If you're a vegetarian - do you wear/use leather?

[Anonymous]

I have been a vegetarian for a while, and before anyone asks, I am not one of 'those' vegetarians who shames/judges people for eating meat. Of course, I wish people who do eat meat would go the free-range route/humane, but not my place to decide that, and I realize those options are typically more expensive and less accessible. For me, it truly is a personal decision.

Anyways - the other day, I picked a friend up who asked me how I justified having a car with leather seats when I don't eat meat. I honestly had never really thought about it - my car is on the older side, and I didn't 'choose' the car for its leather seats. It got me thinking, though, that I have several leather bags, shoes, etc...and now I feel guilty. Hoping to get other opinions...

[Anonymous]

Honestly, how did you not think about this before?

[Anonymous]

No

I hate leather products. I know my shoes and bags look cheap, but I try hard to find quality cloth/synthetic alternatives. Just do your best.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I have lots of things that are made from leather (boots, shoes, bags, etc). I’m a vegetarian because I think it’s a healthier way to live and not necessarily because of animal rights. I mean I don’t want to see animals suffer unnecessarily but it wasn’t my motivation. Plus I never really liked meat. Bacon is the only thing I miss.

[Anonymous]

No, I don't wear leather as it makes no sense to me to not eat the meat and then use the byproducts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I don't wear leather as it makes no sense to me to not eat the meat and then use the byproducts.

My car has cloth seats but one has leather. We didn't buy the car and it was a given to us/older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been a vegetarian for a while, and before anyone asks, I am not one of 'those' vegetarians who shames/judges people for eating meat. Of course, I wish people who do eat meat would go the free-range route/humane, but not my place to decide that, and I realize those options are typically more expensive and less accessible. For me, it truly is a personal decision.

Anyways - the other day, I picked a friend up who asked me how I justified having a car with leather seats when I don't eat meat. I honestly had never really thought about it - my car is on the older side, and I didn't 'choose' the car for its leather seats. It got me thinking, though, that I have several leather bags, shoes, etc...and now I feel guilty. Hoping to get other opinions...

First off, I'd suggest you drop the defensiveness in the beginning. I have been vegetarian for 20+ years and have literally never encountered a pushy vegetarian. Don't give more life to this absurd stereotype.

And to answer your question: we avoid leather as much as possible but sometimes it is very hard or near impossible to avoid leather. So we do what we can - no leather car seats, no leather purses/shoes/bags, no leather furniture etc.

[Anonymous]

I try to cut down on plastic. Than means more leather sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I have lots of things that are made from leather (boots, shoes, bags, etc). I’m a vegetarian because I think it’s a healthier way to live and not necessarily because of animal rights. I mean I don’t want to see animals suffer unnecessarily but it wasn’t my motivation. Plus I never really liked meat. Bacon is the only thing I miss.

This. It depends why you’re a vegetarian. If it is for animal rights then of course you shouldn’t buy leather or any animal product. If it’s for any other reason (like health or preference) then it doesn’t matter.

Here’s the rub tho: if you’re a vegetarian for ecology and saving the planet, used leather goods create less waste than new cloth or manmade fabrics do so your better off with vintage leather.

[Anonymous]

Vegans don’t wear leather not veggies

[Anonymous]

I buy secondhand shoes and boots. Many are near new or new. Thred Up, consignment shops. No leather purses, ever. Other things are cloth, fabric type.

Cars? Mine is 17 years old, runs great,loos great, cloth seats. Next car might have leather, as I've noticed most are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I try to cut down on plastic. Than means more leather sometimes.

+1 On balance I am worried more about the impact of plastics on the environment.

[Anonymous]

I won't do leather car seats or jackets. I don't have any leather bags. I'm pretty sure the only leather I have are some shoes. It's just one of those things that I have to draw a line somewhere. I am not frivolous about shoes, and wear them for years, for what it's worth.

[Anonymous]

DD is a 17 year old vegetarian (since age 11). Wears leather shoes, our family car has leather elseats (she has no say but has never said anything about it). She is not vegan, just doesn't eat anything with a face (eats dairy).

[Anonymous]

I had this conversation years ago. In high school, a girl who was a vegetarian (a pushy one) wanted to know how I justified wearing the suede shorts that were popular at the time. While she was wearing leather shoes. I asked her if she thought my shorts and her shoes came from a different cow. She tried to justify the shoes saying it was hard finding quality non-leather shoes. It was bullshit then and it’s bullshit now.

Same with the car seats. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have accepted the car, but…either you believe in not using/consuming animal products or you don’t. If that means you need to replace your shoes more often, then that is what it means. Not “I wear leather shoes because it works better for me but we shouldn’t eat meat”.