I'm vegan more due to land-use issues than animal rights. I am an environmentalist before an animal rights activist. But my reasons for thrifting are not related to veganism, so that's a rant for another community.
Leather is WORSE for the environment. I wish people (not necessarily you) would stop spouting the nonsense that synthetic shoes are worse for the environment. it just isn't true if you think about what it takes to "raise" and "cure" leather.
if anyone actually understood even the most basic principles of leather production and textile production, leather would lose from an environmental stand point 10:1.
Personally, I think it's kind of lame when people are vegan for other reasons, like their health or "land-use" issues rather then morality. Land-use issues is just you thinking of yourself and other humans.
What's wrong with being vegan for your health? A healthier person can hypothetically make more of a difference in the world. And one's own health is a pretty damn good reason to make decisions, especially if you have a family or *gasp* just happen to like being alive for whatever reason.
And besides that, who the hell cares what motivates someone to be vegan? If someone's vegan, the net effect is the same: less harm to animals, less harm to the earth, and improved health. We ought to celebrate that net effect regardless of how someone justifies their choice.
Personally, I agree with you. If you can't afford to buy vegan shoes that weren't made in sweatshops, at least thrifting isn't supporting either industry. I don't wear leather because it grosses me out, but I have a similar view on wool. I don't buy wool new, but I will sometimes buy it secondhand. (This is especially true for coats.)
This leads to the whole "what if it was a gift?" argument, and my gist on that is that it's a tough call. For instance - my best friend was making me a scarf, and before she started I asked if the yarn she was planning on using was wool. It was, and she was kind enough to switch to cotton. My mom bought me a leather coat, and I asked her to return it. But occasions arise where that's not really an option and I don't know what I'd do then. It'd depend on the situation.
It's a tough call to make, but I don't look down on or criticize people who choose to do the best they can, especially when they're not supporting the industry anyway.
I don't think you're a bad vegan for preferring used leather shoes to new vegan ones. Sure, you can thrift used vegan shoes but my experience has been that usually by the time you find an old pair of canvas shoes for sale at Goodwill or wherever, they are not in good shape. Worn out shoes are horrible for your feet.
I haven't ever purchased used leather shoes because wearing leather grosses me out, as does wearing used leather someone else's stinky, potentially germ-ridden feet have been in BUT I am so very poor right now that I may have to go that route because my ethically made vegan shoes are running out of sole, not to mention the long gone ankle support (all stretched out now).
PS I love the TCPL! I haven't been there in almost a decade, but I spent many afternoons there once upon a time.
Theoretically I totally agree with you. I don't have a problem with thrifted leather. I don't buy it mostly because I'm a follower and I don't like getting "picked on" or criticized by vegans because I don't adhere to a certain standard definition. I think veganism, as with religion or any other personal life choice, is an extremely individual thing. I think it's more important to do what you think is right, and to balance when it's worth sacrificing morals for practical reasons. Although I've had no trouble finding non-leather shoes at thrift stores, they are usually of much poorer quality because generally non-leather shoes are made with man-made materials because they are cheaper. So then I have to buy shoes more often and be less comfortable
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I'm a firm believer in making dietary and life choices to suit you and your morals/belief system rather than adhering to a standard set out by other people whom you may not necessarily agree with 100%. I don't understand the obsession with labeling.I don't think vegan/omniconsumerism is a black/white issue. There is perfectly vegan-no-animal-products-fair-trade-eco-organic at one end of the spectrum, and "Let's go buy a new leather sofa and handbags and these leather shoes are so last week and it's not a meal without meat and cheese hair dye animal tested cosmetics yay cheap walmart factory farmed meat" at the other, and an awful lot of really pale greys that are close but not the "pure vegan" that are still doing a damn fine job at making a difference
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you can get vegan shoes that aren't made in sweatshops
quit pretending viable options don't exist so that leather-apologists don't feel so bad
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if anyone actually understood even the most basic principles of leather production and textile production, leather would lose from an environmental stand point 10:1.
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The environment ties in with animals rights because they live on this planet as well.
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And besides that, who the hell cares what motivates someone to be vegan? If someone's vegan, the net effect is the same: less harm to animals, less harm to the earth, and improved health. We ought to celebrate that net effect regardless of how someone justifies their choice.
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This leads to the whole "what if it was a gift?" argument, and my gist on that is that it's a tough call. For instance - my best friend was making me a scarf, and before she started I asked if the yarn she was planning on using was wool. It was, and she was kind enough to switch to cotton. My mom bought me a leather coat, and I asked her to return it. But occasions arise where that's not really an option and I don't know what I'd do then. It'd depend on the situation.
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It's a tough call to make, but I don't look down on or criticize people who choose to do the best they can, especially when they're not supporting the industry anyway.
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I haven't ever purchased used leather shoes because wearing leather grosses me out, as does wearing used leather someone else's stinky, potentially germ-ridden feet have been in BUT I am so very poor right now that I may have to go that route because my ethically made vegan shoes are running out of sole, not to mention the long gone ankle support (all stretched out now).
PS
I love the TCPL! I haven't been there in almost a decade, but I spent many afternoons there once upon a time.
PPS
Yay Kelly reference.
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