Anyone who was not born into a vegan family can attest that we all have a switch inside our minds. Similar to the one you use to control light in a room. Except once the vegan light is turned on it takes more than a simple downward flick to turn it off. Exposure to truth, either by accident or one’s own will is usually what flips the switch. Once flipped it sheds light on the whole picture. This particular picture isn’t an easy one to look at.
Most of us were raised to not question where the material of our clothing comes from. Leather, wool, and silk are “normal” materials to use. I knew where leather came from and still I saw nothing wrong with it. Even after the fur coat scene from the popular Jim Carrey sequel, Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls, I still didn’t make the connection. I thought it was a funny bit and I could understand the point that was trying to be made, but it didn’t stop me from buying leather shoes and accessories. All it did was reinforce my disgust of animal furs.
I knew as a child wearing something with an animal’s face still attached was wrong. As long as I couldn’t tell I was wearing an animal it was alright by me. I’m sure most of you still feel the same way. Now that I’m looking at it from a different perspective it’s hard not to see the animal even when the face has been removed. It’s hard to find good quality shoes or a belt that aren’t made of leather. You can’t just walk into any department store and find the vegan belt pictured above.
We are brought up on the disconnected notion that because we love an animal there is nothing wrong with admiring them while covering our skin with theirs. In fact, because we love an animal we should adorn our bodies with their skin and fur.
When I think of people wearing animal furs I automatically picture Native Americans, Vikings, and cavemen. There’s a reason why these groups wore pelts; they lacked other options and technology. They did what they had to do to survive. Protecting themselves from the elements required the end of another life. Their barbaric means of clothing was out of necessity.
Today other options are abundant, readily available, and the technology has been present for many decades. So why are we still using animals for clothing?
For those of you that may not be conscious of all the animal-sourced materials there are here’s a list of the commonly used: leather, wool, shearling, cashmere, down feathers, Angora, and silk. Otherwise known in living form as: cows and just about any other animal you can think of, sheep, lambs, goats, ducks and geese, rabbits, and silkworms. There are countless other animals killed for their furs; and no matter how frightening snakes and alligators are we mustn’t give their lives any less meaning.
All of these animals have a right to live. Instead, they are slaughtered in the name of fashion and beauty. Leather is the most popular of these materials and is the by-product with the largest monetary gain of the meat industry. Leather is the last stop for the factory farmed animal, after their initial use has been exhausted. Supporting the farming of these animals and the use of the chemicals in the tanning process makes leather extra harmful to the environment.
If you think wool, cashmere, down feathers, and Angora come without cruelty think again. These are probably the worst conditions an animal can face. Most of these animals have the fur or wool ripped from their skin or cut out in chunks without the use of painkillers. Such as the down feathers from ducks and geese being repeatedly plucked while alive. In the case of Angora rabbits it was discovered their fur is ripped from their skin every three months. Don’t put it passed people who are willing to do this to animals to mistreat them in between shearing sessions. These animals are punched, kicked, and tortured out of some sick pleasure.
It can take more than 40 sheep to make one shearling garment. These lives have a price and it’s usually not cheap. It’s hard to say if it’s the creator or the consumer that determines the value. Part supply and demand, part social/economic status is what drives the price. We live in a culture that says, “You’re not badass unless you have real leather boots. You’re not rich unless you own a designer wool coat. You’re not worth anything unless you own a piece of clothing that something died for.”
We say it’s for love of the feel and love of the print. It’s really for love of acceptance. I’m fairly certain the animals from which the material came would much rather keep their skin than have you parade around town bragging about your income.
Synthetic fibers were first developed in the late 1800’s and were made out of plant cellulose. A few decades of perfecting the process and artificial silk hit the market. About the same time, folks were experimenting with plastics to create faux leather. It wasn’t until later in the 20th century that synthetic leather was comfortable enough to wear. Cotton has been around for centuries. The Egyptians even used cotton to make their clothing and they looked pretty fancy to me.
We are now living in the 21st century. So let me ask again, why are we still using animals for clothing? The answer is nothing more than pure selfishness. In this culture, we are so turned off by the word ‘fake’ that it should never be uttered from the lips of a fashionista or they will be shunned from the fashion world. The only thing that should be feared is the level of disconnect people have when it comes to what they wear.
In this age of technology where they are developing lab-grown meat it’s time to stop dressing like cavemen. There are more important things that scientists should be doing, but if we need them to create perfect lab-made leather that mimics the real thing to end animal cruelty for the sake of your reputation then I guess that’s what they need to do next. Since I could care less about people who judge me based on what I wear I say bring on the fakes!
There are those that wear animal hides and furs because they’re beautiful and they admire them. I must question that logic, can’t you admire them on the animal? Wouldn’t it be more precious to see them alive and enjoying life? Let’s revisit the fur coat scene. The woman wearing the fur coat says, “[…] there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of nature […]” Well, obviously I disagree. If you love something, let it live don’t wear it.
