Do you think it is okay to continue to use leather/suede/down products if you had them pre-vegan?

[Rory17]

Hi.
I am now (almost) vegan. However, my current duvet is, I think, filled with feathers. I had it since before being vegan or even vegetarian (possibly). I also continued to use leather/suede shoes that I may have had since before my non-meat-eating days until recently (I only wear vegan shoes, including canvas vans, walking shoes/boots and sandals now).
I might ask my mum if we can donate my duvet to an animal rescue centre (for use as bedding for the animals, the rescue centre where I did work experience took duvets, I think) and get a vegan-friendly one. However, I have, perhaps, a little attachment to that duvet. Also, would donating and replacing be okay for the environment? What are your thoughts on continuing to use and/or keep products with leather, suede, down or even fur that you had since before becoming vegan and/or before getting into animal rights?
Best of luck.

 

[callador]

I would keep them. It is the same thing with my powerlifting belts. If I ever need new ones, I will look for the faux leather, but for now I will keep using what I have.

 

[Plant Muncher]

You can't unring that bell at this point so use them until they wear out and don't replace them with leather products in the future.

 

[Mark Mywordz]

Keep on using them but don't buy any more.

 

[nobody]

I make a big distinction between animal products that are in my house (leather furniture, guitars with bone nuts, down pillows etc.) and animal products on my body. The leather clothes I have are leather winter boots and two nice leather jackets. If I were to wear the jackets I feel like I would be promoting animal exploitation and reinforcing in everyone’s mind that it is OK. If I sell or donate the jackets, and someone else wears them, then they would be promoting animal exploitation and I don’t want it promoted, so the coats are just sitting in my closet and I don’t know what to do with them. Another thing is, I don’t want any vegans to look at me in my leather jacket and think “look at that non-vegan over there”. For these reasons, I plan to get around to replacing my winter boots with vegan ones, even though it will be detrimental to the environment.

Ideally, if we are serious about animal rights and veganism and we are also consistent, we would replace everything if we can afford it, environment be dammed. It is sacrilege to use the hide of sentient being is such a casual manner. We would not use a chair made from human skin so if we are serious about animal rights how is continuing to use leather furniture any different?

And also, if “damage done” and the environment are what matters, and we have the time for it, then why don’t we become freegans? Freegans are against consumerism and don’t buy anything, which saves vast natural resources used in manufacturing and production. They eat meat, a lot of it, retrieved from grocery store dumpsters, none of which creates any demand for animal exploitation and actually saves insect and other animal lives who die during the production of (purchased) plant foods.

I used to be a partial freegan, or flexitarian or something like that. Usually I ate vegan, but if I was at my mother’s for instance, and there were leftover animal products that they were going to throw away anyway, I ate them, figuring “damage done”. The problem with this is that animal food products are a bit like nicotine in that once you get a taste you want more, so I would revert back to purchasing animal products. Another problem is that eating or taking home the leftover animal food tells everyone around you that exploitation is morally alright and veganism is not something to take seriously.

Now my thinking is that parts of animal carcasses should ideally be buried or burned as is fitting the remains of any sentient being. But since this isn’t practical, throw it out, I don’t want it, I’m a vegan. And also, if you are going to be throwing away “good food” that contains a small amount of dairy or eggs, please do so, because I take animal rights seriously and don’t wish to consume food that contains products of animal exploitation. That is the best attitude to have when it comes to food. With non-food animal products it is a slightly different situation. Sitting on my leather couch does not activate a pleasure center in my brain that makes me want to buy more leather products but technically, it is still disrespectful to the remains of the animal and sends the wrong message to non-vegans who come over.

 

[Christine]

As a student of environmental science, I've been taught the benefits of second-hand use of viable goods and products, eliminating some funding of the endless cycle of new products we as consumers constantly demand. I'd agree with the others that there is no reason not to use a perfectly sound item from one's non-vegan days; personally I'd find it more wasteful to lock such things up from the light of day or throw them out...

I'm a new vegan as well, and disregarding food itself, it does feel like a major task identifying all of the hidden, cruelty-derived things in our day to day lives, but this awareness will serve us in good stead making future purchases - which is the important thing.

 

[nobody]

Christine, you said that throwing away leather or just keeping it it in storage is wasteful. I agree, and I would also like to point out that it is wasteful to bury or burn our deceased dogs and cats with their skins intact because this skin can easily be tanned and made into useful items, reducing the need for purchased vegan alternatives. According to this article, some of our leather bags and other items coming from China are made from black market dog or cat leather anyway, so the items made from our pets’ skin would quite possibly not be the only dog or cat leather items in the house, if we were to do this.

Most vegans would not do this out of respect for the body of their pet, which they want to afford the same dignity that bodies of deceased humans get, so the body is usually either buried or cremated, even though this destroys the skin. If we were being 100% logical and consistent, then we would say that all animal remains, regardless of whether or not we had a personal relationship with those animals, deserve the same rites, so for example all leather upholstery in cars would need to come out and be buried or burned. This isn’t practical so we all the take the environmental, “the damage is done” approach to leather items we already own and continue to use them, but I don’t think this is the most logical or consistent viewpoint, especially since most ethical vegans who hold this view also refuse to eat animal products that will otherwise go to waste.

For example, I am a vegan for ethical, not health reasons. I know that animal products are bad for you, but so is the vegan junk food I eat, so I do not have an objection on the basis of health to occasionally eating animal products. However, when the opportunity presents itself for me to enjoy a free meal containing animal products, and the meal will go to waste if I don’t eat it, I decline and buy a vegan meal. If being vegan means anything then the environment has to take a hit in this instance. And if you see this attitude through to its logical conclusion then you are selling or donating all your leather/down/wool or burning it all on funeral pyre and replacing it all with vegan alternatives. I have not done this personally, but it would at least be consistent if not environmentally friendly, of me to do so.

 

[Kava]

Thank-you all for this interesting thread. I've only just started the process of living a plant-based life and at the moment am staring at a kitchen full of animal-derived items,. Hadn't even thought yet about my ancient, down-comforter. Initially I thought I'd just place a moratorium on basing any more animal products (my goodness you should have seen me in the supermarket tonight - you would have laughed at my consternation!) and let the transition take care of itself but now I see that I have to think about all this even more closely than I thought. Thanks