Veganism is not just about food. Vegans think about how they consume products in general including clothing, home goods, and accessories. Vegans want to know how everything is made and produced so that they can buy in the most ethical way they can. But it is not always easy to find out the processes or to ensure that companies are being honest and transparent.
Sure, there are vegan labels on products but that does not mean that the product has been produced without harming animals as well as the planet. People want products that are free from animals and also, products that are compostable and made in a way that uses fewer chemicals, water and is environmentally friendly.
We control the market. If we keep telling our suppliers that we want alternatives and if we stop buying products they make that do not meet our needs, companies will change their strategy and they are already starting to do so. Brands are now making stylish clothing and accessories that also happen to be cruelty-free. And, plenty of your favorite existing brands have started added vegan options to their offerings.
The Problem With Leather
Leather is the skin or hides of an animal. It can be made out of a range of animals’ skins such as sheep, lambs, goats, pigs, horses, deer, kangaroos, alligators, crocodiles, elephants, cats, dogs, or snakes. The most common skin used globally is cowhide.
While you might assume that leather is a by-product of the meat and dairy industries, that it is using hides that would otherwise go to waste, unfortunately, this isn’t true.
The leather industry exists in its own right as a very lucrative and highly profitable business and the majority of leather sold in the world today comes from animals that were slaughtered primarily for their skins.
Each year, over a billion animals, are slaughtered for leather. The majority of leather sold in the US and Europe comes from countries such as India and China, where there are no animal welfare laws or, if laws do exist, they are not enforced.
India’s leather industry is responsible for 12.9% of global leather production, equating to an annual production of around three billion square feet of leather. This is used to produce 9% of the world’s footwear.
Most consumers are not aware that leather goods that come from China are often made from the skins of dogs and cats who are routinely tortured and skinned alive. It is estimated that China slaughters around two million cats and dogs each year.
To help fight this scourge, consider a PU leather vegan alternative option next time you are searching for something with a leather aesthetic.