vegan" has become so loose and means so many different things anymore. Sighs.