The Disconnected Admiration of Wearing Animal Skin
Anyone who was not born into a vegan family can attest that we all have a switch inside our minds. Similar to the one you use to control light in a room. Except once the vegan light is turned on it takes more than a simple downward flick to turn it off. Exposure to truth, either by accident or one’s own will is usually what flips the switch. Once flipped it sheds light on the whole picture. This particular picture isn’t an easy one to look at.
Most of us were raised to not question where the material of our clothing comes from. Leather, wool, and silk are “normal” materials to use. I knew where leather came from and still I saw nothing wrong with it. Even after the fur coat scene from the popular Jim Carrey sequel, Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls, I still didn’t make the connection. I thought it was a funny bit and I could understand the point that was trying to be made, but it didn’t stop me from buying leather shoes and accessories. All it did was reinforce my disgust of animal furs.
I knew as a child wearing something with an animal’s face still attached was wrong. As long as I couldn’t tell I was wearing an animal it was alright by me. I’m sure most of you still feel the same way. Now that I’m looking at it from a different perspective it’s hard not to see the animal even when the face has been removed. It’s hard to find good quality shoes or a belt that aren’t made of leather. You can’t just walk into any department store and find the vegan belt pictured above.
We are brought up on the disconnected notion that because we love an animal there is nothing wrong with admiring them while covering our skin with theirs. In fact, because we love an animal we should adorn our bodies with their skin and fur.
When I think of people wearing animal furs I automatically picture Native Americans, Vikings, and cavemen. There’s a reason why these groups wore pelts; they lacked other options and technology. They did what they had to do to survive. Protecting themselves from the elements required the end of another life. Their barbaric means of clothing was out of necessity.
Today other options are abundant, readily available, and the technology has been present for many decades. So why are we still using animals for clothing?
For those of you that may not be conscious of all the animal-sourced materials there are here’s a list of the commonly used: leather, wool, shearling, cashmere, down feathers, Angora, and silk. Otherwise known in living form as: cows and just about any other animal you can think of, sheep, lambs, goats, ducks and geese, rabbits, and silkworms. There are countless other animals killed for their furs; and no matter how frightening snakes and alligators are we mustn’t give their lives any less meaning.
All of these animals have a right to live. Instead, they are slaughtered in the name of fashion and beauty. Leather is the most popular of these materials and is the by-product with the largest monetary gain of the meat industry. Leather is the last stop for the factory farmed animal, after their initial use has been exhausted. Supporting the farming of these animals and the use of the chemicals in the tanning process makes leather extra harmful to the environment.
If you think wool, cashmere, down feathers, and Angora come without cruelty think again. These are probably the worst conditions an animal can face. Most of these animals have the fur or wool ripped from their skin or cut out in chunks without the use of painkillers. Such as the down feathers from ducks and geese being repeatedly plucked while alive. In the case of Angora rabbits it was discovered their fur is ripped from their skin every three months. Don’t put it passed people who are willing to do this to animals to mistreat them in between shearing sessions. These animals are punched, kicked, and tortured out of some sick pleasure.
It can take more than 40 sheep to make one shearling garment. These lives have a price and it’s usually not cheap. It’s hard to say if it’s the creator or the consumer that determines the value. Part supply and demand, part social/economic status is what drives the price. We live in a culture that says, “You’re not badass unless you have real leather boots. You’re not rich unless you own a designer wool coat. You’re not worth anything unless you own a piece of clothing that something died for.”
We say it’s for love of the feel and love of the print. It’s really for love of acceptance. I’m fairly certain the animals from which the material came would much rather keep their skin than have you parade around town bragging about your income.
Synthetic fibers were first developed in the late 1800’s and were made out of plant cellulose. A few decades of perfecting the process and artificial silk hit the market. About the same time, folks were experimenting with plastics to create faux leather. It wasn’t until later in the 20th century that synthetic leather was comfortable enough to wear. Cotton has been around for centuries. The Egyptians even used cotton to make their clothing and they looked pretty fancy to me.
We are now living in the 21st century. So let me ask again, why are we still using animals for clothing? The answer is nothing more than pure selfishness. In this culture, we are so turned off by the word ‘fake’ that it should never be uttered from the lips of a fashionista or they will be shunned from the fashion world. The only thing that should be feared is the level of disconnect people have when it comes to what they wear.
In this age of technology where they are developing lab-grown meat it’s time to stop dressing like cavemen. There are more important things that scientists should be doing, but if we need them to create perfect lab-made leather that mimics the real thing to end animal cruelty for the sake of your reputation then I guess that’s what they need to do next. Since I could care less about people who judge me based on what I wear I say bring on the fakes!
There are those that wear animal hides and furs because they’re beautiful and they admire them. I must question that logic, can’t you admire them on the animal? Wouldn’t it be more precious to see them alive and enjoying life? Let’s revisit the fur coat scene. The woman wearing the fur coat says, “[…] there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of nature […]” Well, obviously I disagree. If you love something, let it live don’t wear it.