Tattoo ink

[CrazyCatLady]

Hi everyone,
Could anyone help me with regards to tattoo ink please.
Is it cruelty free if it contains shellac? O believe this is scraped from the trees of the insect rather than using the insect itself.
No mention of any bone in the ink though which is good xxx

 

[Pirate]

Shellac isn't cruelty free I'm afraid. I doubt they would bother making sure all the insects had moved from the tree before processing it. So rather than being killed FOR the shellac they'd be killed in the process of getting it, just for being in the way.

"According to an article by Ramesh Singh, Department of Zoology at Udai Pratap Autonomous College in India, 300,000 lac insects are killed for every kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of lac resin produced. Approximately 25% of all unrefined, harvested lac resin is composed of “insect debris” and other impurities according to the Shellac Export Promotion Council. The cost of shellac varies according to climatic effects on harvest. An employee of a shellac company told us that due to 2010’s crop failures, the price of lac resin has doubled to approximately $15/kg."

From here http://www.vrg.org/blog/2010/11/30/q-a-on-shellac/

 

[CrazyCatLady]

Thank you for the info ;-) xxx

 

[Kittendumpling]

The ink colours to watch out for are shellac and cochineal/carmine. Both are made from beetle shells.